Water Spirit
~*Animus Aquae*~
Chapter 3 – Just Like Old Times…
Ash looked up at his best friend.
“Misty?” he asked quietly.
She smiled at him. “The one and only!”
“Misty! I can’t believe it’s you!” Ash shouted excitedly.
Brock, May and Max stopped in front of them and gasped when they saw Misty. Misty looked up at the gang and smiled at them.
“Hi guys? How are you?” she asked politely.
“Pika!” Pikachu had leapt off Brock’s shoulder and had jumped into Misty’s arms giving her a huge hug that she returned happily.
Before they could answer her question, two young, male crew members bustled past them and made their way over to Misty with towels and blankets.
“Miss, you must be freezing! Please let me help you.” One of the assistants said softly as he wrapped her in a thick blanket. She started blushing at his kindness and thanked him.
“Hey! Excuse me! She’s not the only passenger who is soaking wet from falling over board.” Ash shouted grumpily. “It’s not like she did anything special!”
The other man was picking up Misty’s belongings as he turned towards Ash – looking almost as startled as his friend. Misty’s face was burning red with anger.
“Well, for your information Ash Ketchum I didn’t fall over board! I just happened to save your life when I saw you sinking to the bottom of the ocean but you probably wouldn’t have realised that because you were unconscious! So next time I won’t bother because I know that I’m so stupid that I’ll fall over board and accidentally land next to you when my Gyarados throws us on to the ship!” She shouted at him angrily before she was led away by one of the crew members – still holding Pikachu.
Ash looked shocked as Misty was led away. Gyarados roared at Ash from the side of the ship after it had caught up with it and drenched Ash with a light Hydro Pump. Ash looked up at it.
“Yeah, I guess I deserved that.” He said as Gyarados grinned at him.
The other crew member came up to Ash and handed him a towel while wrapping him in another thick blanket.
“Smooth move, Ash. That’s a great way to greet your friend.” May said sarcastically.
Ash felt his face go red with embarrassment. “Well it’s not my fault that we almost missed the ferry is it? And that I ended up unconscious at the bottom of the sea?” Ash yelled back at her.
“It’s not my fault either.” May replied coolly. “But you do have a habit of jumping to conclusions and doing stupid things.”
Brock explained to Ash what had happened after he had fallen into the water before the crew member insisted that Ash should be taken inside to warm up. Ash felt guilty about how he had reacted to his friend and the trainer eagerly followed the assistant to find her before tripping over a round object and falling flat on his face. He looked up, dazed, and saw a pokeball roll in front of him. He picked it up as Max and Brock helped to his feet.
“Is that yours, Ash?” Max asked.
Ash checked his belt. “No. It might be Gyarados’ but Misty might have dropped it.”
He held the ball up before the Pokemon who was still in the ocean.
“Gyarados, return!” Ash shouted.
A white light shot out from the ball but it did not aim itself at Gyarados. Instead, it aimed at the deck to release a Pokemon.
“Luv!” the Pokemon yelled.
“Awww! How cute!” May squealed.
She and Ash both got out their PokeDexes.
“LuvDisc, the Rendezvous Pokemon.” May’s Pokedex recited. “ LuvDisc’s heart-shaped body is a symbol of love and romance. It is said that any couple meeting this Pokemon is promised a loving relationship that never ends.”
“LuvDisc, the Rendezvous Pokemon.” Ash’s quoted. “LuvDisc live in shallow seas in the tropics. This heart-shaped Pokemon earned its name by swimming after loving couples it spotted in the ocean’s waves.”
LuvDisc gazed happily in their direction. Ash and May glanced at each other and screamed in the other’s face while looking embarrassed. LuvDisc hopped over to them and rubbed itself affectionately against Ash’s leg. It then looked around as if searching for someone.
“Aww. Ash I think it really likes you!” May teased.
LuvDisc stared at May and became angered. It squirted a jet of water into May’s face. Her expression became confused and bewildered.
“Was it something I said?” she asked as Max, Ash and Brock laughed at her.
LuvDisc hopped in front of Ash protectively.
“Um, Sir, I really think we should get you inside.” The assistant said while tapping Ash on the shoulder.
Ash followed him through a door and down one of the main corridors. The crew member opened a door to his left and allowed Ash – closely followed by LuvDisc, May, Max and Brock to pass through. The room was extremely warm as they were told it was located next to the boiler room and it was often used as a substitute drying room.
They saw Misty talking to the crew member that had helped her earlier. She had her hair down and out of its usually ponytail but she was still wrapped in her blanket. Her face was glowing from the heat and her hair had a natural shine as if she had just emerged from a swimming pool. They both looked to the door and saw the group enter. Ash sat down in a corner as Pikachu jumped off Misty’s lap and onto Ash’s. The man got up and walked over to his friend.
“Well, Misty has explained to me what has happened so I need to tell the Captain. Will you please come with me to explain why this event occurred?” he asked the group.
“I’ll go.” Brock volunteered. “I need to apologise to the Captain anyway.”
Misty looked at him curiously. “Why? What did you do?”
He grinned at her. “Well, I went up to the captain and shouted in his ear that we had a man overboard and someone had jumped in to rescue him, so he stopped the ship immediately and err…jumped about twelve feet in the air in fright.”
Max giggled. “He almost hit his head on the roof!”
Brock and the two crew men departed followed by Max who stood in the doorway and called to his sister. She was staring at the LuvDisc who was giving her a sour expression.
“May?!”
She looked up at her brother.
“Are you coming?” he said in an annoyed tone.
“Yeah, OK. See ya guys later.” She said before closing the door behind her.
Ash shuffled uncomfortably in his seat and stared at Misty. He sighed.
“Listen Mist, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. I know that you wouldn’t fall overboard – you’re too clever to do something like that.” Ash started.
Misty looked at him in surprise.
“And… thanks for saving me. It was really nice of you and I appreciate having a good friend like you.” He smiled at her.
She was touched by his words and smiled back. “Thanks Ash, it means a lot.”
“LuvDisc!” the Pokemon cried happily.
They both looked down at the creature hiding behind Ash’s legs as it hopped out from behind them and over to Misty. It rubbed itself against Misty’s legs affectionately. Misty bent over and picked it up in her hands. It was tiny and in the shape of a heart with little yellow cheeks. Misty held it up to her face and examined it. It was extremely thin but amazingly pretty and she smiled at it.
“Is it yours?” Ash asked her.
Yeah.” She replied smiling. “It’s so cute and loving.” She said as danced in her hands. “It reminds me a lot of …” she bowed her head so that Ash couldn’t see the tears forming in her eyes.
“Are you OK?” Ash asked unsurely – clueless to how she was feeling.
Togetic. She thought to herself sadly.
She sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes before sitting up straight.
“I wonder how Togetic is getting on.” She said with false enthusiasm.
“Oh.” Replied Ash, now understanding why she seemed so depressed. “I’m sure Togetic is doing just fine.” He said cheerfully. “Because it knows that it once had a great trainer who loved it like a mother and she’ll always be in its heart and it will never forget her.”
She looked up at him and smiled once again. “Thanks Ash, that’s sweet.”
The door opened and May entered.
“Hi, guys. Everything has been sorted with the Captain but he’s going to make an announcement so we need to go up to the deck.”
“OK.” Ash and Misty said in unison and left their blankets on the benches.
They were more or less dry by now as Misty once again put her hair up into its familiar ponytail and recalled LuvDisc to the pokeball that Ash handed her. They followed May back down the corridor where they were reunited with Brock and Max.
“Attention passengers!” a voice said through the loud speaker. “ Due to an unfortunate event that took place earlier on this trip, we will not be arriving at Sootopolis until tomorrow morning.”
Ash laughed nervously as the crowd of passengers that had gathered let out angry shouts of disagreement and whispered bitterly to each other.
“However, to make up for this inconvenience, we would like you to stay in one of our cabins tonight, free of charge. Please arrange your groups with the receptionist at the front of the ship. Rooms are available in twos, fours, sixes, and eights. Thank you for your perseverance and co-operation.”
Ash let of a grateful sigh as the passengers lightened up at the proposal of free rooms for the night. Unfortunately, he was standing in the way of the staircase that led to the reception. He yelled as he was trampled by a multiple amount of feet eagerly heading towards the staircase. As the dust cleared and the impatient crowd had disappeared, Ash could be see lying on the floor with footprints all over him. He looked dazed and had swirls in his eyes as Pikachu patted him comfortingly on the shoulder.
“Are you OK, Ash?” Misty asked soothingly as she and May both bent down to help him up.
“Yeah,” he replied while rubbing his head. “Oh, we better go and book a room before they’re all gone!” he yelled and ran down the stairway after the crowd. The gang followed him.
“Oh man, look at the size of this queue!” Max complained.
Brock folded his arms. “All we can do is wait.” He said calmly.
***
“Hello, can I help you?” the receptionist asked politely as the group of friends approached her.
It was amazing how she could sound so cheerful after serving so many customers. The group appeared to be exhausted after waiting in the queue for over an hour but they put on smiling expressions when they reached her. Brock, on the other hand was the most cheerful of all. He had hearts in his eyes when he first got a glance at her up close and tried to leap over the desk, unsuccessfully.
“Oh, sweet angel,” he recited to her in a dreamy voice. “How fate has brought us together by means of my clumsy and forgetful friend, who fell into the sea and was rescued by my other delightful companion…”
Max was about to grab Brock’s ear but Misty beat him to it. Her cheeks were tinted pink at what he had said but she was fuming with anger at him. She tugged at his ear, harder than what she normally would have, until tears of pain formed in his eyes.
“Ow, ow, OW! But now I have found you and there is nothing that could compare to your delicate loveliness. Oh my love…OW! As I’m dragged away with agonizing pain… my loss of you will always leave a bitter pin in my heart!” he finished as Misty hauled him across the floor and threw him out on to the deck.
She put her hands on her hips as she came back with an irritated expression on her face. Max was watching her with awe and he started firing questions at her about how she controlled Brock and his obsession with girls. Misty blinked and seemed shocked that she was being asked these questions.
“Hey, Misty, you are going to share a room with us aren’t you?” Ash queried.
“Sure, Ash, that would be great.” She smiled. “Just like old times.”
A figure zoomed past them and up to the desk so fast that all anyone could see was a blur of colours. Max was knocked off his feet by the speed of the person.
“Oh, my sweetheart, I finally found my way back to you,” the receptionist was even more scared than the first time he approached her as Brock clasped her hands in his. “I have sailed the many seas and oceans to find a woman as beautiful as you. And now, on my way to Sootopolis, I have found the elegant female that I have been searching for!”
“Excuse me, who are you?” a man asked as he approached Brock.
The man was very broad and muscular, with a most displeased expression upon his face. Misty, fearing what would happen next, attempted to grab Brock by the ear once again but he jumped on to the desk and started shouting at the man. She let out an exasperated sigh and watched the scene with Ash, May and Max.
“How dare you interrupt our meeting!” Brock screamed in the man’s face. “Fate has brought myself and this charming lady, together so that we can be forever happy in each other’s company!”
“Do you mind letting go of my fiancée’s hands.” He replied coolly.
Brock’s face became depressed and heart broken. “I’m sorry, it was never meant to be.” He said sadly to the receptionist as he got down from the desk and took the key from her hands. “I hope you’re happy with your choice.”
He walked slowly over to the man, back arched and looking gloomily at the floor. He patted the man on the shoulder.
“Take good care of her.” He murmured while sniffing. “Oh why, Cupid! You strike me with your love arrows and yet every time it is not meant to be! Why, WHY torment me with such emotions!” Brock shouted to the heavens before progressing down the corridor to their cabin.
The others shook their heads in disbelief and followed him.
****
“Here, we are, Room 128!” Max shouted as he put the key in the lock.
He opened the door to reveal three bunk beds – one against three of the walls – side tables, and an ensuite bathroom, which contained a bath, toilet, sink and shower. May and Max threw their belongings on to one bunk and Ash and Brock threw theirs on to another. Misty took the last bunk and decided to stay on the bottom bed.
“So, Misty, what are you doing here all the way in Houen and heading to Sootopolis City? You can’t have come all this way just to see us?” May asked her politely.
“Oh, well I got an invitation from the Gym Leader in Sootopolis inviting me to attend a demonstration he’s holding on his skills and techniques with water pokemon.” She replied enthustiastically.
May looked stunned. “Wow, you’re lucky!”
“A demonstration?” Ash yelled excitedly. “Misty, is there any way that we can come with you? Please?”
Misty watched him, stunned, then smirked. “Sorry, Ash, but it’s invitees only. If you were a great Water Pokemon Trainer like me who is recognised in all the regions, then you might have got an invite.”
Ash’s face fell. “Oh man, now I won’t get a chance to see how he battles so I can prepare a strategy.”
His stomach rumbled and everyone sweat dropped. He laughed nervously.
“Guess I’m hungry after all the excitement.” He said.
Misty folded her arms. “Oh Ash, you haven’t changed. You still think more about your stomach than anything else.”
“Not more than Pokemon battles!” he retaliated in an annoyed tone.
Everyone laughed. They started filing out of the door to the dining hall but Misty stayed behind.
“Misty, are you coming?” Brock questioned.
“Yeah, I just wanna freshen up in the bathroom quickly. I won’t be long, I’ll see you in a minute.” She said before entering the ensuite.
Brock closed the door behind him. He walked down the corridor only to see Ash walking back to the room.
“Where are you going?” Brock asked.
“I forgot my cap. I left it in the room so I won’t be a sec.” He replied as he walked passed Brock.
Brock shrugged and continued down the corridor to catch up with May and Max. Ash opened the door with the key to see Misty in a pink towel emerging from the bathroom. They both froze. Misty screamed and ran back into the bathroom, slamming the door, while Ash yelled and shut the main door behind him and leaned against it.
“Guess I don’t need my cap after all.” He said aloud in a high pitch voice before running down the hallway to meet the others.
End Chapter 3
Well, it's a lot longer than my other two chapters but quantity isn't always quality, so I'll let you review and decide. Please let me know what you think of it or if you see any mistakes or any ways I could improve it for future chaps, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! ^__^
I look forward to reading what you think of it!
Thank you and I hope you enjoy it!
Water Spirit
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