Chapter 1 ? The Invitation

      Ash, Misty, Brock, Gary,Professor Oak and Tracy were all seated around the table, looking at the letterthat had just come. It was from Safron and it was an invitation from Sabrina,the town?s gym leader, for all of the, to come and join her for a birthdayparty for her and Kadabra. They kept reading and rereading, unable to believewhat they were reading. Sabrina had been cold and emotionless, but Ash hadbrought her out of that when he defeated her in battle. She had said they wouldmeet again, but he didn?t think it would be this soon.
               ?So, do we go or not?? askedBrock as he straightened.
               ?Well, I don?t know. Safron is along way off and I?m not sure we?ll get there in time for her birthday,?Professor Oak said.
               ?Ah Gramps, I can drive the gangn in my car to Saffron for the party,? Gary said with a confident smile.
               It had been several years since Ash had won the Jhoto League, and the gang was much older. Ash, Misty and Gary were all nineteen, Tracy was twenty and Brock was twenty-two. Gary had nearly beat Ash at the Jhoto League, but Charizard had saved the say so Ash had won and went on to defeat the dragon master himself, Lance. After that, they had all returned home to take a break which had turned into them basically having sporting battles and giving advice with new Pokemon Trainers and one looking for a challenge against the two great trainers. Ash had also gone away for awhile to a cave for several years where he had grown stronger and had challenged only the best trainers, going undefeated for those years and he had returned the previous year at the age of eighteen and he was a lot stronger.
               ?Thanks Gary,? said Ash as Pikachu jumped onto the table from Ash?s lap.
               ?Well, if Gary?s willing to drive and Ash and Gary are going with you all, then its okay,? Prof. Oak consented.
               ?Hey, don't we get credit for being Gym Leaders?? asked Misty.
               Misty had recently returned from her sisters gym where she had battled and won their cascade badge. She retained ownership as the gym leader because her sisters didn't want to fight with their pokemon, they only wanted to perform for people so Misty took that responsibility until she took as small break.
               Brock had also returned to his family, where his father had been taking care of things. Brock had returned to the gym with all new pokemon, making his challengers work harder the expected. Her had taken a brake to come and see his pals for a while and see what was up with Tracy and how the research was coming.
               Tracy had been with Prof. Oak for about four years now and he had become Prof. Oak's successor in  pokemon knowledge. He knew almost every pokemon move and he knew all the types, he did sketched still and he often did reports on the Jhoto pokemon that Ash would send in when he needed to trade out for another one. He had even done a paper on the rare coloring of Ash?s Noctowl.
               ?Yes, but don?t forget that these two are considered two of the best trainers in the world and Ash is sometimes considered a Pokemon Master,? Prof. Oak said. ?I mean, you hardly have lived up to that status.?
               ?You mean a pokemon disaster in Ash?s case,? Misty said.
               ?Give me a break already,? Ash said. His voice had changed, a little deeper then it was before.
His hair had changed too. It was now so long that he kept it in a ponytail and he had bangs that hung down to his chin to frame his face. His outfit was different as well. He wore a red tank top with jeans and brown leather boots. He had a Jean jacket as well that he kept tied around his waist where his pokeballs where kept and he now sported a silver earring that had a Pikachu head. He also had new pokemon, not counting Pikachu ? aTypholsion, a Houndoom, a Feraligatr, an Ampharos, A Skarmory and a Meganium.
Gary had changed too. His voice was deeper and less snotty then it had been. He now wore a black turtleneck with rolled up sleeves and jeans with black leather boots. He too had six pokeballs at his hip and he had an earring added to his ear, a lovely silver hoop. He also wore a popular beaded necklace for guys.
Misty had changed as well. Her voice was more like a woman?s then a child?s and she wore a completely different outfit. She had cut her hair at an angle so that it came down like a slope from the back to below her chin in the front. She had two golden hoop earrings She had on a yellow strapless tank top with her same cuff shorts and belt with pokeballs. Her shoes were now ankle high with strings to tie them up.
               Brock wore his natural outfit without the orange shirt and vest. His shirt was now a males tank top in the same cold gray as his Onix. The left side of Brock?s hair came down to shield his eye while the other was exposed, and from there it was a normal cut. Tracy had on his teal green shirt, but he now wore long kaki pants and brown sandals.His hair was cut shorter too so that he had bangs coming down to his nose and the rest was normal. He had his headband on that kept the bangs up and he now had on glasses. Their voices were really the same as they were before.
               ?Hey, there?s more to this letter. Look on the back,? Tracy said, handing the letter to Ash. Ash read it out loud.
               ? Also, Ash and Co., I want you to meet one of my close friends. She should present a nice challenge for you in a Pokemon Battle. Please come to the party ? she wants to meet you and I really want to introduce you to all my other friends. I can?t wait to see you Ash and Co.?
               ?Wow, she really wants us to come,? Tracy said. ?I don?t see why we shouldn?t and would like to study her Kadabra as well.?
               ?Please Grandpa! Please!? whined Gary to his grandfather and he knew he had won when Prof. Oak sighed.
               ?Okay, okay! I give up! You may go to this party if you wish!? he said.
               ?Yeah! You?re the greatest Prof.Oak!? Misty said as she hugged him around the neck.
        ?K, if we?re going we?ll be staying overnight so we need to get our stuff ready,? Ash reasoned.
               ?Yeah. We?ll meet back here at three this afternoon,? Gary said, glancing at the clock on the wall. ?See you then."
               With that they departed and Ash went back to his house with Misty and Brock, they were bunking at his place. His Mom was all for him going and they were out of Pallet Town that same day by three-thirty.