Chapter 2

"Now are you sure you have everything honey?" Says Mrs. Ketchum for the 
seventh time as she walks Ash and friends up to the door to the S.S. 
Suicune, the ferry/cruise ship to the Champion region.
"Yeah Mom I'm sure." Says Ash.
"Well then ok. I love you and good luck." Says Mrs. Ketchum as the five 
trainers headed for The Champion region board the ship.
Once inside the ship Ash says, "There's only five?"
"What'd you expect?" Says the fifth trainer, a tall dark haired guy about 
Brock's age maybe a little older. "We can't have your average trainer going 
to the Champion Region. They'd get beat by the wild pokemon."
"I take it you've been to the region before." Says Misty.
"A few times." The guy says simply. "By the way I'm Will."
"I'm Ash Ketchum."
"Ah the Pokemon Trainer from Pallet. Orange League champ and winner of last 
years Hoenn league." Says Will.
"How'd you know that?" Asks Ash.
"I keep up with all the leagues." Says Will.
"Say do you know how to find our rooms?" Asks Brock.
"It's right on your ID cards. There should be a number in the upper right 
hand corner." Explains Will. "Listen I have to find my room and place a 
call."
The three of them each pull out their ID cards and check their room number.
"I'm in Seven." Declare Ash and Misty.
"Eight." Says Brock.
Hey Ash and I are going to be alone at Night now. Thinks Misty. "I guess 
it'll be me and Ash in one room and you in another Brock."
"Yeah I guess so." Says Brock Gloomily.
"So. Misty. What made you decide to change the way you wore your hair?" 
Asks Ash casually from his bed in their room. Pikachu sat in front of the 
tall, thin windows and Misty was just out of the shower and was brushing her 
hair.
"Well I like it this way I guess." Replies Misty.
"You guess?" Asks Ask. "Come on I know you must have had a reason."
She didn't really know why she had suddenly decided to wear her hair like 
this. It was probably the way and how often Ash had looked at her that 
morning but she could never tell him that. "That was my reason Ash."
"If you say so."
"You know Ash." Begins Misty slowly.
"Yeah Misty? What is it?" Asks Ash.
Oh what am I going to say to him now?  "Well um. Did you catch what time 
dinner was? I'm starved."
"Uh no, I didn't." Replies Ash. After a second he asks, "Hey Misty why 
didn't you want to ask Brock to come?"
Oh how am I going to answer that? She thinks wildly. "I don't know really. I 
guess."
"You guess what?"
Three knocks sound from the door. "Hey Ash, Misty, dinner time." Comes 
Brock's voice.
"Finally." Says Misty, walking over to the door and opening it. Once outside 
of the room something sets on her shoulder.
"Ah Misty there's a Spinerak on your." Begins Ash.
"AH!" Yelps Misty. She jumps off the ground and finds herself caught by Ash. 
A Spinerak plushy falls from her shoulder. "Grr." Misty realizes that Ash is 
holding her. Her face grows very warm and she moves onto her feet. "Sorry." 
She murmurs.
"For what?" Asks Ash. Misty sees his face is a red too.
Beside them Brock is laughing himself to tears. Misty gives him another 'X' 
shaped shoe print on his face and she and Ash start down the hallway. After 
a second they both stop and turn back to retrieve Brock. "So where's 
dinner?" Asks Ash.
"There's room surface. I have some food in my room." Replies Brock.
"Great lets eat." Says Ash walking through brocks open doorway. Brock's room 
was about the same as Ash and Misty's. Three trays stood in the middle of 
the room. Plates, chopsticks, and bowls on one, rice balls, soy sauce, and a 
pot of rice on another, and assorted other foods and sauces on the last one. 
"Looks great Brock." He says as he walks over to the trays and gets his 
plate and puts some food on it. "Hey maybe we should let out some of our 
pokemon so they can get some food." Suggests Ash.
"Good Idea." Agrees Misty, pulling the pokeball containing her Squirtle from 
her belt. "Come on out Squirtle." She says releasing Squirtle from its 
pokeball. Squirtle appears on the bed.
"I'll let out Eevee." Declares Ash. He does so and Eevee appears on the 
floor next to Pikachu. Pikachu looks at it disdainfully.
"Lavitar is already eating at the other side of my bed." Says Brock. "I've 
got some pokemon food out over there for our pokemon."
Pikachu, Eevee, and Squirtle all move over to where Lavitar is eating its 
pokemon food happily.

"Aw that was good." Says Ash, putting his chopsticks down on his plate and 
setting his plate down.
"Hey I wonder if there's anything to do up on the deck." Says Misty, also 
putting down her plate and chopsticks. "Hey Ash do you want to go see?" Asks 
Misty, as always seeking a chance to be alone with Ash.
"Ok." Says Ash, rising from the bed.
"I'm gonna stay here." Says Brock
"Ok." Say Ash and Misty together. The two of them move over to the door and 
head out into the hallway.
"I wonder how to get to the deck." Says Ash.
"There you are." Comes a voice from behind them. Turning Ash and Misty see 
Will walking briskly toward them.
"Hi Will." Says Ash. "Hey do you know how to get to the deck?" He asks.
"Yeah I'll show you." Will replies. "Hey do you want to have a battle Ash?"
"A battle? Yeah!" Exclaims Ash.
"Great there's a ring on the deck." Says Will.
The ring looked more like a reconstruction of the rock field at the indigo 
league then a normal pokemon ring. "Five on five sound good?" Asks Will as 
he steps onto the far end of the arena. He wore a confidant smirk.
"Fine with me." Says Ash pulling a pokeball from his belt. Misty sits down 
on a nearby bench.
"Alright." Says Will, likewise taking a pokeball from his belt. The 
pokeballs are thrown at the same time. Ash's reveals Charizard and Will's, a 
Flareon.
"Char!" Roar Charizard.
"This should be quick." Says Misty quietly.
"Heh." Says Ash. "Flamethrower Charizard!"
"Match with Flamethrower." The two flamethrowers meet. A mini-explosion 
occurs when they meet blasting the Flareon back a few yards. Or at least 
that's what it looked like but the Flareon springs back and charges at 
Charizard in a Quick attack. "Flame Wheel." Orders Will. The Flareon spews 
fire from its mouth and rockets at Charizard like a comet. The Flareon hits 
Charizard dead in the stomach.
"Charrrrrrrrrrrrrr-!" Cries Charizard falling to the ground.
"Charizard return!" Says Ash. He turns to Pikachu. "Your turn Pikachu."
"Pikachu!" Cries Pikachu sending a thunderbolt at Flareon.
"Flar!" Cries Flareon as it like Charizard falls to the ground.
Will returns Flareon to its pokeball. "Go Jolteon." He says throwing 
another pokemon. A Jolteon flies out.
"Jol.t-on"
"Pikachu Agility!" Yells Ash.
"Use your agility too Jolteon." Says Will. The two Pokemon run straight at 
each other, at the last second Will says, "Now use Double Kick." The Jolteon 
rockets past Pikachu delivering two sharp kicks to Pikachu's side as it 
passes. Pikachu flies off to the side by lands on its feet. It pants 
heavily.
"Hmmm." Says Will. "Twin Needle attack." Jolteon faces Pikachu and it's 
spikes point at Pikachu. The Twin Needle attack flies from the spike. At the 
last moment Pikachu jumps to the side.
"Pikachu use Agility again but use Double Team too." Says Ash. Pikachu uses 
Double Team and all of them, both the original and the fakes speed off in an 
Agility and circle Jolteon.
"Shockwave." Says Will coolly. Jolteon bends it's knees a little, sparks 
swirl around it and a beam of electricity shoots of in all directions. 
Cutting through all of the Pikachu's except one that jumps high into the air 
towards Jolteon.
"Iron Tail." The real Pikachu's, the one in the air, tail glows and it 
flips once and slams it's Iron Tail onto Jolteon. Jolteon sinks to the 
ground, fainted.
"Hmmm." Will returns Jolteon to its pokeball. Without a word he pulls 
another pokeball from his belt and sends it out. A Vaporeon pops out of the 
ball.
"You're using a Vaporeon against Pikachu?" Asks Misty in surprise.
"You'll see." Says Will. "Quick Attack." Vaporeon rockets at Pikachu with 
unusual speed for a Vaporeon. Just as Vaporeon nears Pikachu, Pikachu jumps 
up and Will says. "Follow it then in-air Iron Tail." Vaporeon follows 
Pikachu into the air and does an Iron Tail that sends Pikachu flying into a 
rock. Just before Pikachu hits the rock however it gets off a Thunder attack 
that hit's Vaporeon dead on. When the sparks subside Vaporeon sinks to the 
ground.
Will returns Vaporeon to its pokeball. "Just what I wanted it to do. You 
have an impressive Pikachu there Ash. Even after all that it can still 
fight." Says Will as Pikachu jumps from the rock without actually hitting it 
landing on it's feet. He takes a new pokeball from his belt. "But your 
Pikachu can't beat this." He sends out the pokeball and an Umbreon appears. 
"Quick Attack."
"We won't fall for that again." Says Ash. "Pikachu jump to the side." He 
says. Just as Umbreon is almost to Pikachu it disappears for a second before 
reappearing behind Pikachu.
"Faint Attack." Says Will not so much as a command as an explanation. 
Umbreon tackles Pikachu. Sending it flying only a short distance but Pikachu 
doesn't land on it's feet. It tries to stand up but sinks back to the 
ground.
"Pikachu!" Cries Ash. He runs to the field to retrieve Pikachu. Once back 
at his box he takes another pokeball from his belt and sends it out. "I 
choose you, Donphan!" Yells Ash. Donphan appears. "Rollout!" Donphan curls 
up and spins off at Umbreon. At the last second Umbreon disappears. "Rollout 
the other way!" Yells Ash. Donphan obeys and smacks right into Umbreon as it 
uses another Faint Attack. Donphan goes flying into the air and Umbreon 
skids across and into the ground. Neither pokemon are able to rise.
Both trainers return their pokemon to their pokeballs. "Congratulations 
Ash. You're the first person to beat my Umbreon in a long time." Says Will 
as he pulls his last pokeball from his belt. "If you beat this one you'll be 
the first to ever beat it." He adds. He throws the pokeball and an Espeon 
appears.
"So you're an Eevee Trainer then?" Asks Ash as he pulls his last pokemon 
from his belt. "I choose you, Lapras." He yells as he sends out Lapras. "Ice 
Beam." Lapras uses Ice Beam shooting it straight at Espeon. Espeon simply 
sits the grooming itself.
"Psychic." Says Will. Espeon glances at the Ice Beam and the red gem on 
it's forehead glows. The Ice Beam does a U-Turn in the air and flies back at 
Lapras, freezing it.
"Whoa." Says Ash. Eevee having never been returned to it's pokeball jumps 
into the field.
"Vee!" It cries.
"Alright Eevee give it everything you've got!" Says Ash. "Quick Attack." 
Eevee rockets at Espeon.
"Confusion." Says Will. Before Espeon can use Confusion though Eevee 
disappears and reappears behind Espeon. "Psychic." Says Will. Espeon's red 
gem on it's forehead glows and Eevee is surrounded by a purplish-blue aura. 
Eevee's legs start to move and it does a kind of little four-legged tap 
dance. After a moment of this Eevee float over to Ash and lands next to the 
fainted Pikachu, still having it's aura Eevee curls up. The aura disappears.
"An Eevee that can use a Faint Attack. You must have gotten that from the 
Champion." Remarks Will.
"Yeah." Says Ash. "Hey do you know if there's a pokemon center on the 
ship?" Asks Ash.
"Yeah I'll show you the-." Begins Will.
"Hahahahaha!" Comes Team Rocket's familiar laugh. (A great stadium rises up 
from beside the ship. "We borrowed this from episode ten." Says Jesse. [No 
I'm kidding.]) A giant metal tube comes out from a hallway entrance.
"Psychic." Says Will impatiently. Espeon's red gem glows and the tube 
crumples all the way to the door to a metal ball the size of a Golem.
"How'd you do that?" Asks Ash in Astonishment.
"Years of practice." Replies Will. "Alright Espeon rip it out." The tube 
jerks suddenly and the sound of metal ripping is heard. The tube flies out 
of the doorway and at the end of the tube are Jesse, James, and Meowth. The 
three of them gain the same aura Eevee got when it faced Espeon and are 
brought to the ground, but not released from Psychic.
"Good work Will. We've been looking for these stowaways since we left 
Cerulean half an hour ago." Comes an unfamiliar voice. A woman with 
white-blonde hair wearing all black steps from behind the bench, she walks 
over to Jesse, James, and Meowth who are staring petrified at Will. "I'll 
take them from here Will." Says the woman.
"Alright Karen." Says Will Espeon's red gem stops glowing and the aura 
disappears from around Team Rocket. Karen leads the three of them back 
through the doorway the vacuum had come out of. "Oh Espeon just throw that 
over board." The Vacuum goes flying over the edge of the ship.
"We stopped at Cerulean?" Asks Misty.
"Yeah. You like, weren't there when we came aboard little sister." Comes 
Daisy's very familiar voice. Misty looks behind her and sees Daisy and 
Violet, two of her sisters walks towards them, or Will. "Hi Will." They both 
say.
Brock comes bursting out of the doorway from which Ash, Misty, and Will had 
come onto the deck. "Where are they!?" Asks Brock looking wildly around. He 
spots Daisy and Violet.
"Eh- Hi Ladies. What a surprise to see you here." Says Will.
"Surprise?" Says Violet. "You invited us to come when you left from 
Viridian city."
"Invited them? How do you know my sisters Will?" Asks Misty. "And where's 
Lily?"
"Oh Will and us go way back from even before you left on your little quest 
with your boy friend here." Explains Daisy.
"He's not my boyfriend." Says Misty casually.
"Hmm. Usually she yells." Says Violet. "Well like anyway, Lily had to watch 
the gym."
"And why did he invite you?" Asks Misty.
"Well Will like, invited us to travel with him for awhile." Says Daisy.
"Yeah we like totally figured it'd be good for our bodies." Adds Violet.
"And gym life was getting a little boring too." Finishes Daisy.
"Yeah but why did you invite them to travel with you Will?" Asks Misty.
"Yeah Will why'd you invite her?" Ask both Daisy and Violet both pointing 
at each other.
"Oh I get it." Says Misty with a snigger. "I had been wondering why my 
sisters never have a boy friend."
"At least we can get one little sister." Says Violet.
"Yeah you've been following this one around for three in a half years and 
you still don't have him." Adds Daisy.
"What are you talking about?" Asks Misty uneasily. She feels her face grow 
warm.
Brock rushes up to Will and drops to his knees. "Teach me!"

Later that night Ash looks over the side of the boat. His arms were crossed 
on the railing. He gazed out at the water, pure white light shimmered on the 
gently beating surface from the crescent moon high in the clear nights sky. 
"Mind if I join you?" Comes Misty's voice from behind him.
"Sure." Replies Ash glancing back at her. The cool light from the moon 
illuminated Misty's face. It was all he could do to keep from brushing her 
cheek softly with a finger.
"That was some battle you had earlier." Says Misty. She moves over to the 
railing beside Ash and crosses her arms over it too.
"Yeah." Replies Ash. "I kind of felt like I was being tested though."
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Asks Misty, gazing out at the moonlit ocean.
"Yeah you are." Replies Ash.
"What?"
"I said Yeah it is." Says Ash quickly.
"Oh." Says Misty. "I thought you said. something else."
"Nope. Heh heh."
"We'll be reaching the Champion region."
"I wonder if the Champion himself will be there." Murmurs Ash.
"Naw, Just like a few of the leaders of the region. It's usually just 
Prima, that Karen lady who took Team Rocket away, and some old lady called 
Agatha."
Turning Ash sees Violet take the other side of Ash. "Why are you up here 
Violet?" Asks Misty. "I thought you'd be in your room with Will and Daisy by 
this late at Night."
Clearing ignoring Misty's question Violet says, "Misty I love what you've 
done with your hair. It makes you look so cute. Don't you think so Ash."
"Yeah I do." Says Ash. "Uh, I mean I guess so." Ash avoids looking at 
Misty.
"Hehehe." Laughs Violet. "Sure Ash. Well I'll leave you two love birds 
alone." Violet walks off and down below the deck.
"Heh heh." Says Ash nervously. "I wonder what she means by that. Love 
birds? Us?" Says Ash. He gives a forced laugh.
"Yeah I wonder what she was thinking." Agrees Misty also sounding nervous.