Hey, y'all! Just thought I'd put this up :)

This is my version of "Surviving the Night" by KittyKatLovesBooks.

I don't own Pokemon, Nintengo, Game Freak (yet) or even the plot line. I only own my redux ;)

Oh for the love of Arceus, someone kill me now, I mentally groaned as our substitute announced the assignment we were supposed to do.

His name was Mr. Barkin and he had transferred here from somewhere called Middleton High while Ms. Erika was gone.

"The assignment is due tomorrow. You will work in pairs- which I will assign you. If you don't like your partner, you can ask to change."

I sighed in relief. What if I got paired with someone like-

"Of course, in vain. Lesson learned: Life's rough. Now."

He began reading off a long list of names. I listened attentively to hear mine.

"…Waterflower and Ketchum"

I groaned. Whyyy, Arceus?

I got paired with the class idiot, Ash Ketchum. I mean, really, I'd rather be paired with anyone. Anyone. Even the obnoxious Oak. At least he had a brain.

I looked backwards to see my partner. He seemed ecstatic for some reason. I wondered why, because he'd get to torture me all afternoon?

"Questions? No? Class dismissed."

Shaking my thoughts way, I started packing my stuff into my backpack. This is it Misty. If you fail any of your Health classes, you automatically lose a chance at becoming a top water Pokémon trainer… darn you, water Pokémon trainer requirements…

"Hey, Mist, are you coming to my house, or am I going to yours?"

I snapped my eyes open, and turned to see who had addressed me. Upon meeting Ketchum's (translation: the idiot's) gaze, I realized what he had asked me.

I moaned out loud "Arceus, please no…"

I weighed my options. My house was OUT because if a boy shows his face within ten miles' radius of my place, either he falls in love with my Sensational sisters orI get bombarded with a bazillionquestions that I don't have time to deal with today. Not if I want to get anything done.

But then again, I'm not dumb. He lived a good distance away and I'd be walking home at night…
Maybe his mom Delia could drive me, she's nice enough, plus most likely won't disturb us as much as my sisters…

"Your house."

"Okay then, we'll do that Ash stuck his hand out towards me, obviously waiting for me to shake it. Rolling my eyes, I grasped his hand and quickly shook it, wanting to have this over with ASAP. He immediately lit up like a Fourth of July firework.

I then got out of there as darned fast as I could. FREEDOM!

And then that project with Ketchum. Killjoy.

I quickly grabbed all my stuff, and headed out the door, refusing to let Ash catch up to me.

On the way out I practically bowled over Giorgio.

"Hey, Misty? D'you think, we could maybe…"

"NOT TODAY GIORGIO." I yelled at him before stalking off. I knew I should have been a bit nicer but I was really not in the mood.

Fuming, I didn't even notice I had passed Dawn.

"Hey Misty, you want to come over to my house today?"

Sighing heavily, I turned to address my best friend "YES. YES PLEASE DAWN. ANYTHING. I have a Health assignment. Paired with the Idiot. Help meeeee…" I moaned, banging my head against her shoulder.

She frowned, scrunching her eyebrows up "You mean Ash? You'll survive. At least your Drama partner isn't a jerkwad who forgets your name all the time!"

After that she started ranting about how much easier it would be if she could just do it alone like I could with mine. I decided I didn't need to remind her that a) I wasn't in drama and b) neither was Paul. I knew she was just trying to make me feel better.
"Thanks, girl" I smiled weakly before shouldering my pack and slouching off toward my house.

As soon as I reached my humble abode, also known as the tiniest room of the upstairs half of my sister's gigantic private swimming center, I wasted no time running upstairs at top speed, getting the supplies I needed for going to Ash's house. Once I was done, I quickly moved, trying to get out of the house before my sisters noticed I was leaving. That's it, Misty. Nice and easy steps, not too loud or you'll alert them. Easy coming, easy doe-

"Hey short stuff, where are you sneakin' off to?"

They've discovered me.

Trouble.

Smiling innocently, I turned around to see Lily standing there dressed up in her best clothes (for no apparent reason). I could see Violet and Daisy heading towards us as well.

Why thank you, dear Lily, you've just made it double…

"I'm just…" I racked my head for any plausible excuse. "…Heading over to May's. To work on Drama."

"With your schoolbag?"

"And math."

"You take Drama?"

"… As an elective." I fibbed, hoping that was that.

"…See yah then. Lily and Violet waved goodbye, while Daisy gave me a suspicious look. Crap, she's on to me. I have to get out of here, pronto.

I quickly waved my hand at them, before rushing out and slamming the door behind me. Phew… that was close…

Wasting no time, I rushed towards the Ketchum residence, not sure if I should trust my sisters not to follow me.

I climbed the porch stairs of the house that was to by my private torture chamber and rang the doorbell. Almost immediately the door opened, and before I could even catch my breath, I was 'invited' (dragged) inside.

I managed to catch my breath, and turned around to the perpetually happy face of the boy who had answered the door.

I glared at the younger boy as he kept talking about how happy he was to see me.

"Ash!"

"What?"

"Shut up."

"…Okay then, let's get started!" Ash yelled, completely disregarding what I had just said, and reached into his backpack, pulling whatever textbook his hand fell on, checking to see if it would help us.

Maybe the sooner we got started, the sooner it would be over.

"Hey, Mist, what are we studying again?"

I smacked my head, and appeased myself by whispering vulgar words under my breath. Wow, that does make me feel better…

"I DON'T KNOW YOU!" I shouted.

"Mist! Wait you can't just lock yourself in my bathro-"

~SLAMMMMM~

"…I guess you can…"

Why, why, why did it have to be me, Arceus, and why am I working with him of all people? What did I do wrong to deserve this? Was it karma for something I did in a previous life?!

I decided that if I stayed locked up in here all night I'd just get an F and then boom goes my dream career.

I heard a click and the door swung open. I scrambled out of the way before I was crushed to a pulp by the door!

Still a better fate then this, I thought belatedly.

"I never knew learning how to pick my bathroom door lock would be so handy." Iwas met with the triumphant face of Ash Ketchum. I glared daggers at him, suddenly wishing he would die right then and there.

Sadly, no luck.

Ash then dropped his face and replaced it with a pouty one "Come on, Mist. We have to finish the assignment by tomorrow or we get an F-."

Grumbling under my breath-though I knew he was right for once in his life- I walked out of the bathroom. I heard the sound of a door closing behind me, before he was in my face again.

"Okay, Mist. So now we-"

I waved my hands back and forth rapidly, signaling him to stop talking.

"Listen, Ash. If we're going to do this assignment, I'm going to need to set some ground rules."

"Like?"

"1. Don't ask Misty stupid questions."

"I don't ask you stup-"

"2. Don't contradict Misty."

"Why no-"

"Remember rule number one. 3. Grow up and stop acting like a kid."

"You sound like Iris…"

"I know. 4. Listen to what Misty says during the assignment, because she is way smarter, and will probably finish it faster."

"HEYYYY!"

"I'm just saying the truth. 5. Don't call me Mist."

"Why not Mist-"

"LISTEN TO RULES No. ONE AND FIVE.
6. If you don't listen to all of the above, don't expect to still have a head tomorrow."

Ash shuddered, his hands unconsciously grasping his neck, he then walked a few steps backwards "Okay then Mist- I mean Misty." He then flashed a fake grin at me before running back to his bed and using a book to hide his face. You go, girl!

Smirking, I climbed on the bed so that I was sitting next to him. I quickly pulled out my own textbooks so that I wouldn't have to deal with looking through Ash's stuff. I pulled out a pencil, and started to work on it. Sure I have to do all the work, but it's much better than failing Health…

I sat there, and racked my brain. Let's see, How much calcium should a one-year-old female Staryu receive on a daily basis? Easy, there's no such thing. Staryu are genderless.

"Hey, Misty."

I practically snarled "What do you want, Ash?"

"Why does everyone think I'm a kid?"

"Cause you are one."

"That's not true!"

"Um, yes, it is."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yuh-uh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yu- ASH, YOU'RE TURNING ME INTO A KID!"

"…You're mean…"

"Glad you finally realized that." I felt a slight tug of conscience- it was like screaming at a four-year-old, really- but was too annoyed to care. Question number two. How should you bandage-

"Hey, Misty."

I snapped my pencil in half. I turned to Ash, one eye twitching and my mouth clamped in a forced smile.

"What is it, Ash?"

"What do I have to do to make people treat me as an adult?"

"Well, you could act like guys your age and get a date."

Ash looked surprised as if he didn't expect me to say that "Wait, WHAT?!"

"You heard me." I spoke slowly, as if I was dealing with a five year old "I hope that was simple enough for your lack of a brain to understand."

Ash glared at me, while I evilly grinned at him.

"I'm going to ignore that comment."

"Good. Maybe I'll come out of this sane after all."

How should you bandage an injured Machop-

"So… what type of girl should I go for?"

I facepalmed "YOU IDIOT! You don't go for a type of girl; you go for the girl you like!"

…an injured Machop that has-

"So, I should ask a girl I like?"

"… Yes."

…broken its arm while-

"Okay, so there is this one girl I've known for a long time… and I really like her."

I almost fell of the bed due to shock. Ash has girl problems!

"Mhm…" I feigned disinterest. I should really be getting this done…

"What should I do to make her like me?"

"Hmm… Well, you could ask her on a date, or just confess… or maybe…" I trailed off, fishing for a new pencil in my bag, hoping he'd drop it.

"Maybe what?"

"You could just kiss her. That would be a romantic way to start a relationship…" I sat back, trying to focus on the injured Machop problem.

"So I can just kiss the girl I like?" Ash asked, excitement in his voice. Wait… Excitement?

"…Mmhmm" I muttered, scribbling in something about stiffening its arm then wrapping it in clean linen.

Suddenly, I felt my face get grabbed by a pair of hands and pressed to a pair of lips.

I pushed away in surprise, shooting Ash a disgusted look.

"So… You'll go out with me now?"

"Ash…" I explained. "When I said, I didn't mean… I mean…"

His face fell. "So… you don't like me?"

"I'm not saying… Well, I am, but… Look…" I stammered.

"Never mind." He muttered, a depressed look on his face. Now I really felt bad, but I had no idea what to say in this situation. As a matter of fact, I wasn't a hundred percent sure I didn't like him anymore.

My face flushing red, I got back to the assignment and finished in record time.

We didn't speak another word that evening. When I had to go, I just gave Delia a curt goodbye before running home.

The next day, as I handed in the assignment signed with both of our names, I couldn't look Ash in the face. I sincerely regretted what I had done yesterday.

If only I'd played that differently.

If only, if only.

Why, Arceus?

Ooh, a bittersweet ending. What did you think? Good? Bad? Way too dramatic? Dumb? A tearjerker? What do you think?

First two reviewers either get to put characters into my story 'Just When You Think You've Seen Everything' or to get a short flufflet (with their plot) dedicated to them :)