A.N.- Wow, my first Pokemon fic. This feels rather odd... But I digress.

This is eventually going to be an AAMRN, but, unfortunately, Ash doesn't give an appearance until next chapter. Sorry! Just bear with me through this pure-Misty chapter.

Disclaimer- I only own what you don't recognize.

Chapter One- Marriage Proposals and a Flying Gyarodos

Misty disagreed with matrimony as a matter of principle. Though she would probably indulge in that particular stage if a man she loved asked her, she had yet to figure out why any intelligent female would subject herself to the whims and fancies of a husband she did not care for.

That was why the increasing amount of proposals from men she had never even met were beginning to annoy her. Fame did have its drawbacks.

The worst of it was that she hardly ever saw the only man she would consider marrying (if he ever asked her out...). Ash had countless league duties as the Pokemon Master, and couldn't spare much time for an old friend whose only claim to fame were the titles of Water Pokemon Master and official leader of the Cerulean City Gym.

Though, truly, those titles weren't too indistinguishable. She supposed that was why she had constant interviews and countless proposals, as well as many trainers and enthusiasts coming to her either for advice, training, or to be a student of hers. And, of course, the articles in the tabloids.

Misty read one of the aforementioned proposals out loud to herself, highly amused.

"Your hair is fire,
Your eyes the sea.
Your teeth are ivory,
Would you please marry me?"

Misty smirked sardonically. If they loved her as much as they claimed, surely they could be more creative.

She quickly wiped off her smirk and frowned. She was becoming too cynical, a character attribute she despised. Unfortunately, as time wore on, Misty found herself becoming more and more cynical in order to find humor in the situation.

It didn't take her long to reach a solution. She would take a vacation. Not necessarily a long one, but one in someplace far away...

Her dreams of an isolated cave by a clear spring were interrupted by a high voice emerging from the next room.

"Misty, there's like, a Johnny Johnson from Pewter City, like, totally challenging you!", her elder sister, Daisy, yelled.

"Take it for me, please!" Misty yelled back in reply.

"If you're, like, sure." Daisy then added, "The League's not having an Autumn Dance this year."

Misty frowned. This news was highly disappointing. She had always enjoyed the dances held by the League, as she and Ash always went together.

"What are they doing instead?" she called back.

"Like, a Fall Festival. By the way, I, like, signed you up for the decorating committee."

Misty groaned audibly - she utterly despised decorating. She was sure that her sisters found some sort of sick amusement torturing her, as they signed her up for the committee every event.

"Anyway, you'll, like, need to clear out of the battling room if you want me to, like, beat your challenger."

"Fine, fine. I'm going out for a walk!" Misty called out over her shoulder as she exited the battling arena. As to why she was there in the first place, she wasn't quite sure...

On her way out, Misty grabbed a parasol and hooked it on her belt. She had taken to carrying a parasol around with her, as it looked less menacing a mallet and was just as powerful. All her parasols had strong, steel shafts and worked most successfully when hit over someone's head.

Once outside, she paused to deeply breath in the fresh air. She gazed at the changing leaves in awe- some were as red as her hair, others the shade of the sky before a horrible storm. Together, they created a masterpiece that stretched as far as the eye could see

She quickly decided against strolling through the populated city in favor of going to the League Headquarters to help with the preparations for the upcoming festival (and perhaps see Ash). And in any case, the flight over would give her time to plan out her vacation.

Misty called out Gyarodos and hopped on his back unto the convenient dip. As soon as the pokemon took off, wriggling in the air (rather snake- like, she noticed), she took her hair out of its ponytail, allowing the red waves to tumble freely in the wind. She loved flying almost as much as she loved swimming.

A.N. - I'm not positive as to whether or not Gyarodos' fly. They're part flying in the games, so I assumed they could... But, anyway, criticism is appreciated if it is constructive. If you're going to tell me that my grammar's (or spelling, etc.), please point out a few examples so that I can fix it. Thank you!

-FDG