Miss Discovery!

By: Chibi-Suiko

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Ash: 15

Misty: 16

Brock: 19

Imuru: 17

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Last Time On Miss Discovery!: Ash and Co. arrived at a new city inhabited by a vast amount of tourists. The reason? Two celebrities-Or one couple, which Misty doesn't know of yet-have been giving shows to the public and as their tickets have sold out, so have the bookings to all area hotels. But alls not lost when Misty runs into the male star and the group gets led to a place to stay! Now Misty seems faced with an unsaid proposition but what could it be? And will she accept?

***

Chapter Two: Proposition

***

It had been half an hour since they'd arrived. Ash was being a complete nag--not to mention an idiot. He complained about everything, always expected the best ("We're guests of a star, shouldn't we get what we want?" He said over and over.), and Misty couldn't forget how he'd said that this was how she acted all of the time and to be completely noiseless and enslaved when around her, just to make sure that she's happy with everything--in front of Imuru no less--!

She'd never really thought about it before but she was actually beginning to want a guy who liked her, for her. She wouldn't say that Rudy was the one--he was too clingy... But this guy, Imuru, he had something special. And she wasn't talking about the loads of cash that flowed in everyday of his life.

He had style, grace, acceptional social standards, dreams, manners, and he took a general interest in her. That was more than she could say for anybody else. The best part was, she hadn't even done anything to get his attention that way. It'd just happened.

Which was what had been eating at her for the past fifteen minutes since the group had sat down for a late snack (Actually consisting of steak, mini-sandwiches, assorted ord' vourves, fruit cups topped with sugar and whipped cream, the whole load!). She didn't understand why he-A famous star-would take her as a special guest.

Obviously Ash didn't get it either, " You know, there are plenty of wonderful girls out there--! Why'd ya pick something like this?!" He asked while stuffing his face, glancing imperiously at Misty as he did so.

" Well, I think that she is very beautiful and graceful, astonishing, quick of mind, spontanious, and she just has this air of--How should I put this? She sort of clicked in my heart. Like she and I were--"

" --Are you joking or something?!" Ash yelled as if the idea of Misty getting a guy was ubsurd and inhuman, "You met her about thirty-five minutes ago and all ready she's the woman of your dreams?!"

" Is that so hard to believe?" Imuru asked confusedly as Misty began to boil.

" Let me put it in lame-mans terms pal..." Ash said, leaning over as he shouted, "YY-EEE-SSSS!!!"

" Why? Do you think that she's incapable of having a man to care for her?" Imuru asked again, "Or is it that you have something of a longing for her yourself and can't stand for another to come by?"

Ash stopped ranting where he was and looked at Imuru skeptically, "Are you fooling me or something? Have her, take her, be gone the two of you!" And he waved them off with his hands.

" Imuru--" Misty said in a tone that sounded very strained, "Just--just what was it that you had to talk to me about..?" And she finished with a tight smile, that was about to get tighter.

" I need to you to stay here." He said simply, but he wasn't smiling. And neither was anybody else.

" But--But--But--?!" Misty began.

" Huh?! Why--?!" Brock sputtered (He'd actually been glancing at one of the female caretakers and had become quite intrigued).

" Oh, no you don't--! I'm not going to let one of my longest time friends crash here with you till--till--" Ash started raving.

" --It's not permanent." Imuru began. Ash sat back down with a smile.

" --Let's talk." He said with his fingers laced under his chin.

" Hey, Mr-Pack-Me-and-Set-Me-Up?! Shouldn't I get a say in this? You can't just sell me out to a guy you don't even know!" Misty started and Imuru looked at her, perplexed.

" Sell you out? No, I don't want to do that. But I do need your help... If you'll just hear me out and then tell me what you think it will be most appreciated..." And so he began the story.

***

" ... And my partner and I had a small quibble with each other. The next day, she was gone and we haven't seen or heard from her since! I wouldn't be asking you this if I could help it but I need you, Miss Misty, to replace her for me! Not permenantly of course, just until the end of next week when all of our shows will be over!" He held his face in his hands in a panicked way, "It's not polite to beg for assistance but under the circumstances... Please forgive me. I-I just can't seem to find the talent in anyone else and my agent thought it best to leave the replacement choosing up to me! I-I really had no choice... I just took to you and out there--When you said that you were a trainer from out of town, something clicked. You had the same mind as she did. Mostly everyone in this town right now are tourists, here to see my shows but you came here for other reasons... I automatically thought that you were perfect."

" But why me? I don't know much of anything about this stuff, I haven't acted before--" Misty began but Ash interrupted her.

" Sure ya have, Mist!" He said with a smirk plastered on his face, "You've been in shows back at Cerulean with your sisters, haven'cha? I mean, Brock and I were there for one of them."

" --And that was the only one that they'd had the nerve to put me in. I'm not looking to make a permanent career in acting Ash! I'm trying to be a Water Master, remember?! I've got my own goals, I don't have time for anybody elses--! Nobody seems to understand that, it's impecible!" She shouted.

" I do." Said the newly timid whisper of Imuru, "I understand perfectly. One thing I could see glowing from you was that you have a very strong resolve. You want to work so hard to accomplish what's not easy for you not only to prove to others that you can, but for your own fitness. That's one of the reasons why I thought that you were a perfect candidate. You seemed ready for anything, no matter what stood in your way."

There was silence as the thought was processed through their heads. All of their heads (Yes, it took Ash quite a while). The clock struck for the end of the hour, it was now eleven and the four had never noticed. Misty still seemed troubled but Ash's face seemed quite amused, as if with this predicament, he'd gotten the better of his fiery friend. Brock was understanding, though silent, and waited patiently for a response from anyone of them.

" Well", said Imuru, emerging from his seat, "I suppose that this can wait until morning. I'll lend you three free room and board as promised. I do hope, however..." And his eyes landed on Misty, "That you will choose to think of my proposition. It would be most helpful."

He helped her up from her own arm chair and showed them all from the room himself. Leading them up a flight of extravagent stairs embedded with sanded, wooden designs, he talked to them about their privelidges while in the residence.

" You will each find a rope in your rooms, pull it if you need assistance with anything. There will be a bath waiting for you, a fridge with a juicing pitcher, a stereo so you may listen to what you please, a variety of literature that may be to your liking, and other small accomodations..." He turned and shrugged at their scandelized faces as if this was nothing, "...Here, meet your nurses. They will be on arrival when you need help."

Two females stood at the top of the staircase, which the group was still walking up, grinning down at them with a chipper attitude. Brock seemed to take this as a sort of good sign and jumped at his chance to ask which one was 'His'.

Imuru seemed confused but, looking at Ash and Misty as they concluded with sign language that their friend was extemely senile, he introduced a young brunnete who smiled happily as she stepped forward.

" This is Evette. She will be your help Mr. Slate--" Imuru began but Brock held up his hand.

" --Call me Brock (A/N: Or Squinty-Eyes ^_^), everyone does..." He stated in awe.

" --Brock, you're drooling..." said Misty in a disgusted tone but her friend didn't seem to mind. In fact, a moment later, Evette had pulled out a dainty handkerchief and dabbed at his mouth in a--somewhat--seductive way.

" That's just sickening..." Misty muttered.

" I don't know... Looks promising on Brocks part--Go Brocko--!" Ash ended in a mere yell, throwing up his hands in general happiness for his friend, though nobody would have believed what he'd been daydreaming about a moment before.

They were reduced to dragging their over-hormonal friend up the rest of the stairs, down the vast hallway, and into his spacy "Guest Room". The one named Evette followed behind them, keeping her sight on Brock in a very interested way. Had he not been reliving the many fantasies of beautiful women in his head, he would have seen her doing so.

Imuru watched animatedly, as if this little scenerio was worth laughing at. Misty watched him with many side-glances, seeing how his glowing hair seemed to brighten even more--if that was possible--in the dim lighting of the extravagant, stained glass lamps on the side tables of the hall. His eyes were on her as well, darting from here to there (Not pervertically, of course) as though she were the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen.

It irked her very much so to feel his stare upon her, not in a bad way, but more of a slightly pleasant one. She tried feverishly to ignore him and it took her forever to realize that they'd reached Ash's room next and he had been attempting to tell her 'goodnight' constantly for about--what seemed like--twenty minutes.

She replied with a mere nod of her head and murmuring reply and then turned to Imuru and followed along with him. If she hadn't known better she would have thought that Ash was staring at her in an apalled sort of way and that it took a while for him to shut his door.

" Um--About what you were saying earlier..." Misty began.

Imuru turned and blushed, as though the memory of this was almost insulting on his part, and waited for her to go on.

" I-I'm not exactly sure why you want me to help you. And I've given it as much thought as I can in one night. I guess that I-I can give it a shot at a rehersal type of thing tomorrow and if it works out..." She continued.

He nodded his head in a swift, appreciative way and stopped in front of a mahogony wooden door, placing his hand on the brass knob, "I--uh--understand what you're saying. Wait till tomorrow, if it works out... I'm only asking you to think about it, you know. If you really don't want to then I guess..."

Misty couldn't help wondering why she felt so nervous around this young man. It was almost like she had--something--for him but that couldn't be it. She was sufficient on her own, she needed nobody there for her! How come she felt oddly and unlike herself?

Maybe she could ask Brock in the morning...

" Well, this-this is your den. I'll be here around ten tomorrow in order to wake you. Please be sure to keep a tab on my offer. Uh--Goodnight..." And trembling quite visibly, he took her hand and kissed it lightly, leaving her in a flustered state as he backed away at a fast pace.

He had just leapt around the far off corner when, "Goodnight... Imuru..."

" It seems that the young Master is quite fond of you, young lady. You do realize that?" Came a swift, cool, resounding voice from behind. Her hand gripping the knob, she turned and looked into the face of an officially-taken male, "He seems to have fallen completely for you. Do you not think it easy enough to worm your way into his heart? You could most impressively become the new Rein... Think about it: Your name known by everyone, talent, gold, riches beyond your wildest dreams--! What beautiful young theatric wouldn't want that every day?"

" I'm only thinking of temporarily helping him, Mr--uh--" She began in a quaking tone.

" Mr. Gerou... I'm Imuru's agent. I work for him as a side." He stated with a withering smile.

Misty looked almost raved, "Well, Mr. Gerou, like I said... Temporarily."

" Be that as it may, you could be big. I over-heard your conversation earlier. Water Master..?" He chuckled as if this was merely a novices choice of career, "If ever you have a doubt about anything, I will be here to serve. I'm not one to judge..." He started walking by her with a sickening grin on his face, "Except when I see a strong possesion of talent."

Alone again, Misty opened the door into her room and crept inside, trying to forget whatever had just happened. She took a short shower, wondering over Imuru's offer and found herself thinking it quite hard to refuse.

Still... I'm not going to think very well of myself after that predicament... What could this be about, really?

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A/N: The end of this one has come. Next will be up as soon as possible. I'm only hoping that some of you like it. I know that I'm getting the hang of this one but if it doesn't come together than I'll just take it off of the site. Anyway review and I'll be sure to have the next chapter up soon.