Feelings Unspoken

An Ash and Misty Fan Fic

Chapter #1- Something's Up

"Huuuuuuhhhhhh," Ash sighed leaning on his hand, picking through his oatmeal with a fork.

"What's the matter Ash?" asked a concerned Dawn, "You usually would've had third or fourths by now, but you haven't even touched your food, yet." She observed glancing over at his bowl.

Ash looked up at her with a sarcastic expression while dipping his finger in the goop. "There, happy now?"

"You know that's not what I meant," Dawn replied to the smirk she received from him. She was just trying to help, she didn't need the attitude.

"I know, but it's really none of your concern what's bugging me, if there was something. Seriously Dawn, you should learn how to deal with your own problems, for once." With that said, he went back to playing with his oatmeal lost in deep thought, not about Dawn or the previous conversation, but concerning something or someone else…

Dawn twitched angrily, but before she could think of a good retort to throw at him, Brock walked up and invited himself right in to the situation. "Hey, what's with all the bickering? Ash?" He turned to Ash, who was trying not to catch his eye, "Dawn?" He turned to Dawn instead, who, unlike Ash, seemed glad to have found someone to complain to.

"Well, I was just worried, 'cause Ash hadn't touched his food, which is odd considering how much he usually eats." Brock nodded in agreement. "Anyway, when I tried asking him what was wrong, he went all sarcastic on me. That was rude of him, wasn't it? I mean, I was just trying to help!"

She folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, glaring at Ash. Almost immediately after, she regretted what she had said. She had thought he was ignoring her at first, which only ticked her off more, that was until she noticed the expression in the chocolate brown eyes still avoiding her gaze. What was that she saw in them? Hurt? Sorrow? Regret? Seeing this, she was now sure that something was up.

Brock seemed to notice this change in Ash's mood, too, because he let the conversation drop there. Then, he and Dawn went to go wash the breakfast dishes and leave Ash to dwell in his thoughts.

Did I break my promise by not going to see her in so long? I know I've been busy with training and battling, but did that give me a right to put our 5 year friendship on hold for over 2 years? What if she grew to hate me over the time I've been gone? If she has, should I still tell her how I…

"Pikapi?" said Pikachu interrupting his thoughts.

"Huh?" Ash looked up at the little yellow electrical mouse perched on his shoulder. "No Pikachu, I'm fine. …really!" He added when Pikachu didn't seem that convinced. He tried to fake a smile, but it gradually became more of a grimace. "Ugh, who am I kidding?" Ash asked himself out loud. "I'm a mess." He placed his face in his hands, but soon grew frustrated and stood up.

"Dawn, Brock!" Ash called down to where they were washing the dishes by the lake, "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back whenever." He didn't need to wait for a response, and set off out of the clearing, where they had set up camp the day before, and headed toward the dense forest, Pikachu at his heels. Right now he considered it as his sanctuary, a place for him to just sit and think for a while.

"I wonder what could be eating at him like that," Dawn mumbled, watching Ash disappear into the forest. She fetched his hardened, untouched oatmeal off the table and headed back down to the lake where Brock was waiting to wash it.

"I think I may have an idea," Brock replied, looking over his shoulder to the trees where Ash had just disappeared into moments before. He smirked to himself and turned his attention back to the dish he had been drying off with a towel, thinking of the person he supposed to be on Ash's mind. "I knew this would happen someday."

"You knew that what would happen?" Dawn questioned, walking up and handing him the bowl. She didn't quite understand what Brock had meant.

"That Ash would fall for her. Which isn't surprising if you think about how she had been secretly crushing on him for years? Though Ash had been too thick-headed back then to notice," Brock said, not really even aware that he was saying this all out loud.

"Who?" Dawn questioned eager to get to the bottom of Ash's misery and put a stop to it.

"Huh?" Brock shook his head and, realizing that he had said all that stuff out loud, quickly replied, "Oh, no one."

"Oh, c'mon Brock! Tell me! I can keep a secret." Dawn begged and pleaded. "And if you don't, I guess I'll just have to keep bugging you about it." She added a hint of threat hoping that it would push Brock over the edge and cause him to tell her.

"Nope, I don't think I truly believe you Dawn. My lips are sealed, and no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to get to me. That's one advantage of having 9 little brothers and sisters, it toughens you up!" Brock stood there, his arms crossed, looking determined, and Dawn knew there was no breaking through that barrier he had just created.

"Oh, alright, can I at least have a guess?"

Brock nodded with an even bigger smirk and said, "You can try, but you won't get it right. You probably won't even be close." He chuckled to himself while Dawn glared at him. "And, no Dawn, Ash doesn't like you, so just give it up. No matter how much you care for him, he will never feel the same way towards you." He added, laughing even harder.

"WHAT?! Eeeewwww, I don't like Ash! What is he, 2 years older than me? I don't like older guys, especially ones as immature as Ash!!!" Dawn retorted angrily, while Brock clutched his side from laughing so hard.

"Chill out, Dawn. I was only kidding. And, first of all, Ash is 4 and a half years older than you…"

"Really? Are you sure?" Dawn asked, thinking of how young Ash could act at times.

Brock glared at her before continuing, "Anyway, second of all, if you don't like him, then why did you freak out so much?"

Dawn blushed furiously, "Well, …um…"

"That's what I thought; you do like him don't you?" Brock asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No! I … um, kind of, like…" Dawn seemed to be struggling, so Brock decided to finish her sentence for her.

"Someone else?" He smirked as he watched her face grow an even deeper shade of red as she slowly nodded. "Well, …who is it?" He doubted that she would tell him, but he thought he'd give it a shot anyway.

" What! You think I'm going to tell you after you refused to tell me who Ash liked?! Well, you can just forget about it, mister!" She turned around and stormed off back in the direction of the camp as Brock called, "Wait, what about the rest of the dishes?!!"

Dawn stomped into camp. If he wasn't going to tell her who Ash liked, then she figured she'd just have to find out for herself, but where would she start?