Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. If I did Misty would still be in it and they would've hooked up by now. Now to mention I would add some romance, some cuter guys and some more stuff. (babbles continue)
AN: My first Pokemon fic. XD Ok few things I would like to say. I have not kept up with Pokemon not too long after Misty left the show. Well maybe a little before that. So the new Pokemons –yeah I have no idea about those. Ash's pokemon – I have no idea who he has now except for Pikachu. Same goes for all the other people that are in the show now. I only started writing this because I found this Pokemon movie I had and afterwards I just felt inspired.
I don't know how well I can keep the characters in, well, character because I haven't watched it in so long. So yeah if I keep this fic going then chances are there won't be a lot of Pokemon battles and stuff like that. Sorry! XD
Janitors Keeps Their Bike Receipts
Misty stashed aside her cleaning supplies into the dark and stuffy closet.
Misty Waterflower is a Gym Leader. And the last time she checked, Gym Leaders are not janitors.
With a growl of frustration she slammed the door to the dingy closet with a little too much strength and a small crash was heard distinctly from the inside. She'll have to deal with it come tomorrow.
Misty didn't quite understand why she was the one who cleaned the pool, why she was the one who took care of the Pokemon – although that wasn't as much of a chore, why she was the one taking care of the bills, why she was the one who did everything and most importantly why Violet, Daisy and Lily are never ever around when she needed them most!
They were the ones who said they were cleaning the pool, who were going to take care of the Pokemon. They were the ones who offered Misty a break! Then as soon as she comes back from visiting Tracey, all that was left of them was a note.
The scrappy piece of post-it note is unable to do chores. And it is very apparent her sister's won't be able to either.
Business trip… If they had said something earlier she would have been able to finish everything on time before it was almost morning!
Glancing around the moon lit pool one last time she made her way to her room, barely lifting one leg past the other. Times like this really made her miss traveling; where daily chores did not exist, where the wild and sleeping bag was her home, where she had deliciously made meals by Brock himself and then… and then there was Ash. She'd never say it to his face, but he was one of the things she missed most from traveling.
Yeah he freaking trashed her bike and arguing with his senseless brain was pointless and tiring. But that was what made her day.
Not being a janitor.
She shook her head for having such thoughts. Being a gym leader was one of the most memorable moments of her life. She loved meeting new and aspiring kids who dream big. Sometimes they remind her of others she had met or even Ash, and within a group of kids traveling together she would reminisce about old times. Most of all she loved working with Pokemon. It was a job like no other and she could ask for nothing more.
Yet, she had a feeling she was going to miss being with him the most tomorrow – oh excuse her – today.
Yeah, she will have a good talk with her sisters.
Ash Ketchum hated – hated to wait. Patience is a virtue blah blah blah. At this moment those words are meaningless. Well not quite.
Is it his turn yet?
There was a knock on the door. Having jumped so high from shock he steadied himself as best as he could and opened the door.
"Ash!" May cried out at first glance and tackled him a big hug. Too much in shock to respond he stuttered, "M-May!" He looked up at the group behind May.
"Hey Max, Brock and… T-Tracey?" his eyes bugged out as he watched his old friend wave back at him.
May let loose her arms around his neck. "He just came 5 minutes ago just to see you!"
Tracey laughed, "But I'm kinda coming here in a place of someone else."
The gym was empty today. She knew it would be, and she was glad of it. If someone had barged into the gym for a battle she would not be able to focus on it. Especially with her TV blaring through the Gym's sound system, her eyes never leaving the screen. Waiting.
It just sucked for her that she was impatient. 'Patience is a virtue.' she had once told Ash. He never got it and she can just imagine him at the moment, impatient to get on with the battle and mad to wait for such a long period of time. He probably was so nervous she won't pop up in his mind or won't even notice that she isn't there with him to support him the way she used to. Or maybe he'll just hate her for not being there.
She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts; to rid the worry and tight knots from her heart. It was impossible. And she wasn't even the one who was going to battle in front of live TV cameras or in front of crowds of millions.
Misty formed a small smile from her face; she knew he never cared for such things. As much of a show off he tends to be, when he battles that's all he cares about. She pushed back some stray orange hair of hers behind her ears roughly, eyes still glued onto the screen, her ears alert for his name.
If only she could be there.
"So you've been working in the Cerulean Gym eh?" Brock asked. Exactly the same thing Ash wanted to ask. Yet he was lost in thought. There was a tugging feeling at his heart. He didn't understand it much but he supposed it was just from being nervous.
But still somehow… he felt like it wasn't. In fact his mind seemed to be elsewhere again. He kinda… missed Misty.
Not that she'll ever know.
Brock sighed, "Ash it's almost time."
The cheerful atmosphere broke. Like a twig being snapped in half.
May gave a nervous glance at Ash's expressionless (or was it stupidity?) face and attempted a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Ash you can do it!"
Others gave him support and he was grateful for it, it fueled him up if only just slightly. One by one they left after some more supporting words and it was just Tracey and Brock. May and Max stood outside the doorway waiting, Max complaining about getting a good seat, antsy to get going.
"Look Ash, I know you're nervous." Brock said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulders.
"No I'm not!" Ash countered.
"Geez you don't have to get so defensive, I'm just saying- and don't interrupt me- I know you can do it."
Ash couldn't help but smile at the corny line.
"I know I can too."
And there was that confidence.
Brock gave him a pat in the back, "Don't get cocky now."
"That's what Misty would've said if she was... here."
The words slipped out of his mouth before he had time to even catch it.
Unknown to Ash or even May herself, she leaned closer to the door trying to listen.
Brock smirked as did Tracey. "She would've probably said it more insultingly though huh?" Brock added, watching Ash's expression… turn bashful eh?
"Ah! Speaking of Misty, she told me to give you this. It might be a good luck charm or something. I didn't look at it so I'm not sure." Tracey dug into his bag, his face twisted in concentration.
"Ah! Found it." Tracey smiled and handed Ash an envelope. A small one though, not the type you would typically use and put letters in. In rushed but neat handwriting his name was scribbled on the cover.
Ash grinned opening the envelope in a quick and sloppy movement.
"Geez, it's not gonna go anywhere." Brock commented watching Ash's face brighten up just from the sight of it.
Ash took out a thin sheet of folded paper, confused. Clearly it was not a letter unless her writing was really small. But if that was the case he could not have read it anyways.
He unfolded it while the others watched, even Max peered over the door to take a glimpse.
It was a receipt. For a bike.
From the loud speakers, "Next up! ASH KETCHUM!"
Thanks Misty.
"ASH KETCHUM COMES A LONG WAY FROM PALLET TOWN AND HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL SINCE THEN. HE IS NOW JUST A MERE TWO STEPS AWAY FROM BEING ABLE TO QUALIFY AS A POKEMON MASTER!"
The butterflies in her stomach just won't stop bugging her. She was nervous for him. More than he will ever know.
Did Tracey give him the receipt?
Was Ash angry or did he find it funny?
Did it remind him of her?
What if Tracey lost it?
Oh god was she stupid or something? Giving someone you haven't seen in two whole years a stupid receipt.
But she couldn't help it. It was just something she wanted and needed to do.
The alarming increase of cheering from the crowd drew her attention away from her thoughts and she anxiously returned back to the screen. Ash was walking – no scratch that – strutting and waving out the gate. A confident smile plastered on his face as Pikachu walked out with him side by side.
His clothes had changed again, although the colors hadn't changed, his hair was as messy as always stuffed under a hat. The same hat. Suppose the only difference was the growth of a couple of inches and slight loss of baby fat.
Same old same.
She spotted Brock, Max, May and Tracey not far away in the audience.
Good he made it.
So he did give him the receipt!
The blood rushed through him. The crowd blurred off to a distance as soon as the battle commenced. Cameras too. It was just him, his Pokemon and his opponent. Then there was the receipt. It was in Ash's pocket which he kept in hopes of good luck.
Like he needed them.
He just felt like he needed her presence. Even though she was not there at the moment the letter would do for now. She was his support system. A mere moment just before Pikachu was about to attack, his hands reached for his pocket and he rubbed it. It will be his support system.
He rubbed it. Misty saw it with her own eyes. Although the camera was not too focused on him she saw it. The tip of her letter stuck out of Ash's pocket and he rubbed it right before the battle began.
Her face broke into a big grin, even though she wasn't there, her letter will do for now.
Let's hope it would go some good then.
Numb. Exactly how he had felt. Happy yes. Realized, yes. Numb? Yes. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town, was now just a step closer to becoming a Pokemon Master. Was he going to stop? No way in hell.
He won. He WON!
Misty jumped, cheered, and screamed when Pikachu finished the battle with its signature thunder shock. So typical that it just totally worked. She was having her own party in the gym. Yet she wasn't.
The Pokemon felt the gym leader's anxiety totally relieved and were cheering with her. Misty Waterflower had never ever felt so happy before – and never this lonely as well.
He wished Misty was here. The idea took an instant and forever for him to realize. He knew it before he got on stage, he knew it after the numbness wore off, and at the same time he didn't know it. It was dawn; after the huge celebration party and everything was over now, that he thought it over again and realized it.
He was tired from the day's events but his mind was still awake enough to fill him with thoughts buzzing in and out. Thought's he didn't understand and he was too tired to try to.
He blinked back at the empty ceiling. The window to his right lit up the hotel room onto the royal blue carpet. It just reminded him even more of how much he missed it when Misty was around. Misty used to love looking at the moon at night. She said it reminded her of her home town a lot as the moon always shone through the high top windows and glowed against the pools surface.
Her words, not his.
He shifted his position on the bed, lying on his stomach he dug under the pillow and retrieved the light letter which thumbed with gentle care.
It was just so typical of Misty to do something like this. He learned something from it though.
He never knew how expensive bikes could be.
I wanted to express how alike they are through alot of their thinking. Although I think I over did it a bit. XD
Ahaha well how'd yall like it? R&R please!