Miss Discovery!

By: Chibi-Suiko

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Ash: 15

Misty: 16

Brock: 19

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Moving through the deep of the Jhoto wood, we spot our favorite trio continuing their quest at a decent step. Catching sight of the rising sun, they wonder... Where will their travels take them this time?

***

Chapter One: Revelation

***

" Ash, are we ever going to stop?!" The cranky voice of Misty reached the young boys ears.

" Misty, what do you think?" Ash asked, looking at her skeptically, "Does this look anything like civilization?"

She shook her head in a definite negative. The trees seemed so thick that they couldn't even see the sky above them and she couldn't hear any noise accept for her own two feet dragging across the ground. And she knew that Ash had vowed to arrive that day at the next city, no matter how long it took.

She could almost hear his voice all ready...

" And you know what I said all ready, we won't stop until we reach the next town. So keep quiet, will you? It'll make the walk seem a lot shorter..." He grumbled.

See..?

" Hey! Watch your mouth Mr. Wanna-be Pokemon Master! Otherwise for dinner, you'll be eating a nice plate of dirt! Sound appetizing?!" She yelled fiercely, watching him for a reply.

He said nothing understandable but she was positive that he was muttering under his breath.

" What was that?!?!?!" She shrieked and they heard the trees sway as the Pidgey and Spearow flew to the supposed safety of afar.

" Damn Misty... See, I'm not the only one you scare... I'd calm down if I were you."

He ate his words as she advanced menacingly and threw him into the ground.

" I told you so..." Ash said as a large amount of shuddering was heard from behind the bushes.

" Shut up! How can you act so rude in front of a lady?!" She asked him, giving him a criticizing look.

" Lady, what lady? Brock, do you see a lady in our presence?" Ash asked, grinning at their other male friend, who had decided to let up on being the one to separate the two teens' bickering a looonnnngggg time ago.

" I'm not getting into it, Ash... If you wanna fall then you fall alone." Brock said and looked away as Misty, again, advanced upon her best friend.

--Yup, it was a normal day for our Heroes.

" So... How long is it Brock?" Misty asked, clapping her hands together as Ash tried to pull his entire head out of the ground.

" ...You know Misty? This makes me wonder what you're going to be when you grow up... What about a wrestler? Lots of people will pay big money to see you take down The Rock. You know that?" He asked.

" Yeah? Well, they'll probably pay just as much to see me take down the Pokemon Master--"

" --Awww, you do believe in me--!"

" --If you ever get that far." She smirked at him.

" You're rotten, you know that? Cold at the heart, I can't believe you keep on traveling with me if you don't really have a purpose for doing so..." Ash asked, getting all teary eyed but he regretted his words almost at once as he saw by the expression on her face where this was going.

" Ohhh, I have a purpose!" She began.

" ...Here we go Brock... Hand me some ear plugs." Ash said and he placed them into his ears.

" The purpose is my bike! The one that you--you-two-timing-liar, wanna-be-Pokemon-training, Always-do-the-right-thing-even-if-it-kills-you, Dense-as-a-hammer, careless, cheap, diplomatic--"

" --Huh?" Brock said, obviously listening to the whole thing, "Where do you get diplomatic out of Ash? That doesn't make sense..."

" --Don't mess me up, Brock! I'm on a roll here!" Misty shouted back, " --Blind-as-a-bat, immoral, one-track-minded, selfish CREEP! You know damn well that if you'd given me my bike, I'd be long gone by now! That reminds me..." She jumped in front of his face, "...When are you going to pay me back for my bike, Ash Ketchum?!?!?!?!"

" Uh--Huh?! Wha'd you say Mist?" Ash asked, pulling out the ear plugs, "I mean I wasn't listening very we--"

Oh, man... That has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever done, in my entire life... Ash thought to himself as Misty cracked her knuckles mercilessly.

" I would kill you now," She said, baring down upon him fangs of venom, "But I seriously just want to get to the next city. Wait till we get there, Ketchem, your time'll come..."

She started walking ahead, leaving Ash thanking God on bended knee for saving his life. After all, it's only once in a lifetime that the vicious Misty Waterflower turns her back on her prey.

But, Poor Ash, he'll only have so much time to run now that--

" We're here!" Misty shouted, "Brock, Ash! Look, isn't it gorgeous?!"

" It looks like every other city we've been to..." Ash said, still rubbing his head from the pounding she'd given him before-hand.

" Not when you've spent the last three weeks in a sleeping bag on the ground, it doesn't." Misty told him and they both looked to Brock for his opinion on the new trekking field and it's general information.

" This is interesting..." Brock said, making their wonder grow even larger, "They say that this town is a huge tourist trap, at least now. Something about an actor or actress couple--or something... Anyway, it says here in the brochure that I picked up in the last town that they travel the world and due to their profound popularity, they've started to--not only make movies--but live shows and appearances... Isn't that cool guys? We might actually get to meet these people! Not to mention the Safari lookout on the other side of town is a majorly romantic getaway and at a certain time every night, all of the citizens here turn off their lights so that people can get a good look at the stars. Sounds really cool, don't you think? And maybe I'll finally find the right girl for me..!" He said, drooling over 'her' all ready.

" Sounds like fun, but I'm just set on getting there first. We'll need to find a room, quick, or we'll be stuck outside anyway..." Ash said, then added, "Plus, it's almost dinner time and we have to find an open diner for supper..."

" Well, once you guys get a grip on reality and stop dreaming about things like girls and cheeseburgers, let me know." Misty said, all ready running again, "I'll be down there, actually getting those types of things!!!"

The other two followed after her in a rush, almost tripping on their own feet.

***

"Isn't it great?" Misty said two hours later as they stepped out from a small burger restaurant.

" It've been even greater if we'd found a place to sleep that didn't include a complimentary rock for a pillow..." Brock muttered from behind her.

" Why do you guys worry so much about sleeping on the ground?" Misty asked, "We've been here all day without a place to sleep and I haven't complained once."

" Yeah, she'd rather get it over with before we even arrive..." Ash replied lowly, "Come on, let's just keep going..."

They had walked through all the side streets to avoid heavy foot traffic but as the sun reached it's peak just below the distant mountains, the group figured that they should look more where all the tourist gathering was.

Now in the heart of the town, we find them passing by a fountain topped with a golden angel, rhythmically beating its silver wings (Not literally, just looks so well-chiseled that it almost moves), and spouting crystal clear water from its mouth. As the water douses the tub around it, many turn their heads in our groups direction... But why?

" Oh My God! There she is!!! It's Rein!" A few girls shouted and ran towards our favorite heroes from afar.

" I wonder who they're talking about?" Misty said, following them blankly with her eyes.

" Who cares, as long as they've come to whisk me away on their golden chariot to live with them amongst the clouds..." Brock said, (A/N: And I'd now like to take this moment to say EEEWWWWWWWWW!) sweeping his arms out in one of those hormonal hugs.

Misty would have pounded him but next moment, she was devoured in the crowd of screaming fanatics. She watched as Ash and Brock dissolved from her sight and next second about twenty autograph books were shoved into her arms.

" ...Huh? Huh? Huh?! HUH?!" She said, looking in every direction as even more people crammed their way into the crowd to look at her, "Guys?! What's going on?!"

But she heard none of their shouts as the large group of prospectors chanted her name in an overwhelming cheer--Or, well, the name of whoever they thought she was, anyway.

As a young girl around fourteen started to pass by our ever-so-distressed and the even more curious duo of heroes, Ash grabbed hold of her hand and called her back for a couple questions.

" What's going on? Why are they circling around her like that? What's with the yelling? And who's Rein?!?!?!" Ash asked, impatient for his answers, "Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me--!" He yelled, shaking her fiercely.

Or maybe more than a couple.

" Don't tell me you don't know?!" The girl shrieked, "What are you, new in town or sumpthin'? It's Rein--that girl over there--! She's an actress and singer who goes with Imuru... They work together and travel the world! They're celebrities! Anyone who doesn't know that has gotta be more dense than a block of cement!" And she tore her arms away to fall into the ever growing crowd.

" Hey! I didn't know who she was!!!" Ash yelled after the annoying little brat, then he shut his mouth, figuring that wasn't something to say in front of all these people lest he prove that he was more dense than a... Well, you get it anyway.

" Well, Brock? How senile do you think these people have to be to get Misty mixed up with a star?" Ash smirked, looking over to his buddy whose mouth hung open in shock.

" Obviously not that senile..." He said, pointing at something, "Look at that!"

Ash followed with his eyes with a laugh which crawled back down his throat a moment later as he happened upon the billboard overtop a building right next to them.

A Misty-Twin and some older, brown haired man stood together, embraced in each other's arms. Overhead read a logo saying, 'Rein and Imuru: Stars of one Soul'. Ash gaped (His mouth almost hitting the ground), this was just too much of a conspiracy for him to lay eyes on. What kind of freak was created to look exactly like Misty and become an actress while doing so?

Anyway, looking back at the poster, there were no differences what so ever between Misty and this 'Rein-girl'. The guy smiled warmly as he held her in his arms and his deep green eyes glowed with a type of love you only see in the movies (Or in this case, maybe reality). His brown hair contained sun streaks of blond and he was very fit looking, not something unlike a teenage girl would want out of a man.

Ash shut his mouth and said to his friend, "We're going to have to get Misty out of there..." He turned back to the swarming crowd but--

" Too late, somebody all ready did..." Brock told him and they both looked around as Misty came running, holding somebody's hand and laughing excitedly.

But they weren't running up to Ash and Brock, nor even in their direction. To the contrary, both headed down a side street and only a moment later, as the two forgotten chumps began to follow them, did Ash hear Misty's voice panic, "Oh no! My friends, I totally forgot!"

Which didn't make him feel any better.

As he rushed around the corner, Misty came and thudded into him, sending them both into the ground.

" Ash! There you are! I was just coming to get you guys. I have someone that I want you to meet!" And before she could get off the ground, a hand stretched out to help her. A male hand, that extended to an arm--a male arm--packed with muscles, that fell upon a shoulder and a face--a male face--that smiled veeerrrrryyyyyy warmly at the girl at his feet.

Ash looked up with a frown but--

" Thanks... Imuru!" Misty blushed and picked herself up out of the dirt. She turned to Ash, but only saw him almost growling at the young 'Newly Proclaimed Hottie' in front of them.

" Uh... Dearest friend of mine..." Misty muttered, " You can get up now..."

Ash came to his feet.

" I see you travel with some very good friends." The boy--Imuru said.

" Yeah, I do. But sometimes we have a few problems..." Misty replied giving Ash a look.

" Well, where'd you run into this one Misty?" Ash asked disgustedly.

" Believe it or not, Imuru was man enough to come rescue me from that mob scene... Which is more than I can say for you--!" She shot back, her arms over her chest.

Brock came around the corner. Obviously the sight of so many girls had overwhelmed him and he had quite a hard time getting a handle on his nerve, "Misty, do you even know who this guy is?"

Imuru blushed in embarrassment. He must not have been fond of being referred to as 'This Guy'. He twiddled his hands shyly behind his back.

If I didn't know better, I'd think he was really nervous... Misty thought, wondering what could possibly make such a cute face panic so easily.

She cocked her head to the side in confusion. It seemed that everybody knew something accept for her. She turned to Imuru and then to her friends, "All he actually had time to tell me was his name... Why? Should I know who he is?"

" Misty, that guy is one of those snobby, materialistic, romantic, wanna-be-good-guy actors! He's the other half of that performance couple that's got this city filled to the brim with tourists!" Ash yelled, "He's the reason why we can't get a room tonight! All of our trouble is because of him!"

" Really?" Misty asked, now avoiding everyone's eyes, "Then where's the other half? And don't call him 'Snobby', Ash Ketchum!"

" Why shouldn't I? It's true. They're all the same..." Ash muttered.

" 'They're'? And who might all these 'They're' people be?" She asked skeptically.

" You know? Those--those famous, good-for-nothing, entertainment types..." Ash said, mostly to himself.

" I-if I might get a word in?" Imuru asked in a timid voice, "I-I am an actor, yes, that's true... But I don't believe that you have the right to judge me before you get to know me. Now if you three were to follow me over to my hotel suite--"

" Oh, here we go..." Ash murmured, almost in disgust.

" Then I can tell you everything you need to know... I also need to ask you something, Miss--uh--"

" --Just call me Misty..." She said, blushing lightly.

He took her hand as though to kiss it like a regular gentleman but Ash pulled it away.

" No thanks, we need to try and find somewhere to stay for the night..." He said in quiet malice.

" --I'll also give you free room and board for your troubles--" Imuru began.

" We're there!" Brock said. Ash and Misty looked at him as if he were crazy, "Well, think about it this way guys, it's either with him or with the wild because by the time we find somewhere else to go it'll be morning all ready, or even later..."

" I guarantee that you won't find anywhere to stay for the next few days. I would know..." Imuru said and Ash looked at him as if it was all his doing.

" You planned this didn't you, you creep?! Try and lure in some people who are new in town and see what you can swindle from them--! There's nothing you're gonna get from me Pal, uh-uh! No way!"

(A/N: If none of this made sense to you then join the club. That's what I was hoping for.)

" No, the reason is because my next four shows are sold out, and the others are selling rapidly and since there are more than two hundred seats in the theatre, then there must be at least five times as many people who are going to arrive for an appearance. Understand?" He said it as though he were speaking to a three year old and he might as well have been, by the way Ash was behaving.

" Sounds like a logical explanation to me. I'm going." Misty shrugged, " But what do you have to ask me when we get there?"

" I'll tell you when we arrive." He said, smiling graciously at her.

" I'm going with you, Misty. I'm not very fond of the dust that revels in my pants every morning either, you know--" Brock said to his female friend.

" Brock!!!" Ash whined, "Where do you think you're going?! Remember, this is my journey and you guys are just gonna leave me?!"

" You're welcome to join us, you know?" Imuru said, "I mean--I don't feel very comfortable leaving you out here all night--"

" I can take care of myself, don't worry about me!" Ash yelled fiercely, sticking his tongue out like a child, "But they are supposed to travel with me! They are supposed to stick by me until I reach my dream!!!"

Misty turned to him, "You know that conversation we had earlier? The one about my reason for spending all my childhood walking around from place to place with you? I really don't have one besides my bike. So maybe it is time for us to split. Cause, you know, I've got dreams of my own to fulfill and I don't have all my life to wait around for you to complete yours!"

" But-but--!" Ash stuttered mindlessly. His head was drawing a complete blank to the message that had just left her mouth, "But--! What about--?!"

" --My bike? You said yourself many times that you could just send it or the money for it to me... And it's been-like-six years... If you haven't collected the money by now, I might as well pay the fee myself. And it's not like I don't know where you live so hunting you down isn't necessarily out of the question."

It was true that he could send her the bike or the money because even though he'd never tell her, exactly, he'd all ready combed the cash from his training account. He was definitely a hog but he wouldn't spend all of the groups mullah on hamburgers... Even he wasn't that cruel.

But though he thought about it now, he'd never really gotten the chance to hand her what he owed. Or-rather-he had, many-a-time, but he'd not taken any of the proposed. It almost made him wonder why he'd waited so long. She was obviously going to catch on how much time had passed sooner or later.

" ...All right, I'm coming..." Ash sighed in defeat and followed his friends and the new pop star/actor/pretty boy (Who'd been holding Misty's hand the whole time and really p!$$ing him off while doing so) to what-ever hotel they were to be staying in that night.

***

A/N: Okay, for those of you who've seen the Lizzie Mcguire Movie (Like Me!!!), yes, I'll tell you now, the inspiration for this story did SOMEWHAT come from that skit. But I'm letting you know now that there will be some major differences between the two (Like the rating, for instance).