Stand by You part 2 of 4

Chapter 50: Lost and Found

"Let's take a break. I need to eat something. Pikachu agrees", Ash told his friends.

Ash, Misty, May, Max, Drew, Clement, Serena, Iris, and Cilan and Bonnie had left Viridian City early that morning. Giovanni paid for them to take a train to Vermillion City, where Ash hoped to re-earn his thunder badge. They had spent all morning training.

"Pika pika", Pikachu confirmed.

"I'm up for a break", said Iris.

"Me too. You should let me handle the cooking, since this is our last day traveling with you", said Cilan.

"Thanks!" Everyone said in unison.

"I hope to see you at the Yellowstone Contest", said May.

"You will", Cilan responded. "After Iris gets her Thunder Badge, we are going to practice together".

"My cousins live out here. We are going to stay with them. They don't have enough room for everyone though", Iris added.

"That's ok. It's like we were saying before. It is much easier to travel in smaller groups anyway", said Ash.

"I am really looking forward to competing at this gym", said Clement.

"I wonder if Lt. Surge is as good as you when it comes to running an electric-type gym", said Bonnie.

"Lt. Surge is tough, but you are both equally good gym leaders", said Ash.

"I'm glad you think so. Lt. Surge is someone I look up to, even though he really intimidates me", Clement replied.

After lunch Cilan and Iris headed to the Vermillion City gym while the rest of the group went to the Pokémon Center. Misty and Ash decided to video chat with Delia.

"Hi mom", said Ash as his mother appeared on the screen.

"Hi Miss Ketchum", said Misty.

"Pika chu chu", said Pikachu.

"Zur ril", said Azuril.

"Hi honey, hi Misty, hi Pikachu and Azuril. How is everything going?" she asked them.

"Great. We just go to the Vermillion Pokémon Center and we are planning on going to the gym tomorrow", Ash told her.

"I saw the pictures you posted on Facebook", she told them. "That picture of Mime Jr., Pikachu, and Acorn and Aliyah was so cute that I printed it out and added it to the others on the fridge".

"Cilan took most of those", said Ash. "But starting today him and Iris are going to leave our group to travel alone for a while".

"How come?" asked Delia.

"Iris has to return back to Unova for a family reunion. Cilan is going to go with her. She wanted to earn her Thunder Badge first before heading over there", Misty explained.

"I see. How are you two doing? Misty, is Ash being nice?" asked Delia. "You should know that if he's rude I give you my full support if you want to wash his mouth out with soap".

"He's great, Miss Ketchum. Ash is very rarely rude now. He's gotten a bit more mature since the last time we traveled together", Misty responded.

"That's good", she replied. " I wish I could be there to see it".

Ash's mother asked about each individual member of their group until she got down to Meowth, Lucy, Jessie and James.

"I last spoke to them a few hours ago. They are in Silverville, at the mansion. James says that all four of them plan on doing the next contest", Delia told them. "They sounded very happy, but I think they miss traveling with you all".