Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

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Okay, chapter four is up and raring to go! What’s to happen, even I don’t know. All the usual disclaimers like all copyrighted characters originally belonging to pokemon do not belong to me. But everything I make up is mine (i.e. Robert the scientist). Now let’s get on with the story, meet you @ the end! Oh yes, and if you have sent any fan mail concerning this story, I really appreciate it and thanx!

It was a cloudy and foggy morning, as Ash, Misty and Pikachu woke-up to begin their search for Cephiral Island and the legendary bird pokemon Houou.

"Come on Ash, get up! We have to get going!" Well, at least two of them were awake. "Ash! Wake-up! Pikachu, give Ash a jump start, he needs it right now," informed Misty to the still-tired pokemon. It nodded it’s head as sparks appeared in it’s cheeks.

"Pi!" The electric bolts flew from Pikachu to Ash, making him fly up from his spot.

"What...was...that...for...Pi..ka..chu??" the boy questioned while being shocked.

"Well, now that you’re awake, we should get going. We can have breakfast when we arrive at the nearest restaurant," Misty told Ash while gesturing for him to follow her.

"We need to get an early start, we lost a lot of time yesterday and need to make up for it. If pikachu can wake up, so can you. This fog will slow us down even more, so we need to start now." Seeing that he wasn’t standing up, she went over to him and pulled him to his feet.

"I can’t see anything, it’s too foggy," Ash complained, not wanting to get up and trying to find an excuse for it.

"You’re eyes just need adjusting that’s all. Now come along, or do I have to pull you the whole way?"

"All right, all right, I’m coming." He stretched from where he stood, gave a big yawn and sleepily began walking.

"Usually you’re the one who wants to get up so early and get started. If we were out here on your pokemon journey you would have been up an hour or so ago." Ash thought about what she said. It was true, he would have been the first one up. He really did want to help Misty with the search, but he just wasn’t a morning person. He didn’t like to get up early when he didn’t have to. "Anyway Ash, there are pokemon out here in the wild in the early morning that you may never see in the daylight."

"Well for one thing, Zubats and Golbats only come out at night or when it’s dark, as well as other cave-dwelling-type pokemon. You should be lucky I woke you up so early. We really have to find that bird and get more serious, unlike worrying what kind of pokemon come out in the early morning. Before we start out, grab my hand so we don’t lose each other in this fog. Pikachu, you can go in Ash’s backpack or wherever, just as long as we don’t lose you, either," Misty suggested to the two of them. Misty grasped Ash’s hand as a feeling of dejavu washed over her. She was remembering the time when they were going to lavender town and it was dark and foggy on the way there too. They did exactly what they were doing now, except they didn’t have Brock to lose behind, and Misty was leading the way instead of Ash.

"Are you sure you know where you’re going? After all, I’m the one who has the map," said Ash.

"Hey that’s mine!" yelled Ash as he attempted to grab it from her, but had no such luck in doing so.

"It’s not like you know how to read it anyway. It’s just better off with me," stated Misty. Ash glared at her, and she glared right back. "Now, we need to head.....that way," she informed the boy and his pokemon as she pointed what seemed like aimlessly into wilderness.

"Of course I’m sure!" she screamed at him, for she was getting very annoyed of his childish behavior and initial distrust of her. The rest of the way they didn’t say anything to each other. "So much for our ‘no more fighting’ agreement," Misty thought to herself. Ash was thinking the same thing himself.

"I knew that promise was too good to be true," Ash thought to himself. A few moments later, Ash came up with a suggestion. "Hey, let’s take this short-cut!" He began walking in another direction but ran into a tree due to the fog, and slowly slid to the ground in pain.

"Come on, get up. You’re just wasting our time. We really need to make up for yesterday. Oh yes, and we’re NOT taking your shortcut. We don’t need to take any chances today, or at all for the next four or so days. Although there will be times when chances and risks will be needed at hand. None are needed to be taken now so we are going to stick with the map. Got it? Now stand up and move along!" Slowly he stood up and brushed himself off. His face was red from the pain, but Misty was unable to notice it from the fog. And that was a good thing for Ash.

Meanwhile, outside the forest 2 people and a pokemon were devising and setting up a plan.

"We’ll get that Pikachu this time!" said Jesse as she clenched her hands into fists.

"We’ve been working so hard on this plan and none of our others have worked!" they all cried.

"Not another hole!!! Can’t you two numskulls think of anything better than that?!" growled Meowth as he scratched James across the face.

"That is only part of our plan. The hole will only stall them. The real trap is over there," stated Jesse.

"Well then what is it?!" yelled Meowth that was losing his patience. They walked down a few steps and Jesse pulled a sheet off of a square object.

"This cage is practically pokemon-proof. The metal is strong enough to withstand acid and fire, and it absorbs electricity which only makes it stronger," James informed Meowth.

"I guess you two have finally thought up a half-decent plan. Now lets just see if it can trap that Pikachu or not," sneered Meowth. "If this plan works I’ll be top cat again!" Meowth began to daydream about being petted by "the boss".

"Snap out of it! We’ve got work to do!" screamed Jesse as she smacked Meowth on the head. "James, give me a hand lifting up the cage!" ordered Jesse immediately.

"Yes Ma’am!" he saluted as he went over to her and they both pulled the rope until the cage was hidden in the tree.

"Look, here they come now! Quick, hide!" James told them as they jumped into the bushes along the side of the road.

"It feels so nice to be out of those woods!" stated Misty as she stretched her arms above her.

"Yeah, but I’m starving. Where’s the nearest restaurant?" Ash questioned Misty, which of course had the map.

"Only about a mile or so away. Look! There’s Port Verdant, and that must be Emerald Sea over there! Isn’t it beautiful?"

"Not as beautiful as you..." Ash thought to himself. He realized what he was thinking and slightly blushed.

"Pika, pika-pi? (Thinking about Misty?)" asked Pikachu slyly while nudging him in the leg with it’s elbow.

"Huh?!" He heard what Pikachu said and blushed more furiously, but attempted to cover it.

"Uh, it said....that we’d better hurry up and eat or we’ll miss the boat. Yeah, that’s what Pikachu said!" stuttered Ash. Misty could tell how obvious it was that he was lying, but just decided to play along.

"Oh, I see." But then she realized that what Ash had said was true. The ship leaving to Cephiral Island would be leaving in thirty minutes. "Oh my gosh, you’re right! We’d better get a move on if we plan on boarding that ship today! We have to hurry to Port Verdant, come on!" They started to run but were stopped from what other than the hole, just as the gang had planned.

"Right!" chorused Jesse and James as they hovered over the edge of the hole that all but Pikachu had fallen into. Jesse whispered something to James, and he nodded and went back behind a tree.

"Well little Pikachu, I know you’re famous for electric attacks but I bet you’re too scared to do a tackle attack. Go ahead and try!" teased Jesse.

"Just try it! You know you can’t defeat me without using your electricity. Let’s just see how strong you are now!" Jesse taunted the electric pokemon. Just then Pikachu began charging at Jesse. She smirked and instructed, "Now!" Pikachu stopped charging and looked around it. Before it could even move Pikachu was trapped underneath the cage.

"Pi? Pi-ka-chu!" it attempted to shock it’s way out of the cage, but had no such luck. The members of Team Rocket came up to the cage in silver suits that covered their entire bodies, like a suit people in radioactive labs wear.

"Hahahahaha! We have finally outwitted you this time, little Pikachu!" laughed Jesse. Pikachu did a thunderbolt attack but it in no way affected Team Rocket.

"We’re smarter than we look!" boasted James. He picked up the cage with the helpless Pikachu inside.

"Oh no, Pikachu!" cried Ash. "What have you done with Pikachu?!" he demanded to know.

"We’re just going to do you a favor and take Pikachu off your hands for a while," stated Jesse.

"You aren’t going to get Pikachu that easily! Charizard, go!" Ash threw the pokeball up onto the surface above the hole, and Charizard appeared. "Charizard, flame-thrower, now!" Ash ordered the giant Pokemon. It nodded its head and a stream of fire went towards Team Rocket. After the flame was gone, Team Rocket was still standing there, although Pikachu was burnt to a crisp.

"Foolish boy, our suits are both fire and electric-proof! There’s no way to defeat us this time!" cheered James.

"Oh yeah? Charizard, return!" Ash snickered to himself. "Let’s see ‘em try to survive this one. Pokeball, go!" He threw that pokeball up onto the surface and out popped the pokemon. Everyone gasped in surprise at the pokemon that had just been ordered to fight.

"I bumped into the guy that was training it a few days ago and got it back. Now its levels should be pretty high and it should be ready to take on any opponent! Primeape, mega punch--now!" The gigantic fighting pokemon rushed over to Team Rocket and started punching them to death. "Finish them off with you’re rage attack!" Primeape’s eyes began to glow red as it started to totally annihilate Jesse, James, and Meowth.

"Blow Team Rocket away with a whirlwind!" Ash ordered the bird. It flapped it’s wings at a tremendous rate and blew them into the sky.

"Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off again!" **ding** They disappeared out of sight.

"All right! Primeape, open the cage by bending the bars!" Primeape did as it was told and Pikachu was free in a matter of seconds.

"Primeape, Pidgeotto--return!" with a flash of red transparent light the two pokemon returned to their pokeballs. "Now that Team Rocket is dealt with, off to Port Verdant! Let’s go, Misty!" called Ash triumphantly. "Misty?"

"I’d love to come with, but unfortunately you’re standing on top of me," she moaned under the weight of the boy and his Pikachu.

"Huh?" he immediately stepped off of Misty’s back and helped her up. "Sorry, you okay?" he asked in a worried tone.

"Yes I’m fine. Now we’ve only got twenty minutes or so to get out of this trap, eat, get tickets for the ship, and go. So how will we get out?"

"Hmmmmmm....I’ve got an idea! Bulbasaur, go!" the pokemon popped out of the pokeball as instructed.

"Bulba-bulbasaur, bul-ba (you got it Ash!)" One by one they were brought out of the trap and set on the ground.

"Thanks bulbasaur! Return!" it too went back into its rightful pokeball like all the other pokemon.

"Don’t just stand there, we gotta get going!" They darted to the port and stopped for a moment. "I see a place we can eat at over there! Come on!" Misty informed them as she ran ahead. The trio rushed over to the small diner and went inside. Surprisingly, there was a good number of people in there. They found themselves a booth by the window and sat down. Soon a waitress walked up to them.

"Yes, I’d like some eggs and bacon with a glass of orange juice. Our Pikachu would like an apple or two and an extra bottle of ketchup if you have one," Misty told the waitress as she scribbled down the order.

"I’ll be back with your food in a while. Thank you!" she bowed and left to give out the order to the chefs back in the kitchen.

"I hope it doesn’t take them long to make our food. It usually takes so long when you go out to eat for dinner," stated Misty rather impatiently. She slumped back in her seat and looked out the window. Misty wasn’t even aware that Ash was staring at her. Without knowing it, Ash sighed out loud. Misty heard him and looked over at him. Quickly he looked away to avoid her glance.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I’m still pretty tired I guess." Even though it wasn’t the truth, he had to admit he was pretty tired when she mentioned it.

"You can get some more sleep when we get on the boat. It will take us exactly one day to get there," she told him. He nodded his head. No more than five or ten minutes passed until their food came. They ate it as fast as they could, paid the bill, and left to go buy the tickets.

"I guess..." There were only a few people ahead of them until it was their turn to buy the tickets. "You know which boat we’re taking, right?" Misty checked to make sure.

"Yep. Two tickets for the Dragonaire Liner." The guy behind the desk started typing something on the computer and told them their price, which wasn’t very pretty.

"You pay half, I’ll pay half, okay?" They both agreed. They paid thirty dollars each, received the tickets, and boarded the ship. They searched for their room and finally found it.

"I, uh, only got one because it was cheaper. Hope you don’t mind...." he told her nervously and uncertainly. He prepared for her to yell at him, but got no such reply.

"Good idea. I wouldn’t have had any money left if I had to pay sixty dollars only to get my own room on a ship I’m only going to be on for one day. You made a good decision," she replied instead. Was he hearing things? Was Misty actually agreeing with him? He had to be hallucinating, or so he thought. Misty was thinking almost the same thing. She kind of liked the idea of sharing a room with Ash, even if it was only for a day. But she couldn’t let her love-life ruin everything now. What was most important was getting to the island, finding the bird, bringing it back to the Emerald-sky City PokeCenter and getting cured. But she wasn’t going to let a perfect opportunity to get to know Ash better go. She had to find out sometime during their journey whether Ash liked her or not.

She had to admit, she liked Ash ever since her sister predicted that she did. She had told her pokemon many-a-time about her liking him, and they told her to tell him how she feels, and of course she objected to the thought. She also talked to herself at night about him. Sometimes she would catch herself looking at him and look away in embarrassment. She hoped that Ash still thought she was following him only for her bike, but she knew the real truth.

One reason she couldn’t tell him was because she was way too shy, and another is because she was afraid they would ruin the relationship they had now. What if she went up to him, told her how she felt about him, but he didn’t agree with her at all? She would then feel really uncomfortable being around him, and he probably wouldn’t want to be around her. She just didn’t want to take that kind of risk. She just had to plan for the trip ahead of them. Misty began thinking to herself.

"There’s no way Ash would like me. Besides, we fight way too much for him to even think of me as more than just a friend, maybe not even that. He probably doesn’t even know how I feel about him, but that is a good thing. I’m sure he sees me as nothing more than an annoying girl that’s just following him because she’s waiting for him to repay her for her bike. My heart has already practically been broken before, and I won’t let it happen again. Let alone have Ash be the one to break it. I can’t let my thoughts towards Ash get in the way of this journey to find Houou. After all, living the rest of my life is more important than love. Or is it?"

**Hope you liked it! Sorry if it took a while to get this chapter up, but it all depends on how often the person who runs the page updates. Chapter 5 will be done soon, just give me some time. I’ve got school to deal with too! I’m sure you already know the e-mail by now! See you at the beginning of the next chapter! Until then, farewell my friends and loyal Pokemon trainers! Good luck to you all!