A X-mas story
by DualBlade

Hey everyone! What do you get when I'm in the holiday spirit and feeling pokeshippy one day, you guessed it.... a christmas fic by you'rs truly!

Well, I kinda hastily wrote this, so it's not all THAT great in my opinion. But, hey, I added a little something that's kinda unique. (although I did get this idea from someone else ^_^*) At the end of each part, the story will reach a crossroad, and you, the readers, get to choose where the story will lead to next! Don't you feel powerful?? Well, enjoy my fic!!.... hopefully. ^_^*

*****

Part 1

The morning sun came over the horizon on the peaceful little town of Pallet. It was December..... during the holiday season.... the time of the year for love, giving, and kindness. During the winter Pallet Town was virtually transformed into a winter wonderland....

The scene shifts to Ash's bedroom. Ash, oblivious to what is happening outside, sleeps peacefully in his little bunk, more or less having dreams of becoming the world's greatest pokemon master. He let out another peaceful snore.... It seemed that all was well.....


"ASH!!! TIME TO GET UP!!!!" Misty practically shouted as she locked her best friend in a sleeper hold.

"Huh? ACK!!!"

Well maybe not all that well.....

"WAAAA!!! ALRIGHT I'M AWAKE, I'M AWAKE!!!!" Ash managed to choke out when Misty finally released the deadly grip.

"Geez Misty, there are calmer ways to wake people up you know...." Ash said as he caught his breath.

"Yeah, but they're not as much fun!" she smiled and blushed at him while saying so. "Anyways, Ash, it's already 10AM. Get your lazy butt off your bed and get downstairs. You wouldn't want your breakfast to get cold do you?"

"I'll be down in a minute." Ash automatically replied.

"By the way..." Misty added before she left his room, "I'm gonna do my Christmas shopping today at the goldenrod department store...."

"Uh huh..." Ash said in a monotonous tone.

"And.... umm... (looks down at her feet) I would really appreciate it if someone kept me company while I'm there..."

"Okay..." Ash still wasn't catching on to her.

"Ugh!! How could he be so dense??" Misty thought to herself. Then she decided that the direct approach would work the best.

"I was just wondering.... *blushes* would you... like to come with me today?"

Ash thought for a minute. He didn't have anything to do while on this little winter vacation from his journey. "A day with Misty huh? I guess it wouldn't be too bad...." he thought, "she's always nice to hang around when she's nice and all..."

"Alright" Ash replied.

"Oh Ash! Thank you!" she ran up to him and caught Ash off guard with a hug. "We'll leave with your mom in 30 mins. Don't be late Ashy boy!" she added as she finally left his room.... leaving Ash a little stunned at her sudden burst of affection.

*****

"How do you like your breakfast Ashy dear?"

"Just fine mom!" *munches his food more* "You make the best homemade food in the world!"

"Aww! Thank you dear!"

"Ash! Don't stuff all your food in your face like a pig!" Misty complained.

"You mean like this?" Ash said while his stuffed his mouth some more.

"Oh honestly...." Misty said back as she rolled her eyes.

"Oooooh... I hate it when he does that!" Misty thought to herself, "... but... but... he's so cute when he does that!! But then again, he's always cute...." Misty trailed off in her thoughts and started to daydream....

She could just imagine it.... Christmas Eve, with the snow falling outside at the nighttime sky. Her and Ash, sitting by the fire, lying on her shoulder, listening to sweet nothings whispered to her...

"Hello..... earth to Misty??"

"Huh?..... Ash! Hey, how'd you get ready to go so fast?"

"What are you talking about? It took me 20 minutes to get ready to go!"

"But... but..."

"Yeah you were just sitting there in la la land for half an hour or so."

"I was?! *looks at watch* Oh my gosh! You're right!" she said, blushing out of embarrassment.

"What could you possibly be thinking about that long?"

"Umm... I...."

Suddenly Ash's mom said in a booming voice: "Let's go dears, we wouldn't want to miss the grand opening!"

"Coming mom! C'mon Misty let's go!"

Misty, feeling very relieved that Ash didn't inquire her any further happily followed him to the car...

*****

20 mins. later...

"We're here everyone!" Ash's mom joyfully said.

"Wow Ash! Look at that...... isn't it beautiful!!..... oh! Look how big that store is!....."

The three of them reached the Goldenrod megamall ..... and it was huge! Around 4 stories in length, this was the biggest one ever constructed in the known world. The falling snow even beautified the place even more. Inside it's clear windows, you could see people buzzing around, arguing over presents, couples holding hands... *Misty felt a little pang in her heart* and best of all; the entire mall was richly decorated for the spirits of Christmas, and had a HUGE Christmas tree in the center.

"Pika..." the little yellow pokemon said in awe of the decorations.

After finding a place to park in the parking garage, everyone got off and where about to go...

"Remember everyone we parked in the 8th floor, Section 25C Yellow, Area 28, Row 14, Space #4824. Got it?"

"Umm...." everyone else said dumbly.

"Pikachu??"

"Oh silly me! Here take these" Ash's mom said as she handed Ash, Misty, and Pikachu 3 parking tickets.

Just show these to the Alakazam right by the entrance to the mall, and it'll teleport you to and from this place instantly!

"Cool!" Ash said.

Suddenly a Kadabra teleported right in front of them.

"AHHH!!!" Misty screamed as she grabbed on to Ash's shoulder. Ash shot her a quizzical look.

"Kadabra dabra!" it said to them.

"Don't be scared Misty, it's just here to teleport us out of this garage."

"Oh, I didn't know that you were.... *looks from Kadabra to Ash* umm.... *super blush* sorry."

She looked into Ash's eyes for a moment and she was just lovestruck on the spot... totally losing sight of everything around her.

"It's okay." Ash said to her, who was still holding on to him. "Uh... you can let go now."

"Why?..." she said in a dreamlike state, "I can stay warm when I'm close to you."

"Say what?" he said surprisingly, blushing very red like the girl right next to her was.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu said as he giggled.

"She sure has been acting really friendly these past few weeks." Ash thought as she looked down at her. Ever since he invited Misty over for Christmas, he always noticed her trying to spend every single moment with him. Not that he didn't like it of course, in fact she liked it when he spent time doing stuff with Misty, from decorating the house, to helping her cook dinner, to even just walking to the pokemon center together. Even right now, he liked the warm feeling that Misty was giving him, by just holding on to his shoulder....

"So Ash, Misty, are you ready to........ *looks back and sees the two together* oh!.... *flashes a huge grin* I'm sorry am I interrupting anything.... romantic?" Ash's mom said as she threw a fit of giggles.

"Hmmm?..." Misty replied.... "Huh? What? Where? *looks up at Ash* Ash!"

"Umm, welcome back Misty." Ash said as innocently as he could. In a flash Misty let go of his arm.

"I... I... was just scared of that Kadabra... th-that's all!" she tried to tell him her best excuse.

"It's okay Misty, I don't mind."

He was looking back at her, she was still staring at him. He had to admit that although they're friendship has been edgy at times, they where always there for each other, and they ended up the best of friends. During the 3 years they have traveled together on their pokemon journey, he has grown to value and respect her and their friendship..... but, did he feel like he wanted to be something more.....?

They would've stayed like this all day if it wasn't for the impatient Kadabra waiting to get its job done.

*****

"Okay you two, let's meet back at the huge Christmas tree in a couple of hours. Don't you two get into trouble!"

"It's alright mom, we won't." he shouted back as she went up the escalator

"Pika Pikachu?"

"Toge toge?"

"Alright Pikachu, here's $100, go have a blast with Togepi."

"Pika!" he said as he jumped up and gave his trainer a hug.

"Take care of Togepi, Pikachu! Have a great time! Bye honey!"

"Toge prriiiii" she hugged her mom one more time before they headed to the nearest food court.

Misty turned to Ash as those two turned the corner. "Look Ash, about earlier, I...."

"It's alright Misty." Ash said in a quite soothing voice. "It's just a heat of the moment thing that just happens you know?"

"Yeah... guess you're right...." she lied.

"Let's just go have some fun.... Well, Misty where would you like to...." he started to say.

"Ash?? Is that you??" came a familiar voice from nowhere.

"Huh?" Ash said as he turned around. Right in front of him stood a teenage girl about as old as him. She had a greenish blue jacket on and had flowing blue (hey, this is just a guess here!) hair; and had the same mysterious cerulean eyes that Misty had.

"Ash?"

"May?"

Indeed, Ash recognized his childhood friend, May Oak.

"Ash!/May!" they both said at the same time as May ran up and gave him a hug. "It's so good to see you Ash!" she pulled away and observed him a little more.

"My! You've grown up Ashy!"

"So have you May..." he said blushing a bit.

May's eyes wandered from Ash to the red-head girl standing beside him. She looked like that she was almost..... jealous!

"...... you must be Misty! Nice to meet you!" she said to her.

"How did you know my name?" she tried to ask a nicely as she could without letting her obvious jealousy show.

"Oh! Ash writes me letters sometimes on his journey and he talks about you a lot...." May immediately noticed her cheeks turn red.

"I get it! You must be Ash's girlfriend!"

"Wha---?" Misty was almost speechless.

She turned to her childhood friend. "Ash?"

"....."

How do you think Ash should respond?

1. "Yeah, *blushes* that's right...."
2. "No, no! *waves hands* You've got it all wrong!!"
3. "Misty, my girlfriend?? Yeah, like in a million years or so!!"