Misty carefully took Ash from Daisy, “Hi, Daisy huh? I’ve got a sister named Daisy. I’m Misty Waterflower, and these are Casey and Sabrina. We’re friends of Ash. I met up with him when he demolished my bike….. Which he still hasn’t paid me back for!” She gave Ash a harsh glare.

“I’m surprised you still remember your bike.” Ash grinned.

“How could I forget? I loved that bike.”

“I’m glad to see you didn’t scarf him down in anger. Most girls would munch on a shrinkee for a lot less” Daisy smiled at the two cheerfully.

“Well he was a lot bigger back then. It would have been pretty hard to get him down, but honestly he had gotten me so mad I was tempted to try.” Misty bent her pinky and gave Ash a noogie; the tiny pokemon trainer clutched his hat to his head to keep it from being ripped off.

“Quit it Misty! I don’t know how but I’ll get the money to get you a new bike.”

“You’d better.” Misty threatened playfully, “If you take too much longer you might just have to treat me to a dinner date instead.”

“I don’t know, doesn’t sound like such a bad thing to me.” Misty’s heart fluttered how she’d love a dinner date with Ash!

A nice cultured Johto restaurant facing the sea. The two of them dressed elegantly enjoying a candle light dinner together. Ash would have paid a violinist to come serenade her. The night would end with Misty lifting up her boyfriend on the mint tray and getting a kiss. Of course that wasn’t the type of dinner date she was threatening Ash with, but that was the one she wanted.

“Well I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a bad thing.” Misty smiled evilly using a finger to trace a path around her belly button, “In fact, I think it’d be a wonderful experience. After a meal with me all my other little dinner dates have been rendered speechless. I think it must be my beauty.” Sabrina snorted.

“I’m pretty sure it was your stomach acid…. Though I wouldn’t have been surprised if….” Ash’s voice trailed off as he realized what he was saying.

He looked around noticing all four of his titanic female friends waiting to hear what he had to say next. Ash blushed than quickly looked away. Misty’s heart fluttered, what had Ash almost said? She thought about the previous night and all her insecurities came back in an instant. She shouldn’t have mentioned ‘her beauty’ even though it had been a joke. That had left the door open for Ash to say a number of things. Yet from his reaction and the way he was now shyly avoiding eye contact maybe just maybe he thought….. Misty realized she’d been holding her breath and suddenly inhaled deeply. He hadn’t said it but she knew what he had been thinking. Misty looked like she was going to cry for a moment than a smile formed on her lips though she remained teary eyed.

“Well I can’t blame you for wanting to make him one of your dinner dates Misty. Ash, you look so cute, I could just eat you up!” Daisy giggled.

“Please don’t!” Ash laughed in response.

What a mood kill. ‘Gary’s stupid sister’ Misty thought bitterly ‘I wish I could’ve eaten her too’. The older girl had know idea what she’d just interrupted but that didn’t make Misty blame her any less. Once more Misty found herself wishing she was traveling alone with Ash again. Casey was growing on her, true, but had they been alone maybe Ash would have finished that sentence. Maybe she could have told him how she really felt about him, but with so many people around watching…. Misty tried to mask her disappointment. She turned to Daisy with a forced smile.

“Yes, well, I’m afraid you won’t be snacking on him anytime soon. I’m saving him for a special occasion. Maybe for my birthday.” Misty joked

“It’s just as well, I don’t eat shrinkees.” This caused a lot of raised eyebrows among the group.

“Really?” Sabrina asked.

“I just find the whole thing barbaric. I mean it’s basically cannibalism! I’m glad I’ve met some girl’s who feel the same way I do.”

“Actually I eat em like popcorn.” Casey confessed.

Misty nodded in agreement and Sabrina also gave a reluctant tiny nod as if admitting to a crime. For a second Daisy seemed confused then a little dissapointed, “Really? I just thought…….. since Ash was with you…. You didn’t really mean what you said earlier? About eating him for your birthday?!” Daisy made a quick grab for Ash, Misty drew back.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ash is my bo-……. Ash is my best friend. I’d never eat him, ever, not for all the money in the world and all the rare water pokemon in the sea! Not even if he dunked himself in barbeque sauce and tried to force himself down my throat!”

Casey giggled, “I just got a funny image in my head.”

“Well………. I guess that’s good. Better than most. Most girl’s would never befriend a shrinkee. It’s been terrible, people have eaten, molested, or tortured their parents, brothers, sisters, and friends the moments they’ve shrunk. As if they weren’t the same people only miniaturized!” Daisy huffed, “Well, at least you’re taking care of Ash.”

Misty nodded.
“I’m surprised,” Casey confessed, “I mean shrinkees are inferior compared to us.” Daisy and Sabrina winced slightly, “but I couldn’t imagine eating my dad or one of my best buds like Ash here.” Casey flicked him.

“Owwww! Case!”

“Around here it doesn’t matter who you were only what you are. A human or a shrinkee. Shrinkees are a huge craze in Pallet.” Daisy explained, “So much so that most stores have been sold out for about a week. A small shipment was supposed to come in to the local pokemart yesterday but the delivery woman got a flat tire about ten miles from town and ended up eating the whole stock.”

“The whole stock?!” Casey gasped.

“Well there were only twenty but that’s still an obscene amount. She ended up puking when she did get to town. Severed limbs and half digested bodies were everywhere.” Daisy looked sick, “Needless to say she was fired.”

“Twenty, sounds like a good record to beat.” Though shrinkees were only about an inch tall on average they were very filling.

Casey’s words seemed to unnerve Daisy a little, for a moment she stared past them as if thinking about something else, “It’s such a dangerous world now. I haven’t heard from my little brother in so long. I’m afraid he shrunk and one of his cheerleaders took him to do……. God knows what. You haven’t seen him on your travels have you Ash?”

Ash bowed his head sadly, “I’m sorry but-” Misty’s index finger gently wrapped around his head and covered his mouth, muffling his words.

“But we haven’t seen him.” Misty cut in quickly, “Sorry, we don’t know where he is.” Actually Misty knew exactly where he was.

Some of him was going through the pipe system below the Viridian Forest’s female lavatory while some of him had been converted into muscle, fat, and nutrients that now made up a part of Misty’s body. Of course she couldn’t tell his older sister that. Ash might want to tell her the truth but he hadn’t eaten Gary. Misty wasn’t in the mood for a needless confrontation.

Ash looked a little disappointed with Misty’s lie but he didn’t say anything when she removed her finger, “Well, if you see him remind him to write his sister.”

“Can do!” Casey patted the girl on the back.

“Well, there are probably people you want to visit. I’ll get out of your hair now. Visit me sometime soon Ash!” They said their goodbyes and left.
“We should probably see Prof. Oak while we’re up here.” Ash realized, “Since that stupid law saying shrinkees can’t own pokemon came into affect he’s been insisting I release my pokemon or give them away…… I think I’ll free pikachu. I love him too much to give him to someone else. But the rest I’ll give to you guys.” He looked up at Misty and Casey.

The two girls were both surprised than delighted, “Oh, thank you Ash, thank you thank you thank you!” Casey grabbed him and barraged him with sloppy kisses.

“Gah! Stop it Case!” Ash tried to shove away with his hands but only managed to get them covered in saliva.

“Sorry,” She gave him one more quick kiss, “I know, I know, you only like kisses from Misty.” The two went bright red as Misty’s snatched Ash back.

“Sh- shut up.” Misty finally choked out, Casey giggled while Sabrina stewed.

“So can I get that Charizard you used to whop my butt with?” Casey asked eagerly.

“Sorry, I set him free.”

“Oh.” Casey looked crest fallen.

“But I do have a ton of other badass pokemon. I’m sure you’ll find a couple you love.”

“I remember you have a pretty powerful Kingler you never use. I’d like to get my hands on it.” Misty had an eager look in her eyes, she loved powerful water pokemon.

“He’s all yours Mist!”

“Yah!” Misty did a very uncharacteristic jump of joy.

“We should visit the professor later though. I want to see my mom first!” Misty nodded in agreement.

Soon they foursome found themselves in front of Ash’s house. They rang the doorbell and waited. This would be the first time Ash had seen his mother since he’d shrunk. Though his mother loved eating male shrinkees his age, and had tried to get him hooked on female shrinkees, when he talked to her on the phone about his shrinking she had sounded extremely worried. She sort of knew Misty so she was relieved Ash had a friend with him but she still wanted him to come home. Only Misty’s promise that she’d bring back her son kept Delia from journeying out for him herself. He hoped his mom wouldn’t try to keep him from traveling with his friends. He’d have to convince her Misty wasn’t the type of girl who carelessly leave him in harms way or eat him if provisions got low.

The door swung open and Delia stepped out to greet them. When she saw Misty her eyes went wide and she frantically combed with girl's body. They looked onto her son who was now sitting in the palm of Misty's right hand.

"Hi mom!"