"And that's when I realized that Water weakened rock types and I sent Pikachu to deliver the final blow!" Ash retold the story, "And that's how Brock came to be with us!"

I bit in my lower lip. "So, Misty's with you because you wreaked her bike and wants a replacement and Brocks here even after you cheated in your match?"

The three before me looked vacant a moment.

"You know, she has a point Brock." Misty said blankly.

Brock crossed his arms and nodded. "That she does."

Ash stood up and slapped his hands on the table. "You all chose to come with me! If I'm so horrible then why are you still here?"

His Pikachu backed away like he was afraid, and I couldn't help but giggle, although I felt bad for starting a fight.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." I appologised.

"Don't worry about it." Misty sighed as she took a sip of orange juice. "This happens just about every day."

"You know Ash she has a point."

"That she does."

After breakfast, I walked out with them.

"Where are you headed?" Ash asked taking his cap off a moment to scratch an itch.

"No where." I said honestly. "I'm not much of a trainer and I don't even have any badges."

Ash looked astounded. "You gotta be kidding, I must have two dozen by now!"

Misty slapped him up side the head. "You're not helping."

Brock thought a sec. "Well, Misty and I have no badges but we're rather descent trainers."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Who needs badges when you ran your own gym?"

Pikachu made a long drawn out 'pika' to let us all know he knew his trainer was being a bit rough around the edges.

"Why don't you come along with us? We're always coming across neat things and you won't have to be alone."

I stared at Misty, thinking about the offer.

"I'm really not alone, I have Neptune."

Neptune nodded in agreement.

Ash turned on his heal, his hands behind his head. "Well, it's not the same. Sure I have Pikachu, but being with some friends help you learn and keeps you sharper."

Misty blinked. "My gosh Brock, he said something intelligent!"

"Well, you do have a point." I conceded. I shrugged. "Sure, I'll come along until I figure out what I want to do."

And so we began walking. We talked, I watched them argue, I pretty much trailed a step or two behind, but I found them funny, and the trudge wasn't at all as boring. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail.

We walked most of the day, stopping every so often to eat or rest.

I looked down at Neptune, who seemed to be dragging his heals a bit.

"You tired, hun?" I asked him.

He replied with a tiny nod and a small grunt. I took out my pokeball and thought a moment. Both Neptune and I stood there looking at it, and then we looked at each other.

"You know, Ash doesn't keep pikachu in his ball."

He nodded.

"Do you want to try it?"

Again, a nod.

"Then come on." I bent down a bit and let Neptune climb onto my back, and began a piggy back.

I looked up and a few yards ahead, Ash, Misty and Brock stood waiting.

"I'm sorry to hold you up."

"No trouble." Brock assured me. "Misty piggy backs togepi most of the time."

"Togepi?" I asked.

"Oh, I never introduced you!" Misty lowered her red backpack off of her shoulders and opened the draw string pull. She carefully lifted out an egg with speckles on it, and I stepped closer to look at it. "Wake up togepi, you have to meet our new friend."

The eggs top began to move, and I gasped, as the top splintered apart and opened. Up popped a little head of a baby egg Pokemon with beady black eyes. It looked at me curiously and made a this little squeak, "Toke toke prrri?"

"How cute!" I awed. Misty held it out to me and I took him in my hands. Neptune watched the little thing from over my shoulder, just as curious about it as it was about us. To my surprise, Neptune out stretched his webbed hand and touched it so gently I felt my heart would explode with adoration. Togepi tilted it's neck lacking head and smiled.

"Toke!" It exclaimed as it tried to get a grasp on Neptune's paw.

Neptune closed his eyes with a precious smile. "Gol…"

Misty and Ash watched in fascination.

"That's amazing!" Ash turned to Misty who nodded in agreement.

"You're Golducks sensitive to other Pokemon, isn't it?" Brock observed.

My head rose from Togepi.

"Yes, I'd say he is."

Golduck climbed onto my shoulder and sat down with Togepi happily playing in his lap.

Brock looked closer, obviously thinking of something.

I lifted my eyes to him. "What is it?"

He shook his head. "Ah nothing. Either way guys, it's starting to get late and the map says nothing of a nearby center so we have to stop and make camp before it gets to dark."

I nodded and knelt down to get my backpack off. Golduck hopped off with the strange egg Pokemon. After putting Togepi down they started a game of tag, which Pikachu soon joined in.

I took out my sleeping bag and rolled it out on the ground. All of us began to prepare for the night ahead.

Above, a watchful eye perched in a tree observed the group below. It chirped and it's wings stretched out, taking flight. The formidable bird flew briskly back to the cave where it had come many times before, and there waiting for it, was also the one it had grown so accustomed to reporting to.

Mewtwo greeted Pidgyotto with a nod and turned his attention back to watching the healing waters of the springs where many of the other Pokemon lived.

The giant bird chirped loudly to get his attention.

"What?" Mewtwo turned and gave him full attention. "The girl has found the other children that were here?"

With quick flap of it's wings, He knew that his assumption was correct, and if she stayed with them, the ones who he allowed to keep memory of him, she would also get hers back, and he knew nothing of how she would react to it. Then, a sudden epiphany dawned on him.

Mewtwo bowed his head and was amazed he didn't notice it before.

That Golduck that was with her, that protected and cared for her, was a clone.

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