…something rustled in the bushes behind them. They turned around to find a jigglypuff standing behind them. I always did hate jigglypuffs. Mewtwo thought.

"Jigglypuff (Hear me sing!)!" it giggled. Both Mewtwo and Serena sweat-dropped. As the jigglypuff sang, they both drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**********

They all seemed to open their eyes at the same moment. Ash sat up in his cot and yawned.

"Man…I’m starvin’! We never did get anything to eat last night…let’s thank Joy and get our pokemon back. Then we can get some food somewhere," He said.
"Ditto," Brock replied.

"Really? Where?" Misty asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Not that joke again!!! That’s really getting old!!!" Brock said angrily.

"Ok, ok…excuse me for trying to be funny. Geez, lighten up," Misty replied.

"I’m sorry Misty. I’m just worried about Serena," Brock apologized.

"We all are," Ash said. "Don’t worry Brock. We’ll find her."

"Yeah!" Misty agreed. "But I wonder what she’s doing right now…"

**********

"Man I’m tired…" Serena said as she yawned. She, Mewtwo, and Cheshire Kat were walking in a serene forest of the Safari Zone. All around them pokemon were playing in the morning sun. Two Nidorinos tested their strength by having a battle. A group of Pidgeys were clawing in the ground for their breakfast. Water pokemon were splashing playfully in water.

"What a pretty day." Cheshire said. She looked around and admired her surroundings.

"Yeah, it is." Serena replied. She side-glanced at Mewtwo, who was off in his own little world. "Mewtwo? Are you ok?" she asked.

"Huh? Yeah, I’m ok. You’re right. It is a pretty day," he answered. Serena and Cheshire glanced at each other with worried looks.

Serena, you’re overreacting. It’s not unusual for people to daydream. Lots of people do it. Hey, you’re doing it now. Serena thought. Suddenly Cheshire interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh lord…" She moaned. Serena and Mewtwo looked ahead to see a kid walking in the forest with about 20 of the all-familiar Safari Balls. Before Serena or Cheshire could speak, Mewtwo quickly changed into a human. Boy am I glad that Pokemon have cloths on when they transform….Serena thought. The kid looked over and started walking towards them.

"Who are you?" he asked. "I’m Matt, and I’m going to be a pokemon master." Yeah, you and everybody else in this world, kid.. Serena thought. "What was that bright light I saw?" He asked suspiciously.

"What light? You mean my mirror?" Cheshire said as she reached in her trenchcoat and brought out a pocket-size mirror. She turned it a few ways against the sun and it reflected the light onto everyone’s faces.

"Yeah. I guess so. I’d better be going. Gotta catch all pokemon I can while they’re still out." He said as he did a little pose. After he had run off back into the forest, Cheshire said, "God, what a little brat. All suspicion. ‘What was that light I saw?’ Geez…I can’t stand people like that. That kid right there….I tell ‘ya right now he’s gonna be a lawyer!" Serena laughed at the joke while Mewtwo changed back into his pokemon form. They all continued to walk down the path that led to the edge of the Safari Zone.

**********

"That was the best meal I’ve ever eaten." Ash said as they all walked out of the restaurant they’d found earlier that afternoon.

"Pika Pi chu (I agree.)," Pikachu seconded then jumped onto Ash’s shoulders.

"Yeah. And now that we’ve eaten, we can continue our search for Serena," Misty said. Brock nodded in agreement. As they walked down the main street in Saffron, they looked and remembered the sights from their last visit.

"Hey, there’s Sabrina’s gym! I wonder if she still has Haunter. I’m glad he made her laugh that day…or else I wouldn’t have the Marsh badge," Ash remembered.

"And the Silph Co. Building…now that was an adventure. Let’s hope that Team Rocket never bothers them again," Brock said.

"Oh, I don’t think they will. Not after what we did to them," Misty grinned. Ash suddenly looked at Misty.

"You mean what I did to them!" he said.

"You couldn’t have done it without us!!!" she retorted.

"Yeah, right! I could’ve done it blind-folded!"

"Could not!"

"Stop it, both of you! I’m tired of hearing you guys bicker!" Brock yelled at them.

"Sorry Brock," they both said, looking at the ground.

"Pika pika, chu! Pikachu (Man…I have a big headache now…)," Pikachu said as he held his head.

"Sorry Pikachu. We didn’t mean to give you a headache. We only need one Psyduck here…" Misty apologized.

"Pikachu (That’s ok.)," He mumbled.

"Let’s just look for Serena," Brock said. They then continued to walk down the street.

**********

It was when they were near the edge of the Safari Zone when Serena realized how hungry she was. I haven’t had anything to eat in ages…she thought. And I really don’t want to ask for food, that would be rude…

"Hey! Who’s hungry? I know I am!!!" Cheshire said as she reached in her trenchcoat and brought out some food.

"Is there anything in there you don’t have?" Mewtwo asked.

"Nope!" Cheshire grinned. They all stopped and sat down on the grass. Cheshire handed out the food and they all ate contently.

**********

"She’s not here…" Misty said that night as she crossed out the city Cerulean on her map. So far they’d gone through Saffron, Celedon, and now Cerulean. "Where next?" She asked.

"Lavender?" Brock and Ash said at the same time.

"She would be in a ghost town because…?" Misty asked.

"Well where do you think we should go?" Ash said, annoyed.

"I think we should head to Mt. Moon. You know how it’s all…how can I describe it…different from other places…it’s like…weird," Misty explained.

"Pika pika pi chu (Yeah…Serena might be there…)," Pikachu said.

"Well…wherever she is…I hope she’s well," Ash said.

"Me too. I’d feel just awful if anything happened to her. I mean…we’re like, responsible for her. You know?" Misty said.

"Yeah…" Brock answered. "I hope nobody’s giving her trouble…"

"Let’s just hope somebody nice found her and is helping her…" Misty replied. "Anyway…where do we sleep tonight? There’s no Pokemon Center around…should we camp out?" Ash and Brock both nodded at the same time. Misty suddenly looked up at the sky when a shooting star blazed across the sky.

**********

"Admit it," Cheshire said as she sidled up to Mewtwo. Serena was currently asleep on ground. They were about 10 miles past the northern fence of the Safari Zone. With all the trail junctions and pokemon encounters, it had taken them as way longer than expected to cross the pokemon reserve.

"Admit what?" Mewtwo asked as he watched the stars. A few minutes ago he had seen a beautiful shooting star.

"Admit that you like Serena!" Cheshire said.

"Why is it any of your business?" He retorted.

"Because it is!" She replied. "I’ve seen the gazes you give her…I know she’s very pretty…but you barely know her!" Mewtwo just shook his head.

"I have a feeling Chess…a feeling that we once knew each other before…I for sure know she’s a pokemon…I see it. I know she’s somehow stuck in her human form. But I keep having this gut-feeling that we---"

"Stop right there. I know you love her. I also know she’s in her human form. But you know…she might not turn out to be a mewtwo. For all you know…she could turn out to be a rapidash…or worse…a muk." Cheshire shivered at the thought. "If you truly love her, you really wouldn’t care what form she took. But I’d stop advancing towards her for now…until you know what she is… or until you at least know her better. I know you have this gut feeling, but it’s just a feeling. Kinda like the feeling I get when I think something bad is going to happen. It usually means nothing." Mewtwo stared at her.

"So…you think I should…stop?" He asked.

"Yes I do. Just give it time. You’ll find out soon enough." She said.

"How’s you get so good at advice?" Mewtwo implied.

"Practice, experience, and, of course, Oprah." Cheshire said as she winked.

After Cheshire had gone to sleep, Mewtwo thought about what she’d said. Should he really just let his and Serena’s growing relationship die?