Sensational (Pokéshipping)

chapter1- The Photo

Disclaimer : Pokémon are the creation of Satoshi Tajiri and belong to him and only him

Ages:

Ash - 18

Dawn - 13, maybe a bit older

Brock - 23

Misty - 18 ½

It was a sweltering hot day in Veilstone City. The torrid sun rays mercilessly attacked all those in their path, like full-powered solarbeams. It was a Magmar's paradise. However, the weather was far too hot even for Ash Ketchum, aspiring pokémon master, to attempt training.

So instead, our heroes had sought refuge from the Overheated outdoors by lounging in the air-conditioned lobby of the pokémon center.

"Aaaaah!" groaned Ash, wiping his forehead. "Why is it so hot outside? I wanted to train..."

"Pikachu..." Pikachu sighed in agreement.

"Stop grumbling, and let me concentrate!" Dawn snapped, furrowing her eyebrows as she flicked through her 'Coordinator's Weekly' magazine.

"These poffin recipes sound delicious. I think Piplup would like them. And they'd also add some sheen to his coat..." she murmured to herself.

Ash rolled his eyes. Dawn was quite boring - if only she'd stop reading that stupid magazine and do something interesting - like argue with him... but of course, that was not Dawn's forte, but a specialty of someone else...

Ash drifted into his daydream, his lips quirking upwards at the thought of some of the most ludicrous arguments he had ever had... though he resented admitting it to himself, he missed those fights - they effectively spiced up the stultifying tedium of trudging through forests and waiting in pokémon centers...

"Hello, may I help you?" came a feminine voice, and Ash looked up to see a woman with pink hair in a nurse's uniform.

"Oh - hi Nurse Joy!" Ash said, warily shooting a glance at Brock.

To his surprise, the brown-haired breeder's face was not inhabited by an all too familiar infatuated, drooling expression; in fact Brock, for the first time in his life, had not noticed Nurse Joy at all! He was buried behind a tattered magazine, with the words "Breeder's Digest" stamped across a worn blue cover.

"Uh - we're just staying sitting here for a while to escape the heat - you don't mind, do you?" Ash asked, bemused by Brock's behaviour.

Evidently, Pikachu was as well, for he scampered over to Brock, tapping him on the arm.

"Pika pika?"

There was no response.

"No problem! Please tell me if you need anything!" Nurse Joy said kindly, smiling. As she walked away, Dawn stared after her and then turned to Brock, raising her eyebrows.

"Brock!" Dawn asked incredulously. "Did you even notice who just walked by?"

Brock ignored her, too engrossed in his breeding magazine.

"Hey - Brock?" Ash asked, waving a hand in front of his friend's face. "Whatcha reading?"

Ash peered over Brock's shoulder, but Brock immediately snapped the magazine shut, hugging it to his chest.

"What?!" Brock demanded. "Can't I read in peace?"

Ash was taken aback. "You can - but - but didn't you notice Nurse Joy! I mean you - you didn't even try flirting with her and -"

"It's a bit disturbing." Dawn concluded for him.

"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "I mean I'm not complaining, but for seven years I've traveled with you and you always get all weird with Nurse Joy!"

Brock glared at him, narrowing his squinty eyes further, if that was humanly possible.

"Well I didn't see her, I was too captivated by my magazine." Brock said briskly, burying himself behind said magazine again.

"Which magazine is that?" Dawn asked curiously, attempting to have a look.

Brock shut it again abruptly. "Breeder's Digest, can't you read the cover?!" he exclaimed, though Ash noticed his voice wavered slightly, and a faint red blush had spread across his cheeks.

"Well, then why don't you let us see it too?" Ash asked, suddenly snatching the magazine from an unsuspecting Brock.

"No ASH!" Brock cried lunging towards Ash, in a futile attempt to reclaim his precious magazine, but he only succeeded in knocking over Pikachu, who remunerated him with a quick thundershock.

"Aaaargh!" Brock yelled. "Sorry Pikachu, it was an accident!"

"Pikachu!"

"Ash, I wanna read the magazine! Breeder's digest must have tips on poffin-making!" Dawn cried, running towards Ash.

"Ash don't open it! No!" Brock shouted. "You and Dawn shouldn't see what's in that magazine!"

It was too late. Ash flipped open the magazine to a random page, Dawn peering over his shoulder.

"Oh my gosh!" Dawn gasped, her eyes growing as wide as saucepans.

She then yanked the "Breeder's Digest" cover off the magazine, only to reveal the word "PLAYBOY" stamped across it in bold letters, accompanied by the silhouette of a Lopunny head.

Ash however, had gone completely red, shaking slightly as he continued to stare at the glossy picture filling the page he had opened.

There was a girl - or rather a slim, but curvy young woman, seated sideways on a rock. Her long, shapely legs were crossed and half immersed in water - which of course did nothing to hamper Ash's view of them! One manicured hand was curled around a shining pokéball, and the other was making a victory symbol.

She was dressed in a blue swimsuit, covered with white bubbles at the bottom - it was practically backless however, and strapless as well. A thin black tail ending in a large blue ball extended from the bottom of the swimsuit. The girl was wearing a headband with large blue rabbit ears attached to it - it was blatantly an Azumarill costume.

However, what mystified Ash the most (other than the killer body and the skimpy costume) was her face - her all too familiar, face, framed by perfectly straight, flaming orange hair which ended at her waist. Ash hadn't seen that face, or that hair for over four years! It seemed impossible, but he knew no one else had such bright hair, or eyes of that color - and that was definitely her smile, and her sparkling green-blue eyes, one of which was shut in a mischievous wink.

Ash stared at the photograph, which he was sure would now haunt his dreams. An unfamiliar, strange, yet pleasant, warm feeling flooded his body and his extremities, and he felt his heart give a bound.

"M-m-misty?" he stuttered.