~Part One: The Phone Call~

"Phone call for Ash Ketchum," said the voice on the Pokemon center intercom.

Of course it was Ash's mother... But as soon as Misty thought that, she wasn't sure. She felt a strange sense of foreboding...

But it was nothing, had to be nothing. It had to be Mrs. Ketchum. Who else would call?

Who else?...

Ash had gone to take the call. She saw him at the far end of the lobby. He picked up the phone and gasped, loud enough to be audible to the whole Pokemon center.

Apparently, it wasn't his mother...

He was trembling. She had never really seen Ash tremble. She looked around for Pikachu. There he was, happily licking a bottle of ketchup. Pikachu was safe.

So what was it?...

"WHAT?!?!?!" Ash screamed.

Misty jumped. And not just at the decibel level. She'd never seen Ash like this before.

Who the heck _was_ this person?...

She would probably find out soon; Ash had hung up the phone and was coming towards her.

He sat down beside her on the bench.

"So, I guess that wasn't your mom," she said lightly. It worked--he smiled ruefully.

"Nope," was all he said.

She decided to get this over with. "Ash, for some reason I doubt you came over here to sit on this bench." She looked over at him and asked, "Ash, what's wrong?"

There was a pause, and then Ash took a breath, obviously wanting to get this over with too.

"Okay. That was...my father on the phone." He rolled on, taking no notice of her sharp intake of breath. "He wants me to come to his winter lodge by Lake Lapras. Apparently, he has custody rights and has not bothered to use them." He paused. "So he wants me home for Christmas. Although I doubt I'll be there long enough to call it home." Of course. He was journeying, spending all his time preparing to enter the Johto League. "I won't take all my Pokemon, just Pikachu. And--I wonder if you'd come too." It was a question, but he pronounced it as a statement. "See Mist, you're my best friend, and I'm going to need support to face this guy." Even in her slight daze, she noticed that he called him 'this guy' and did not say _why_ he'd need support.

Ash grinned. "Well, don't sit there with your mouth hanging open _too_ long, I gotta leave tomorrow!"

It was sensory overload, too much information too fast, she couldn't make a decision this fast--or could she?

"Sure I'll go, Ash." She would follow him to the ends of the earth, she knew, though she stopped herself from asking why.

"Great." He grinned. It was really a shame when he was unhappy. He had so much energy and innocence that it was almost criminal to make him sad.

"Ok, I'm gonna pack. We'll leave at seven tommorow." Ash got up. He went out, she saw; likely to buy supplies. When you live out of your backpack, there's not much to pack.

She should get some Pokechow for Togepi and Poliwag. She'd leave the others at the center, but Togepi and Poliwag were too young.

Yeah, Pokechow, and some candies, and some candy for herself, and she should check out the bookstore...

She took her wallet and went out to get supplies, not knowing all that the coming days would bring...

~NOTE: I don’t own Pokemon. I hope this doesn’t suck. And I think you can divine when this takes place. Please R&R!~