Okay, I'm going to start off by saying this: I don't own Pokémon.

His Girl

In the world of Pokémon trainers encounter others like them on a daily basis. Most of the time it's for the purpose of battling each other, but there are a few times when those encounters spawn something of greater importance. For Ash Ketchum, a trainer from Pallet Town in the Kanto region, one of those encounters did just that. He and his traveling companions had taken a break during their current journey to rest, setting up their campsite in the middle of a small forest. For Ash it was the perfect time to think on things that had been occupying his thoughts.

"I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later," he said. His companions acknowledged by waving and informing him that they'd be leaving in half an hour. Ash gave them an "okay' and called Pikachu, his loyal Electric Pokémon, to his shoulder.

"(What's up, Ash?)" Pikachu asked.

"I'm taking a short walk and I thought you'd like to come along," Ash replied.

"(Alright,)" Pikachu replied. With Pikachu on board Ash left their temporary campsite, no particular destination in mind. He just walked, letting his feet take him wherever they wanted. Of course if he did have a destination in mind he was so lost in his thoughts he wouldn't have been paying attention and probably would have missed it.

"(Okay, Ash, what's going on?)" Pikachu asked. "(What's the real reason you wanted to go on this walk?)" Ash couldn't help but smile. All the years he's had Pikachu and he still thought he could hide things from him.

"Just… need some time to think about something," he replied.

"(Something… or someone,)" Pikachu said. Ash didn't respond. In fact he didn't have to. Pikachu knew him that well.

"(I thought so,)" Pikachu said.

"She's been on my mind more and more lately," Ash said. "Ever since we first met."

"(I had a feeling you two would hit it off,)" Pikachu said. It had been quite some time since they had met but Pikachu knew that Ash had felt something for her, even if he didn't know it at the time.

"I didn't know what I was feeling at the time," Ash said. "All I knew was that she and I got along real well, especially when Team Rocket attacked."

"(You two did take care of them real easily,)" Pikachu said. Ash laughed as he recalled how easily Team Rocket had been defeated that time.

"I didn't know why, but defeating them that time felt more… rewarding than previous times," Ash said. "It felt like a real accomplishment." Ash soon as Ash finished saying that his face became somber, almost saddened.

"When we left I… I kinda didn't want to go," he said. "I knew I had my journey to focus on, but at the same time I didn't want to leave her."

"(It almost sounds like you developed feelings for her way back when you first met her,)" Pikachu said.

"I don't know about that, but lately I can't keep her off my mind," Ash said. "Everytime I close my eyes I can see her. Her hair, her eyes, her smile…"

"(Sounds like someone is in love,)" Pikachu asked. Ash didn't know about that. But then again, what other explanation was there? He thought about her every waking moment of the day, he saw her face whenever he closed his eyes and heard her angelic voice on every breeze. Perhaps Pikachu was right… oh, who was he kidding? Pikachu was right, no probably about it.

"That has to be it," he said, more to himself that Pikachu. "I'm in love with her, and it took us being apart for me to realize it." With this realization Ash came to a stop. His brief walk had landed him and Pikachu in a clearing with a clear view of the sky. Ash and Pikachu looked up, watching as the Pidgey flew overhead. As they watched Ash couldn't help but wonder what he had missed out on when he left without telling her how he felt, or if it was too late to tell her now.

"No," he said. Now's not the time for doubt. I have to believe that I still have a chance." Right then and there Ash came to a decision.

"I'm going to tell her," he said.

"(Huh?)" Pikachu said.

"The next time we meet I'm going to tell her how I feel," Ash said. "I don't know when or where that'll be, or even if it will ever happen, but when we next meet she will know that I love her." Pikachu smiled at his trainer's determination. Ash may have been completely clueless when it came to love early on, but he had matured over the years and now had a firm grasp of the concept of love.

"Hey, Ash! We're ready to leave!"

"Okay!" he replied. "Guess we took longer than I thought."

"(Must have,)" Pikachu replied. With their group ready to leave Ash and Pikachu started back towards the campsite. Before leaving the clearing he paused and looked back to the sky. The Pidgey that he and Pikachu had seen were still visible in the distance. Ash smiled as they thought about a distant person who he hoped he would see again.

"Next time," he said. "Next time I see you… you'll know my feelings…"

--

And there you have it. Now before you ask me who the girl Ash was talking about was let me explain this. The girl he was talking about was left unidentified because the purpose is to let you, the readers, picture whoever you want the girl to be. Whether it be Misty, May, Anabel, or whoever you can imagine it's up to you to decide who the girl is.

Now, please review