[Important A. N.:
I have been seeing many comments going 'no homo' and questions asking if there will be gay romance, despite the fact this book has not been tagged 'romance'. Seriously it's like two guys or two girls can't be together without being in a romantic relationship apparently! →_→
Now I'm feeling tempted to add LGBT and romance tag after seeing them. I did not want to write BL, GL, straight or any romance because I literally am not into writing those but I just might be tempted to, if I see another such comment. ^ω^
Just thought, I'll give you all a heads up! Now on with the story!]
Samurai joined the group of two trainers and one pre trainer for breakfast. Misty and Ash had no problems sharing their cooked meals with others, it even helped that the Beedrills the day before allowed Lucario took collect some Maple syrup as thanks. Misty had been delighted on having fresh syrup to add to the dry toasts they had made. Cindy was telling them about her family and how most of her siblings considered their eldest sibling as a parent over their real parents. Ash furrowed his eyebrows, it sounded pretty familiar but didn't force himself to remember as he was sure, if it was important he would remember it on his own, like with Pikachu.
Samurai got up and called his Pokemon, "I thank you for inviting my Pokemon and myself to breakfast. Ash thank you for healing my Pokemon, now I must leave, I still have training to do, if I want to become a Bug type Master."
Misty, "It's always nice to make new friends and you are not a bad person all things considered."
Cindy, "Yeah, you are pretty cool."
Ash, "Don't mention it, was no problem. We'll see you around."
Samurai nodded, "Farewell my friends! Return everyone."
The teen left and the group also decided to leave after breakfast as they still had a lot of ground to cover. Fearrow took the lead again flying towards the city but this time Pikachu decided to travel on Ash's shoulder, while Kakuna and Feebas slept in their pokeballs. Caterpie was on Ash's other shoulder talking to Pikachu as they travelled, with Lucario and Mankey on Ash's both sides. Cindy had taken to talking while traveling, telling them more about her younger siblings and their shenanigans.
Ash stopped, "What's wrong Lucario?"
Misty halted looking back, "Is something the matter?"
Lucario looked behind them and shook his head before getting closer to Ash, -Ash, someone is following us. And they don't feel like a Pokemon.-
Ash looked at Misty before looking at Starmie and Staryu, Misty caught the message to keep her strongest Pokemon close, "Let's keep moving."
Misty walked ahead while Cindy was in between still chatting and Ash was in the back as the covered more grounds. Ash had noticed none of the Pokemon seemed bothered by whoever was behind them and concluded, they did not mean any harm. If there is one thing you could count on to judge whether or not a person has malicious intent is to observe the wild Pokemon around them. Their instincts are dialed to the max when it came to danger and they could easily sense any horrible intent from miles away. He mentally thanked Professor Oak for drilling in his head the basic behavior of Pokemon in the wild, although it was pretty boring to read most of the time. They soon came to a clearing instead the forest and saw it was late in the evening already.
Misty looked around, "Alright I know where we are!"
Ash, "You been here?"
Misty nodded, "I camped here while traveling through Pewter to Vermillion. I know a way out of the forest that can take us to the road used for commercial transport in and out of the city."
Ash sat down, "That would actually be great. I love the forest, but I could use some real beds."
Misty nodded, "I know, I really need a bath too, even if using water gun for washing is useful and practical it's not the same as a bubble bath."
Ash gave a sigh, "Especially a hot bubble bath."
Pikachu agreed remembering the nice wash and massage he got, "Chaaaaaa!"
Fearrow cawed in agreement and Lucario and Mankey nodded. Lucario had been missing the massages a lot while Mankey wanted a bubble bath. Playing with the bubbles was fun, meanwhile Feebas wanted to play with Ash in the water. Caterpie was looking curiously and asked what was great about it and Mankey took the chance to tell him how awesome it was.
Lucario, -I'm pretty sure all of our Pokemon miss getting special baths!-
Ash, "You guys miss warm baths too, huh, bud?"
Cindy laughed nervously, "Yeah, can't wait to return!"
Misty, "I can't wait to introduce Caterpie to it, you are going to love it."
Caterpie who was riding on her shoulder looked at her before nodding curiously, if everyone spoke so highly of it, it must be amazing. They camped out in the clearing for the night and during dinner Misty explained how she had travelled through this forest and took two weeks to get out on her own. At one point she had even gotten turned around and ended back up in Pewter city, so she had used her marker to mark the direction she went to avoid getting confused twice.
Ash, "Are those marks still there?"
Misty pointed at a tree, "Yup, I used permanent markers to mark arrows on the tree branch."
Cindy, "Huh? That's actually cool."
They turned in for the night after dinner and Lucario joined Fearrow to watch over the camp after he explained what happened earlier. Fearrow wanted to confront the followers, for some reason it disturbed him, someone was following them around without them realizing it. Lucario chuckled and explained it was probably his instincts warning him about stalkers making Fearrow bristle at the word. It left a bad taste on his tongue. Lucario decided to watch over the three who were following them after concealing his aura.
Man, "They went to sleep!"
Woman, "Ah! I can't believe the boss wants us to watch over him. He has a gym leader to be as a partner, doesn't he?"
Meowth, "Quit complaing, it's ta boss's orders, he tol us the boy was imprtant."
Man, "Hey Jessie, I'm gonna sound crazy but do you think?"
Jessie, "Think what James?"
James, "He's the boss's kid?"
Meowth, "You are crazy, we all know the Champion is his kid, not this boy!"
James, "But..... It could be the boss doesn't want to mess up with him like he did with the Champion or the Champion's brother. The two hate him, the Champion because he cheated on his mother and the younger guy because he was ignored by him."
Jessie, "Third times the charm you mean?"
Meowth, "Alrght nough talk! Or job is to watch over him, k? What happens in boss's family is in boss's family!"
James sighed, "Yeah! I know I just.... The boss helped us when we needed him, so I guess I want to help him as well."
Jessie, "What can we do? We aren't exactly from what you could say are good families, are we?"
Meowth, "Both of you.... Get some sleep, I'll take first watch."
James, "Night!"
Jessie watched her partner go, "I'll take second so wake me up."
Lucario left them, -That was unexpected!-
The next day during training Lucario told Ash what he had over heard much to Ash's surprise. He was Lucario noted shocked yet pleased, although he figured it was because whoever Ash's uncle was, was now trying to make up for the blunder. Ash was pleased his favorite trio were doing well, although he wondered who his Uncle was and why he cheated on his aunt. He would have to give that old man a piece of his mind when he meets him.
Ash, "Let's let my cousin decide on what to do next. We'll follow his lead on this, he is his father after all."
Lucario nodded, -Very well. You need to spread your legs more.-
Ash, "Right! I don't know how you do this so easily."
Lucario, -Practice Ash! Lot's of practice and instinct, of course!-
Ash, "Of course!"
They trained for a few hours before returning back to camp where Misty was just returning as well. Cindy had only woken up and was looking around greeting the two of them before washing up thanks to Poliwag. She was dreading going back home but knew she couldn't stay in the forest either and followed the two as they travelled. On the bright side, she was pretty sure she had made some good friends in the two trainers, they were reliable and independent just like her big brother.
Ash, "Hey Cindy don't look now but you have a fan."
Misty giggled, "Yep!"
Cindy turned around, "Huh?"
A little further away from them, standing under the shadow of a tree was a Paras watching them. Cindy got wide eyed at that and bent down to the grassy floor on one knee.
Ash, "Don't talk loud."
Misty, "Be patient, don't make sudden moves."
Cindy gulped, "He....hello!"
The Paras had watched the three of them from the roots of the tree. He had watched the group for two days now and had followed them out of curiosity. The youngest seem to be interested in having a Pokemon while the older male and female had many around them. She didn't have a Pokemon yet, he noticed and decided to approach her when the three of them stopped. Ash watched as the Paras curiously poked Cindy as she sat on the forest floor, the Pokemon seemed to like her.
Ash, "Looks like the little Paras caught themselves a human."
Misty grinned, "Congratulations!"
Cindy blinked and looked at Paras, "Is that right? You want to come with me? Really?"
Paras nodded his head before sitting on Cindy's lap and making himself comfortable much to Cindy's delight. She took out the pokeball she had bought after saving her monthly pocket money. She tapped the ball on Paras' head and caught the mushroom Pokemon.
Cindy, "I caught a Paras. Look look, I caught a Paras."
Misty, "Yes you did!"
Ash, "Congrats!"
Cindy let Paras out, "Welcome to my team Paras. Let's become best friends."
Paras gave a bright chrip as he climbed on Cindy's lap and she got up holding her, "I can't wait to introduce you to my family."
Paras gave happy chirps at that and the rest of the Pokemon congratulated him on finding a good partner. Paras greeted them just as happily as they started to travel again before stopping at another clearing. Misty announces they were closer to the border of the forest getting a nod of agreement from Fearrow.
Ash turned to the Pokemon, "Great, you guys deserve a nice massage and bath day which we will have once we reach the Pokemon centre."
The Pokemon gave a cry of happiness at that, they had enjoyed the first time a lot. Ash grinned as they spent what he hoped was the last night in the forest. The next day they finally saw the boundary of the forest getting a sigh from Ash. However before reaching the city there was still a few miles filled with berry fields, Ash noticed were starting to flower already. They walked on the man made road towards the city but not before returning the exhausted Pokemon. Ash was carrying Pikachu while Misty was holding Caterpie and Cindy had Paras on her head. As they reached the city, they saw a man dressed like a hobo rush towards them.
The man, "There you are! Where have you been? Do you know how worried Brock was about you?"
Misty was surprised, "Brock? You are Brock's sibling?"
Ash, "Pewter city's gym leader right?"
Misty nodded, "He must be worried about you kid, he may be a known womanizer but it's also well known he cares about his siblings more than anything."
Ash, "Who are you though Mister?"
The man, "I... I.... I'm a stone seller, my name is Flint."
Cindy, "Let's go to the Pokemon centre first, you guys are tired right?"
Misty, "Yeah, we are exhausted, quite a bit!"
Pikachu sighed, "Pi pikachu!"
Ash rubbed Pikachu's head, "Let's get to the centre, we can get rooms and call your brother."
Cindy nodded, "Yeah!"
The group plus Flint went to the centre where Brock was waiting for them. He rushed to hug his younger sister berating her on disappearing without any news. Cindy apologized before introducing him to her Paras who greeted him happily. She introduced Ash and Misty next explaining how they met.
Brock, "I see, thank you for taking care of my sister."
Misty, "No problem!"
Ash, "Yeah, she even made a life long friend too."
Brock smiled, "She did, you are still grounded though, you had us all worried."
Ash and Misty decided to get rooms and rest for the day, plus they had promised their Pokemon a treat. They got two separate rooms and spent the day washing and bathing the Pokemon, themselves and their clothes that needed a good cleaning. Ash was pretty happy he finished most of his cleaning done that day and went to the lobby where much to his surprise was Brock. He was waiting beside Misty and it seems they were waiting for him. It turns out Brock wanted to invite them for dinner as a thanks for watching over his sibling. Ash remembered, back in the anime Brock was considered one of the best Chef in the Pokemon world. He would be lying if he said he was not interested, he accepted the offer, stating his sister had praised his cooking a lot and he was curious getting a blush from Brock.