This Is Where You Belong

A Complete Blowout

The snow beneath our feet crunched and sloshed as we walked to our desired place, looking to fill our bellies and get the day started and end the uncontrollable sound of my stomach. Eating had become less and less important for me these past few months, but with todays workout and me completely forgetting to eat last night I desperately needed something nutritious in me before I passed out on Misty. And neither of us wanted that.

We came upon a small corner coffee shop, a little confused as I had thought we were getting breakfast, but MIsty had explained they had the best Panini's and desperately needed a coffee. I laughed at the way she explained her favorite drink and how it seemed she was would die without one, her reply being she would.

The early morning was beautiful and had a crisp air about it so we decided to eat outside while we caught up some more and planned out the rest of the day

"So Ash, who are you traveling with nowadays? Any new friends or Pokémon for that matter?

"Well, as I told you the other night, I recently traveled through Sinnoh and, yet again, came up just a tad bit short in the League" Rubbing my chin and cheeks and looking to the side, thinking about the

"You know Dawn of course, but other than her no new 'human companions' haha"

"Well that's good" Misty mumbled into her cup as she took another sip

"What's that?" Snapping my head back, her last words a complete blur in my mind

"Nothing!" She perked up, giving a sweet smile with a slight turn of her head

"Uh huh. Anyways, I've mainly kept Pikachu, of course. But as of late I haven't been traveling with a full team anymore, with each battle I just feel as though it's missing something. Something important."

Silence.

"I feel that with each battle I don't go in with the full me anymore, ya know? I used to be confident and outgoing, always going headstrong into battle knowing that I couldn't lose. It's not like I stopped battling, but I just can't bring my full game so to speak" I let out a long breath as it turned into steam and whipped across the air between me and Misty. Her face changing, but only in the slightest.

"Halfway through the League tournament I actually questioned myself on competing in another one after that." My eyes drifting to my hands that were now enclosed with each other

"I know what you're thinking. Am I really Ash? Trust me, I've asked myself that plenty of times over the past couple of weeks and I still get the same conclusion"

The two of us looked at each other for what seemed like minutes.

"I don't know anymore."

"What?"

"Forget it, just me going on a rant! Haha!" Throwing her my trademark grin

"But to answer your question I have Charizard here with me as well as Heracross and Donphan."

"Oh, I see"

"What about you? I don't see you with your Azurill."

"She's doing great! She has her own little playground at the gym and has really grown onto the other members of the Cerulean Gym. She's very much like Togepi if you think about it, my own little baby." Smiling and hiding a small blush with her cup of coffee

"Baby huh? You miss Togepi?"

"Of course I do! She was my first baby, and I miss her everyday"

"Woah Mist, one child, now a second? What have you been up to while I've been gone?" I crossed my arms and leaned back, raising an eyebrow to try to get a rise out of her, and boy did it work.