~*Part 4*~

	Ash awoke the next morning to the sun shining in his room and on his 
face.  He decided to just lay there for a while and think about what all was 
happening in his life.  
       He got all eight badges from the Johto Region.  That was an 
accomplishment on its own! In a few months, he would go to the Silver 
Conference and compete there.  Hopefully, he would leave bearing victory,  
marking off one more thing towards his dream, and getting one step closer.
       Then, just the day before, he saw his childhood best friend.  She had 
grown so much, but hadn’t changed that much at all!  She was still the lovable 
and amazing sweetheart that he grew up with and cared so much about.  When 
he looked back on it now, he couldn’t see how he ever gave her up for anything 
in the world.  He had missed her very much.
       
       He heard everyone talking and laughing in the kitchen.  All of a sudden, 
the door opened and Pikachu hopped in.  “Hey buddy!  Good morning,” Ash said.  
“Did you have fun at Professor Oak’s?”
       “Pika! Pikachu!” The pokemon smiled.  Pikachu looked over his shoulder 
as Brittany’s Pikachu came in.
       “Did Brittany go and get you guys?” The Pikachu’s shook their heads. “Is 
Professor Oak here?” They nodded.  “Well, I guess that I had better get up then, 
huh?” Ash laughed.
       “Pika-Pikachu-Pi!” Brittany’s Pikachu said running out of the room.
       Ash walked out of the room to have a Ninetails and Arcanine jumping at 
their feet and growling at Ash.  Ash screamed as he was backed into a corner.
       “Whoa! Hold on there, you two!” Brock said, holding the two pokemon 
back.
       “That sure was a wake-up call!” Ash exclaimed.
       “Sorry, Ash.  Brittany jumped in the shower and warned us that they may 
not take a liking to you,” Brock chuckled as he let the pokemon into the backyard 
until Brittany got out.
       “So, she’s taking one of her 3-hour showers, huh?”
       “Oh, I wouldn’t know.  She’s only been in there for about 3 minutes!” Brock 
laughed, but then saw Ash thinking deeply.  “Are you okay?”
       “…Yeah, I’m fine,” Ash sighed.
       “You’re lying…stop it.”
       “It’s nothing, Brock…Really…It’s just…Everything is happening so fast, 
you know? I never expected to see her again like this…”
       “I know, Ash. It’ll be okay, though. Just relax and enjoy while she’s here 
with us!”
       “I know.”
       Just then, Brittany came flying out of the bathroom. Her long, wavy hair 
flying all over the place because she had just dried it.  She grabbed an apple 
from a basket and sat up on top of the counter.  Ash and Brock just stared at her 
in awe.
       Her long brown hair was soft against her face as it laid all the way down 
her back.  Her eyes had a glow to them, that Ash had only known from when they 
were little kids.  He hadn’t seen that glow in a very long time and he had been 
longing to see it again.  But as he did, it made him sad.  It made him sad to think 
that he ever left her. Even with these thoughts going through his head, he still 
couldn’t stop staring at her.
       “What’s wrong with you guys?” She laughed. “You guys look as if you had 
never seen me before!” She winked at them and Brock snapped out of it.
       “Oh, Brittany. Ash got quite a wake up call from your Arcanine and 
Ninetails this morning,” Brock said.
       “Oh! Are they here?”
       “Yeah, they’re out back.”
       “Awesome!” Brittany jumped up and ran out the back door.
       “Okay, Ash…Maybe I see your problem.”
       “Yeah, exactly!” Ash said, slightly annoyed.
       Just then, Misty walked in with an armful of groceries.  Delia wasn’t too far 
behind her. Also, with her arms full of groceries.
       “Ash! It’s about time that you woke up!” Misty told him.
       “Yeah, honey. We were just about to go and wake you up. You guys need 
to be heading out, soon,” Delia said.
       Just then, Brittany came running back inside with two pokéballs in her 
hand. “Morning, mom!” She smiled at Delia as she took another bite from her 
apple.
       “Oh, just like Brittany.  To have an apple in the morning…Oh, how I’ve 
missed all of this!” Delia said sadly.
       “Don’t be sad, mom. We’ll come back and see you!” Ash said.
       “Oh, I know that you will, sweetie.  I just miss the old days.”
       “You were the mom that I always wanted,” Brittany told her softly.
       “I’m sorry that your mother wasn’t always around, Brittany,” Delia said. 
“She did do her best, you know.”
       “I know…It’s just wasn’t good enough…”
       “Oh! That reminds me! Your sister called and wants you to come and see 
her as soon as you can. She has something important that she needs to tell you! 
So, be sure to stop there on your way.”
       “I will. We should start getting packed, though.”
       “Yeah, I agree,” Ash said.
       “Let’s go,” Brock said as they moved from the kitchen to their sleeping 
bags in the living room, and Ash went to his bedroom.
       
       In a little while, they were all set to go.  “Bye, mom!” Ash and Brittany said.
       “Come here, Brittany,” Delia said as she hugged her.  “It was so nice to 
see you again!”
       “You too, mom,” Brittany said.
       “Bye! And thanks for everything!”  They all said as they waved and left.
       “Pikachu!” Brittany’s Pikachu jumped on her shoulder and chirped for joy.
       “I know, Pikachu.  Isn’t it great to be out, again?” Brittany asked.
       “Pika!” She smiled.
       “How does right here sound?” Misty asked as they came to a clearing in 
the forest.
       “This looks perfect!” Ash exclaimed.
       “You ready, Brock?” Brittany asked.
       “I’m more then ready, Brittany!” Brock replied.
       “This will be a three-on-three pokemon match! The one with the greatest 
number of wins wins the match!” Misty said as she reffed the match.  “Ready? 
Begin!”
       “Go Crobat!” Brock said as his Crobat appeared out of its poke ball.
       “Let’s go, Pikachu!” Brittany shouted as her Pikachu ran out there.
       “Crobat vs. Pikachu…Begin!” Misty said.
       “Crobat! Wing attack, now!” Brock exclaimed.
       “Dodge it with quick attack, Pikachu!” Brittany exclaimed. Her Pikachu 
nodded and took off running towards Crobat.
       “Crobat! Fly out of the way!” Crobat flew high into the air, and Pikachu just 
missed it.
       “Pikachu, bounce back with a thunder bolt attack!” Pikachu stopped, 
turned towards Crobat, and sent an electrifying thunder bolt towards Crobat. The 
bolt hit Crobat.
       “No!” Brock shouted as Crobat fell to the ground.  It tried to get up. “Come 
on, Crobat! You can do it!” Crobat tried, but couldn’t.
       “Crobat is unable to battle. The round goes to Pikachu!” Misty exclaimed.
       “All right! Yeah! Good job, Pikachu!” Brittany cheered.
       “She is pretty good, isn’t she, Pikachu?” Ash said quietly to his Pikachu.
       “Pika-Pikachu…” His Pikachu said in awe.
       “Howya doin’ over there, Brock?” Brittany asked, smiling.
       “Just fine, Brittany.  Are you ready for the second round?” Brock asked.
       “You bet!”
       “Second round, begin!” Misty shouted.
       “Go, Chikorita!” Brittany shouted, and her Chikorita appeared from a 
Friend Ball from Kurt.
       “Onix, I choose you!” Brock’s Onix towered over Brittany and her 
Chikorita. Chikorita shivered in fear.
       “Come on, Chikorita. We can do this!” Chikorita stood strong. “Try using a 
razor leaf against it!”
       “Chika!” Chikorita threw her razor leaf at Brock’s Onix, but they just 
bounced off.
       “What?” Brittany exclaimed.
       “True, you are a great battler.  But my high level Onix was no match for 
your Chikorita! Onix, bind attack!” Onix moved for Chikorita and had it in a tight 
bind.
       “Oh no! Chikorita, try and break free!” Brittany tried to save her Pokemon, 
but it was useless. Onix had it in a tight bind. “Han in there, Chikorita!” Chikorita 
tried to get out, but couldn’t and fainted.
       “Chikorita is unable to battle. The round goes to Onix!” Misty said.
       “Wow…That was quick,” Ash said to himself as he watched the battle.
       “It’s all right, Chikorita.  You did your best.” Brittany said as Chikorita went 
back into its poke ball.
       “Good job, Onix! Return!” Brock said as he returned Onix to its poke ball. 
“What happened to you being a hot-shot trainer, Brittany?”
       “You haven’t seen anything, yet!” Brittany smiled.
       “The final round…Begin!” Misty shouted.
       “Go Vulpix!” Brock shouted.
       “Go Ninetails!” Brittany called, and both pokemon appeared. Ash and 
Misty gasped to see the match-up.
       “Vulpix vs. Ninetails. Begin!” Misty said.
       “Go, Vulpix, use flame thrower!” Brock commanded, and Vulpix obeyed.
       “Ninetails! Use your flame thrower!” Brittany called.  Ninetails and Vulpix’s 
flames met in the middle of the field. “Be careful, Brock. My Ninetails is not one to 
give up easily.”
       “Neither is my Vulpix,” Brock reassured.
       
       Meanwhile, our favorite villains are watching overhead. “That new twerps’ 
Pikachu seems just as valuable as the other one!” Jessie exclaimed.
       “A two for one special!” Meowth smiled.
       “I don’t know…” James sat in thought.
       “Huh?”
       “What are you rambling on about now, James?” Jessie demanded.
       “I just don’t know about this,” James stood in thought. “I’m all for the 
twerp’s Pikachu, but not Brittany’s. I mean! Uh…the new twerp’s!”
       “Why not?” Meowth asked.
       “James, what is the matter with you? You’ve never objected before!” 
Jessie pointed out.
       “I know.”
       “Well, let’s forget him! Let’s do it ourselves!” Meowth exclaimed.
       “Oh, all right!” Jessie said, and they started to lower the balloon.
       
       “Ninetails! Take down!” Brittany called and her worn out Ninetails tackled 
an exhausted Vulpix.
       “No! Vulpix, get up!” Brock desperately called out after his pokemon was 
sent flying from Ninetails’ attack.  The poor pokemon tried to get up, but couldn’t. 
“Oh no!”
       “Vulpix is unable to battle.  The round, and the match, goes to Brittany and 
Ninetails!” Misty announced.
       Brock ran out to his Vulpix. “You did great, Vulpix. I’m proud of you.”
       Brittany walked out towards him. “You’re a great battler, Brock. That was 
quite a challenge!”
       “Same here, Brittany.” Brock said as they shook hands and Ninetails 
helped Vulpix up.
       “That was awesome!” Misty said, coming towards them.
       “I can’t wait to battle you, Brittany!” Ash smiled.
       “Likewise!” Brittany winked. “Ninetails, good job! Return!” Brittany’s 
Ninetails was about to go into its poke ball, when a net fell over it. “Hey! What’s 
going on?” Brittany growled.
       “Who needs a Pikachu when we can take this powerful Ninetails off your 
hands!” They heard Jessie, as Team Rocket descended from the sky.
       “But, we could always use a couple of them, too!” Meowth said as he 
pressed a button and a claw grabbed the Pikachu’s.
       “Hey! Give them back!” Misty shouted.
       “It’s not enough to just want my Pikachu; you gotta go after Brittany’s, now 
too?” Ash asked.
       “That’s not right!” Brock shouted.
       “We don’t care what right or not!” Jessie shouted.
       “Hey! Settle down!” Meowth called to the squirming Ninetails that made 
their balloon rock.
       “James! Do something!” Brittany shouted, and everyone seemed to go 
quiet and stared at her. James crept to the back of the balloon and sat down.
       “You know James?” Meowth asked.
       “How is that possible?” Ash asked. Brittany was about to answer, but all of 
the rocking of the balloon caused it to burst and Team Rocket fell not too far from 
the trainers.
       “Quick!” Brittany said, taking out a poke ball and throwing it.  Her Arcanine 
appeared. “Quick, Arcanine! Pikachu and Ninetails have been kid napped! Go 
and find them!” Arcanine barked and ran ahead of them.
       “Ow! That hurt!” James said after they crashed.
       “Yeah, but at least we have some new pokemon,” Jessie said.
       “The boss will be pleased!” Meowth smiled.
       “Yes, he will…Now, James…What was that deal?”
       “Oh…Nothing,” James covered for himself.
       “It didn’t look like nothing,” Meowth pointed out.
       All of a sudden, Arcanine appeared and so did the trainers. “Arcanine! Use 
take down on those clamps!” Brittany said. Arcanine nodded and tackled the 
clamps and set the Pikachu’s free. “Now, use flame thrower on the knot to free 
Ninetails!” Arcanine sent out a flame, and freed Ninetails. “Now...” Brittany 
started, but Arcanine began to jump for joy. “What is it?” Arcanine went to James 
and started licking his face. Everyone stood in shock and James laughed, but 
Ash pouted.
       “Sure, your Arcanine likes James, but not me,” Ash said bitterly.
       “What’s going on?” Misty asked.
       “Yeah, why is Arcanine so familiar with James?” Brock asked.
       “This is insane!” Meowth Shouted.
       “Yeah! James, grab the Arcanine and let’s get out of here!” Jessie cried as 
she grabbed a net.
       “No Jessie!” James cried. “We can’t…”
       “Huh?”
       “Why not?” Meowth asked.
       “This pokemon deserves not to be stolen…Especially since it has an 
incredible trainer like Brittany.” James stood up and stood before Brittany. “…It’s 
been a while, hasn’t it?”
       “It sure has…” Brittany sighed.
       “How do you two know each other?” Misty asked.
       “James?” Brittany asked for his permission and he nodded. 
“We…Kinda…dated once upon a time ago.”
       “What!?” They all shouted at once.
       “How can that be?” Jessie and Ash asked.
       “It’s a long story…” James said.
       “We do have ears…and we do have time,” Brock said.
       “Okay…” Brittany took a deep breath to begin the story.