system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[pokemon anime] Why was Misty able to follow Ash around after meeting him? Didn't she have any other plans? What was she doing before she met him?
gpt
Misty is a fellow Pokémon Trainer like Ash so she is meant to go out and explore like he does, so sticking with him serves her further interests while also providing safety in numbers. Since she plans to take over her family's gym >!and succeeds later, with the aid of a Nurse Joy helping her earn her credentials!<, she needs the experience of travelling and training Pokémon.

Also, Ash owes her for destroying her bike, which he used to ride his Pikachu to the nearest Pokémon Centre after it was badly injured saving him from some wild birds.