Authors Notes: Oh my, this is unexpected. As you've noticed, I've revised bits of chapter 1. To tell you guys the truth, I'm not at all satisfied with the calibre of this fanfic. I've realized this after reading some truly extraordinary stories here at and clearly, my story is far behind. I'm disappointed and I'm afraid I have bad morale lately…

Comments would greatly be appreciated. I would prefer reviews which are truthful, something which could improve my writing.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Pokemon, and no, I don't own the characters. Although I did make up Leon Rivers and Barrylowe city. Sorry I came up with lame names. TT I do try...


Serendipity

Chapter 1

Unsteady Emotions

I was happy once. I remember it so well. Beneath the starry night sky, I met him under the cherry grove. He had intense blue eyes as deep as the ocean. The way he gazed passively at me conveys so much emotion. I was spellbound by his stare, mesmerized by these feelings of hope and of love. I kept it hidden from him, because I was frozen in time. I wished I was free to tell him my true feelings.

In the end, I couldn't tell him. It was the biggest regret in my life. Now, the one I love is gone. The stars have taken him away, out of my reach forever. Unyielding, sterling fragments of emptiness were my captors. I was truly a prisoner of my own reality.

I lay my heart to rest under this cherry blossom tree. If anyone would find it, my wish would be with that person forever. It would be in full bloom, just like the cherry blossoms.

:--:

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was crystal blue, the birds were chirping a happy little song, and the flowers were in full bloom. It was a great day for people to go out on picnics, children to play on the green grasses and pokemon to enjoy the fresh warm atmosphere under the mellow sun. It was a beautiful day for everyone.

Not for Misty, it was.

Although she was extremely reluctant, the redhead found herself giving in on her sisters' incessant whims. As she trudged on the road, tagging along with them on a trip to Zeldin City on a er-family outing(as what her sisters would call it) Misty sighed heavily, her thoughts straying to the events this morning which led to the current situation.

Fresh from a decisive gym battle, Misty was on her way to her room when Daisy, Lily and Violet confronted her in the hallway. The red-head flashed them a suspicious glare and figured they were probably up to something she would not like.

"Our dear, favorite lil' sis!" Daisy chirped happily. Misty got the impression that she was faking. " My, my, you're growing more lovelier everyday. Don't you agree girls?"

Lily and Violet automatically nodded, noticing the look the blonde girl's giving them. Soon, the two have also been bombarding Misty with praises and compliments.

" Your new outfit is like, super stunning, Misty!" sqealed Lily, her hands gesturing towards Misty's clothes. "It suits the color of your eyes perfectly!"

"Don't forget! Her adorable, little ponytail," Violet quipped, raising her hand and giving Misty's hair a friendly pat.

"I've been wearing this ponytail since I was little." Misty muttered bitterly. She shoved Violet's hand away.

"What do you want?" She folded her hands, crossly and stamped her foot repeatedly, demanding for a satisfying answer.

"Why..what ever do you mean, dear?" said Daisy in a voice as sweet and sugary as possible.

Lily and Violet also put on their most innocent faces and stared at Misty incredulously.

"It's not everyday that we've praised our lil' sis!" purred Violet, adoringly.

"You surely are not suggesting that we HAVE an ulterior motive, are you!" said Lily, acting naive and shocked.

Misty's face contorted into a frown, her eyes narrowing.

"Forget it. I'm not falling for your mediocre thespian skills." Misty said vehemently. The youngest Waterflower sister forced her way through and began to strode off towards her bedroom.

"I'm going to rest." Misty said, indifferently.

Without warning, Daisy, Lily and Violet burst into tears. Misty felt a twinge of annoyance and turned around and watched the drama unfold before her.

"And what impales you to think of something like that, baby sis!" sobbed Daisy, breaking down to her knees, covering her face with her hands.

"Honestly, we've all been terribly guilty over the past years!" wept Violet. "We just wanted to make it all up to you by taking you with us to the Cherry Blossom Festival!"

"And we've been planning this sister-bonding thing for like, days! A-a-and you're throwing it all away!" shrieked Lily. " What about our hard work! All the things we've...we-we've..."

Misty continued to watch her sisters' shrilly outbursts but remained unyielding. The stubborness underlying her cold glare was stretching. After a moment, Misty was unable to withstand their hysterical shrieking any longer and thought whether to accept her sisters' proposal of a family outing.

What if they are really making an effort to make it up to her?

Ever since she was a little kid, Misty found herself living on her sisters' shadows. She was ridiculed and looked down upon. She was considered as the black sheep in the family. And yet, secretly, she admired Daisy, Lily and Violet and always hoped that she would grow up like them.

Maybe it's not such a bad idea...

"So...what about the festival...?" Misty said, sounding interested.

In a fleet second, Daisy, Lily and Violet regained their usual composure and recovered from hysteria. Daisy joyfully sprang to her feet and gave Misty a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh baby sister!" She said with a tinkling laugh. "You don't know what this means to us!"

Lily and Violet walked happily towards them.

"We're like, gonna have so much fun at the Cherry Blossom Festival!" squealed Lily, winking at Violet.

Violet nodded. She brushed her purple hair with her right hand, swaying it behind her shoulder.

"But, what about the-" Misty began uncertainly.

"Gym? Oh it's already been taken care of." Daisy interrupted. Her hands were still around her. "Nurse Joy from the pokemon center said she'd look after it."

"Is that so?" Misty said. She thought it was strange that it had already been taken care of. Her sisters must really want her to come. For that reason alone, Misty found it flattering.

"Like, yeah. "Daisy chirped. "Besides, you need a day off from this pokemon battle stuff!"

Misty managed to smile a little bit. However, she can't help but remained skeptical on her decision.

"Oh boy..." She thought wearily, resisting the urge to free herself from Daisy's grasp. "I know I'll regret this..."

And she was right.

For the next hours on the road to Zeldin city, Daisy, Lily and Violet engaged in a squeal-giggle fest over some "hot musician with cool threads and tresses". Misty cannot help but roll her eyes every time her sisters' fussed on and on, tirelessly about how amazingly cute and incredibly talented this Leon Rivers is. She winced on how they raved on how they couldn't wait to see him play his guitar at the Cherry Blossom festival concert scheduled tomorrow night. The red-head swore that she had enough torture from all the shrilly chatting.

"I can't wait to meet him!" said Daisy jubilantly for the tenth time.

"Oh, Leon..." said Violet dreamily.

Lily beamed widely, her eyes gazing at the sky. She blushed a few seconds later and raised her hands to cover her cheeks from embarrassment. Lily shook her head frantically and giggled wildly. Misty was convinced her sister was daydreaming.

"Why did I agree to this?" She thought to herself. "But then, it's been such a long time since I've been on the road again." Misty gazed at the crystal blue sky. She sighed.

Misty noticed she has been pensive lately. One evening, while her sisters and she were having dinner, Daisy caught her staring blankly at her food. At that moment, Misty remembered a little incident. Brock, Ash, and she were having dinner at the pokemon center in Barrylowe city. It was right after Ash won a gym battle. They were celebrating his victory. Misty remembered sitting right across the table from a hungry-looking Ash, gobbling his food at a single helping.

"Ash!" She said. "Chew your food!"

"But wam so wanwry." Ash mumbled, as he shoved another riceball in his mouth.

Brock chuckled beside her. "He can't help it, Misty." He said, as he used his fork to stab a piece of his steak. "Ash just won a match. After going through training this morning, he must really be starving."

"Geez…" Misty muttered. "Pikachu has better manners. Right, Pikachu?" She smiled warmly at the yellow-colored pokemon who was quietly enjoying his meal under the table.

"Pika-pi!" It said, beaming.

These memories kept on flooding back to her from time to time. There hasn't been a day that passed by that she hasn't pondered on her friends-Brock and Ash. On Ash, sometimes.

Misty gave it another thought.

Ok, most of the time.

Has life been too familiar for her? She wondered. Misty knew being a gym leader is her right place. She couldn't wish for anything more. She finally proved to her sisters that she's capable of handling the gym, that she's responsible and dependable. She's a brilliant water pokemon trainer and wins pokemon matches effortlessly. What more could she ask for?

Yet, why does she feel so empty?

Ash's determined eyes spoke volumes, his dream reflected in them. She has always liked that about him. She doesn't know why, exactly. But, she truthfully does.

His capacity for kindness, his positive outlook on life, his unfazed optimism….all these things captivates her in a way no one else can't.

She misses Ash. No matter how she denies this, the feeling refuses to go away.

"Misty?"

And it hurts so much.

"Misty?"

Ash.

"MISTY!"

Out of nowhere, Daisy, Lily and Violet's curious faces appeared right in front of her. They were carefully studying Misty's face.

"H-huh?" Misty managed to say. She realized she was lost in her thoughts-again.

"Oh my word." Violet said. "You've been distracted lately, haven't you."

Erk.

"N-no, I haven't!" Misty replied quickly. "I'm just wondering about this Cherry Festival thing, that's all. How long will it take us to get there, anyway?" She was hoping to change the subject. Misty is aware that her sisters are stubborn and noisy. They could not resist prying in other people's business.

"My, my, lil sis." Lily said sweetly. "Is something bothering you lately?"

"Come on, you can like tell us." Daisy added.

"OK! OK! I'm just thinking that this is a BAD IDEA and I wish I haven't agreed to this in the first place!" Misty yelled, hoping to feign annoyance. "HAPPY!"

"Looks like someone's like a wee bit grumpy." Daisy said in a sing-song voice. "If I've known you better, Misty, something else has been haunting you. I know because I've noticed, you've like, be in zombie mode for a couple of minutes. Luckily, you still had like, the right mind to focus on the gym battles. I'm like, amazed."

Misty made sure shewas in a good state for the Cerulean gym battles. She kept focus and showed pokemon trainers that she wasa force to be wreckened with. Besides, she promised her friends she'd do her best as the new cerulean gym leader. Still, she had Ash in mind.

"This isn't about that silly little boy who you ran off with last year, is it?" Violet said knowingly. She giggled momentarily.

"I believe said boy is named Ash, right?" Lily added.

Misty jerked in position. Her eyes widened in surprise.

Do they know me that well?

Daisy's face lit up.

"A-hah!" She exclaimed. "I knew you had, like a thing for him!" She said, eyes sparkling in glee and hands clapped together.

"A-are you kidding! Course not!" Misty retorted. "Why would I? He ruined my bike! I still haven't forgiven him about that. Ahahahaha-huh-hu-ahehehe." Her face was in deep shades of red.

"Rrreealllyyy…" said Daisy, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at Misty, who squirmed under her knowing glare.

The blonde girl wasn't convinced. She knows her sister well enough. From the day she met Ash, Daisy had an inkling that Misty secretly liked him.

Ever since Misty arrived home, she hadn't been herself. For the past months, Daisy had witnessed her sister's unraveling feelings for the boy. She had sworn that she'd seen Misty blush from time to time, while chuckling softly to herself. On other times, Daisy had seen another side of her. Misty's face would unconsciously throw a sad expression, her steady, impassive gaze conveyed a message reaching the stars.

Every hint of emotion shows on her face!

She always wanted to ask Misty of what she possibly sees in that boy. Ash isn't certainly an Adonis. He is immature, childish, and loud. Why would Misty like him so much? Yet, she couldn't believe the effect he had on Misty. From a rowdy, headstrong tomboy, Misty transforms into a young woman in love.

Oh my! She's in love!

The problem is, Misty is too proud to admit such a thing.


A/N- Edited/Proofread.