"Damn, it Ash! This is the sixth stupid town you've dragged us to!" Brock ranted. For the last month, Ash has been going to odd little shops and communities. It seems a total waste of time since it's not getting him any closer to his goal of being a pokemon master.
 "Sorry Brock, this is the last stop we're gonna make." Ash said as he walked out of the shop with a long box.
 "Roses! For me! Oh Ash, you can be so sweet!" Misty reached for the box but Ash pulled it away from her.
 "There's no roses! And even if they were, why would I buy them for you!"
 "You're right."
 "I am?"
 "Yep. You can't afford roses until you buy me a new bike!"
 Ash blushed. He hated being reminded about that stinking bike, but he couldn't complain since he knew she was right. 'Makes me wonder why I like her' he thought to himself.
 "Pika pi, pikachu pik"(What's in the box, Ash?) Pikachu asked. Ash had left Pikachu with Misty and Brock while he closed the deal.
 "Sorry pal, I can't tell you that."
 "Are you gonna tell use why you've been coming to all these places or not?" Brock said, a serious scowl on his face. Normally he wouldn't care where they traveled, but Ash's course had kept him from a pretty girl for a month! He was so desperste he was ready to ask Misty out.
 "Not." Ash answered as he removed all but two pokeballs from his belt and handed them to Brock. "I have to do something.... On my own. Watch Pikachu and the others okay?" Ash started to walk away.
 "Pika pika, pik pi pika chuuu!"(Ash, don't abandon me!) Pikachu screamed from Brock's side.
 "Don't worry Pikachu, I'll be back in a day or two. I promise." He started walking again.
 "Pika...chu"(Huhhhh.....okay.)
 "Just where are you going Ash?" Brock said quietlly.
 Ash stopped again. "It's just something personal, okay? I need to be alone and I only need Pidgeotto and Charmeleon. Pikachu and the others would only slow me down. Please trust me. I swear I'll meet you guy's at the New Haven pokemon center by Friday, okay?"
 "Huhhh.... alright Ash. New Haven, Friday night. If you don't show by ten, I'm coming to look for you."
 "Fair enough."
 The guys and Pikachu seemed to be dealing with this okay, but Misty was tearing herself up inside. She needed to be with Ash. It was that simple. She loved him more than anyone else. If he went of and got himself killed, she would never recover. She had to think of a way to go with him and fast!
 "Ash!" She called out. He turned to face her. She stared into his eyes a moment. They were filled with resolve, she needed to do this right! "I know what your up to, you liar!"
 "What are you talking about?"
 "You're trying to get out of returning my bike!"
 "Drop the fucking bike Misty! I said I'd make good on it some day! Besides, if I was gong to run, why would I be leaving Pikachu, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur behind?"
 'please forgive me for this, Ash' she thought. "I'll bet you abandoning them!"
 That had the desired effect. Ash was hurt and stung beyond words. Pikachu burst into tears and ran into Ash's arms, begging him not to leave him. Misty felt like the world's biggest Bitch.
 "That's a lie." Ash said simply. He managed to clam Pikachu and get him to go back to brock. "Fine, To prove I'm not trying to run away, you can come.... but you can't bring any pokemon pesides Togapi."
 "Why?"
 "Because I said so! If you don't like the rules, don't come!" Ash snapped. He turned aroud to face the horizon.
 Misty thought about it, then handed her pokemon to Brock
 "Keep an eye on him for me, okay?" Brock whispered
 Misty nodded and jogged up to Ash's side.
 

  * * * * * * *
 

 The pair traveled for a few hours till they were deep in the woods. They made camp, ate and went to sleep. They never said a word. Misty still had no idea what was in the box and she knew better than to try and look while Ash slept, he had it in the sleeping bag with him.
 Misty laid awake, thinking about what Ash was thinking.
 Ash laid awake think about how cute Misty was. Then they both fell asleep
 

  * * * * * * *

 
 In the morning Ash awoke to the aroma of rice and vegetables. He looked over and saw Misty squatting by the fire. He got up, stretched and got dressed.
 "Good morning Misty," Ash said smiling.
 "Good morning." Misty replied. She looked very unhappy.
 "Whats wrong?"
 "Why are we here Ash?" She asked, rather than answered.
 Ash sighed. "After we eat I'll show you, okay?"
 Misty nodded and went back to cooking. After breakfast, they walked into the woods till they found a large clearing.
 The clearing was surounded by thick trees on three sides with a cliff on the fourth. Their was a spectacular water fall cascading down the side of the cliff. The trees cast pretty shadows on the ground and the falls send out a lovely mist.
 "It's so beautiful." Misty said in awe.
 "Yeah. To bad." Ash said
 "Huh?"
 "It's going to get wreaked."
 "Why?"
 Rather than answer Ash threw out a pokeball.
 "Pidgeotto, I chose you!"
 The ball struck the ground and the large bird materialized. Ash told it to perch itself on a nerby rock. It was happy to comply.
 "Go, Charmeleon!"
 After a bright flash the fire pokemon stood before it's would-be master.
 "What are you doing Ash?"
 "Shut up. Charmeleon, I am your master. Do you accept me or not?"
 "Char mel!"(Screw you!)
 "Char mel meleon, charmeleon, char char!" Ash answered back.
 "What did that mean, Ash?" Misty asked, she was more than a little frightened by now.
 " I said 'I challenge your power and honor'."
 "Charmeleon char char."(who will judge?)
 "Pidgotto." Ash answered. Charmeleon nodded it's approval
 Misty finally put all peices together. "Ash! Your not going to fight Charmeleon are you?"
 "I am."
 "That's suicide."
 "I have to."
 "Why?"
 "It's the only way I can control him in combat."
 "But what if he..."
 Misty's words are cut off by Charmeleon. "Charmel, mel char. Char"(You get one weapon. Chose.)
 Reaching into the box Ash withdraws something long wrapped in tissue paper. He gripps the top and bottom of the paper, then suddenlly throws the bottom part aside.
 Ash Ketchum, trainer from pallet, was now weilding a katana blade.

    End Part 1