Lagoon Beach
By Apple Martini
Part 1

"hey - if you like it so far - send me a quick, short email at 
ae.dezeray@yahoo.com. i love to write, but only if people like what i'm 
writing."
- Apple Martini


	“This is awesome,” Jasmine said, pulling her Zune earplugs out. “It 
just hit me that we’re actually going to vacation! In California, too. How 
lucky are we?”
	“I’m actually glad we missed that tournament,” Ash added without 
looking up from his PSP. “Then we wouldn’t be here.”
	Ash and the gang were lounging around Gate 21 of the Delta City 
Airport. Their plane to California should be in any minute now, and they were 
waiting to board. Ash, Misty, May, Broch, Max, Jasmine, Gary, and Adam had 
gotten tickets thanks to Adam’s cousin Nolan. Pokemon rode free.
	“I don’t know…” Misty was the only one being skeptical. “What if we get 
bored? No gyms, no tournaments, no badges, no ribbons. What will our Pokemon 
do?”
	“There’ll be other trainers,” Gary pointed out. “And we can always 
battle each other.”
	Misty didn’t like that idea. Jasmine would probably beat anyone, 
impressing Ash even more.
	“All I can think about are California-bred beauties in tiny bikinis,” 
mused Broch. “I bet the lifeguards even have those hot red one-pieces.”
	May smirked. “Give it up, Broch.”
	“It’s so cool we’re staying in a beach house,” Jasmine blurted out. The 
rest of the bunch stopped what they were doing to look at her, the same 
question in all their eyes. Jasmine didn’t understand. “What? Did I say 
something wrong?”
	“A beach house?” Max said. “For real?”
	“Oh … yeah. My family kind of owns a beach house in Lagoon Beach.” 
Jasmine shifted from one foot to the other nervously.
	Misty couldn’t help but roll her bright green eyes. Luckily no one saw 
her. Who does this chick think she’s fooling? Misty thought. She did that on 
purpose.
	“Whoa!” said Ash, visibly impressed.
	“There are six bedrooms, I think,” Misty said. “That means that four of 
us can get our own room.”
	Misty suddenly felt alert. It wouldn’t be girls in one room and boys in 
the other? If Jasmine and Ash ended up pairing off, she’d die!
	“No … wait, I was wrong,” Jasmine said. “There’s four bedrooms. We 
can’t go in the master bedroom cause my parents keep it locked. And last 
winter they renovated one of the bedrooms into a theater.”
	“So it looks like we’re all paired up, then.” Gary said, as if it was 
the most obvious thing in the world.
	Well, duh.
	“It should be girls with girls and boys with boys,” Misty stated. She’d 
make sure Jasmine and Ash got separated.
	“But there’s an odd number of girls. No matter what, a girl’s gonna 
room with a boy.” Gary seemed to have this more thought out than Jasmine.
	Then make May room with her little brother, thought Misty. She was just 
about to say it when May interrupted.
	“Why don’t we pick names randomly, or draw sticks or something?” May 
suggested.
	“Or just call partners,” Ash said. “I’m rooming with -”
	“That’s a perfectly fair and ingenious idea,” Jasmine told May. “I love 
it!” She grabbed some fliers off a nearby stand and scribbled names on it, 
then crumpled them up and borrowed Ash’s hat off his head to put them in. 
“Girls draw first.”
	“You should be the first to go,” Gary urged Jasmine on. It was pretty 
much a tacit understanding that all the guys were crossing their fingers to 
room with Jasmine … if not her, then at least with one of the other two 
girls.
	“Uh, I’ll go after the other two girls,” Jasmine blushed. “May? Misty?”
	“Misty!” May exclaimed. She was wishing that she’d pull Ash’s name from 
the hat. She figured that the more time she spent wishing, the more likely 
her wish was to come true.
	“Alright, Misty it is,” Jasmine put the hat in front of Misty. “Pick 
one.”
	“Fine,” Misty sighed. Please, oh please, let her get Ash. If not him, 
then at least with Jasmine so she could keep an eye on them. She reached her 
arm into the hat.
	Gary looked over at Ash, the two of them thinking the same sudden 
thought. What if Misty pulled Jasmine’s name? Then none of them would get to 
room with her!
	“Hey, I’d love to get Misty,” Gary whispered to Adam. “She may be 
feisty, but she’s not bad at all.”
	Misty unraveled - or rather, unballed, her paper. “It’s Ash!” Even she 
couldn’t believe her own eyes. What luck!
	Everyone released the breath they’d been holding. Now that the first 
round was done, it would get a little less nerve-wracking.
	“Oh, what have I got to lose? I‘ll go now.” Jasmine said, clearly 
flustered about something.
	Maybe it was because Misty and Ash were sleeping in the same room for 
the next three weeks?
	All the guys, even already-assigned Ash, held their breath. Now was the 
time they’d all been waiting for. Jasmine’s Pichu jumped on her shoulder 
supportively. It looked at everyone else as if to say, No matter what, I’m 
guaranteed to room with my trainer. Nyah nyah.
	Jasmine opened the paper she’d chosen. She already knew whose it was.
	After all, she did write them herself. It just so happened Misty picked 
the one she was supposed to pick.
	“Adam,” Jasmine said. “I’m sleeping with Adam.”
	Adam blushed.
	After all the picking was done, Gary got the last girl (actually, he 
got May by cheating - he’d picked Max but he ripped a corner so that the 
paper clearly read M-A-Y) and that left Broch with Max. Which didn’t really 
bother Broch at all - Max was a chick magnet for him. It made him look like a 
babysitter or something - or at least it made him look responsible. Chicks 
dig responsible guys.
	“So, these rooms.” Max said. “Double beds?”
	“Two rooms have identical twin beds. One has bunk beds. And my bedroom 
has one king size bed - plainly big enough for two people.” Jasmine 
explained.
	You’re sleeping in a bed with him!? Ash wanted to blurt out. But he 
didn’t. He had to be mature about this.
	He didn’t have time to pull Adam aside and try to convince a trading of 
places. The announcement came on for Gate 21 to board their plane.
	“That’s us!” Misty exclaimed, feeling all new optimism for the trip.

**********************************************************************

	On the plane, they took up two of the seven-seat rows in the middle. 
Jasmine sat in the middle of one row with Ash and Misty on one side and with 
May on the other side. Behind them was Max, Broch, Adam, and Gary. The 
Pokemon were taking up the other seats - Jasmine had her Pichu and her 
Vaporeon, Sammie, out. Ash’s Pikachu was out, May’s Skitty and Combusken were 
out, Misty had her Kingdra out, and Gary’s Umbreon was out. Umbreon and 
Sammie were getting along like buddies. This annoyed both their trainers, who 
would much rather have them battling it out for the title of best evolved 
Eevee. 
	Soon all the trainers had fallen asleep. SO typical of them to get just 
a little comfortable, then go out like a light.
	BZZZZZT! Jasmine’s phone vibrated. A text message! From Adam.
	Jasmine turned around and smiled at Adam. She had been sleeping on 
Ash’s shoulder, and she was glad something woke her up before she ended up 
drooling.
	Tap - tap - tap. The only sound you could hear was Jasmine tapping the 
keys on her phone, texting back. Practically everyone on the plane was 
asleep. Guess the rumors about the airline deciding to use Gloom sleep powder 
to make the flights more pleasant were true.
	After about an hour or so of innocent texting, Jasmine heard Adam put 
his phone in his pocket. He got up and headed for the bathroom. Any girl 
within range couldn’t help but admire his features. His dirty-blond hair and 
pale blue eyes, and his skinny-yet-athletic figure … they just drew 
attention. Even Jasmine’s.
	Did I say even Jasmine’s? I meant, especially Jasmine’s.
	Adam’s Scizor let himself out of his poke ball and stretched in Adam’s 
now vacant seat. Jasmine could see her cute little Pichu peering over the 
seat at Scizor. Even his Pokemon were irresistible!
	Jasmine sighed, settling back in on Ash’s shoulder. She didn’t mind 
that Misty was sleeping on the other once, because Ash’s head was tilted her 
way. 

*********************************************************************

	“Alright guys, here’s the place.” Jasmine scanned her ID door at the 
huge, beautiful door to the huge, beautiful condo. 
	If the rest of them were feeling any jet lag, it definitely dissipated 
once they laid eyes on the inside of the place. It was gorgeous! Jasmine gave 
them a tour of the mod family room, the comfy reading room with a fireplace, 
the newly renovated theater room, the so-clean-you-could-eat-off-the-floors 
kitchen, the spacious bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs, and the greenhouse. “Wait 
until you guys see the roof,” Jasmine grinned.
	“I could totally get used to this,” May told Jasmine, and Jasmine 
blushed.
	They found their rooms and dropped off their things. Broch and Max took 
the bunkbed rooms, and Jasmine tossed her and Adam’s luggage in her black 
satin and leopard skin decorated bedroom. She’d promised to take them all out 
for lunch at the Catalina Café, while their Pokemon hung out at the pool.
	“Blaziken, keep an eye on everyone,” Jasmine said. “You know how to 
reach me if you have to.” Jasmine touched her pendant. It glowed whenever 
Blaziken was in trouble or needed help. He had a matching pendant. “Oh, and 
Blaziken?”
	“Blaze?”
	“You and Sammie have to keep an eye on Pichu at all times. Pichu can’t 
swim, and he has to stay in the shallow water.”
	“Blaze.” He gave a firm nod. 
	Jasmine sighed contentedly. It was the first time she’d left Pichu 
under anyone else’s supervision. But she trusted her first Pokemon Blaziken, 
who had evolved from a tiny, clumsy Torchic into a reliable, loyal, Pokemon 
that was so amazing nobody deserved him. Finally, she and the others left the 
condo and headed for the Catalina Café.

	“Welcome to the Catalina Café,” the entertaining, gay waiter told the 
group after they were seated at a long outdoor table under some umbrellas. “I 
see you guys don’t have any menus. They should be bringing them any sec.”
	“Oh, that won’t be necessary for me,” Ash said. “Just tell me what kind 
of hamburgers you guys make here.”
	“I’m afraid we don’t make hamburgers here,” the waiter put his hand on 
his hip. “We specialize in seafood.”
	“Evan, dude, send someone in there and don’t send them back out unless 
they have a hamburger.” Jasmine said, not joking.
	“Kiley?” Evan leaned closer.
	“Um, it’s Jasmine now.” Jasmine cleared her throat.
	“Mitchell, right?” Evan got ever so slightly closer.
	“Yeah, Jasmine Mango,” Jasmine was beginning to sweat. “So uh, what 
about that hamburger?”
	“Right away, Miss Mitchell,” Evan went inside the building as a 
waitress brought out some menus. Everyone was so confused by what happened, 
Broch even forgot to hit on the hot waitress.
	“What was that all about?” Ash asked.
	“Oh, he probably mixed me up with someone named … uh … that.” Jasmine 
dabbed her forehead with a napkin.
	“I mean how did you just make him get a hamburger like that?”
	“Oh,” Jasmine giggled. Whew. “He’s a friend of my mom. “
	Just then Evan returned with a hot, steaming hamburger on a plate. “I 
had to bum this off the A & O  Grill next door. There’s an extra charge for 
manual labor.” Evan laughed. “So are we ready to order?”
	“Yes,” Jasmine said. “I’ll have the Baked Basa Fillets w/ Grape 
tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese? They’re my favorite.”
	“I remember,” Evan said, putting his hand on his hip again (Gary nudged 
Adam at his and they giggled). “What I don’t remember is you all of a sudden 
changing your -”
	“ - hair?” Jasmine interrupted. “I know. I got highlights. Surprise! 
Um, actually, I think I left something important back … uh, in the condo. Um, 
here, you guys order,” Jasmine pulled some cash from her wallet. “There’s 
about two hundred in there.”
	Jasmine hurried away. She hurried all the way back to the condo.
	Misty leaned over to whisper to May. “I told you there’s something 
shady about that girl.”
	As soon as Jasmine scanned herself into the condo, she picked up the 
phone and an address book. She opened it to the H page and looked at the 
hairstylists that were in there. One had a star next to it in familiar 
handwriting. There was only one way she’d make herself unrecognizable.
	“Hello? Is this Mandy Tricomi? I need an appointment. When? Right now, 
of course. I KNOW it’s the middle of July. I don’t CARE that you’re booked 
until September 1st. I need to come in right now. I don’t understand? No, YOU 
don’t understand. I need to look totally different. I’m willing to pay like, 
nine times the normal price. Of course I realize how much that is! Oh, my 
name?”
	Jasmine leaned her back against the kitchen wall and slid down until 
she was sitting on the floor. Hello? The voice from the receiver.
	Jasmine sighed. “Jasmine Mango.”
	She hung up the phone as soon as Mandy gave her the confirmation, and 
dashed out of the condo. In her hurry, she didn’t realize her pendant had 
fallen off.
	She was all the way down the street when the pendant began to glow.

***************** end of part 1 ****************************************

	*What was with that ‘Kiley Mitchell’ incident? Why did it make Jasmine 
freak out? And more importantly, how far will Misty go to find out? Does this 
mean trouble for Ash and Jasmine’s relationship? And speaking of 
relationships, how is the first night with Adam and Jasmine sleeping in the 
same bed going to go? And Misty in a room alone with Ash? And most of all, 
what’s going on back at the pool - why are the Pokemon in trouble? Find out 
all this - plus prepare to say goodbye to someone we all love - in Lagoon 
Beach part 2.