Encouragement
Lately, Misty had been uneasy about the whirling turn of events; the Whirl Cup was coming up. It had been four years since the last time she competed. Most would be more confident to advance further but it didn't seem to flow as well with the redhead. Due to the intense training she had been doing, Misty found herself flinching and stressing over the smallest things.
She was very anxious for the tournament to arrive so she could get it over with. The Cerulean gym leader had trained endlessly with her team. Tomorrow would finally be the day she could step foot to show the world what she was capable of. The people of her hometown were counting on her to make them proud. While she embraced the encouragement, it was downright frightening if she did not advance further than the first time. It would be an embarrassment to return to Cerulean if that was the case. All of those years of training would mean nothing.
Sighing to herself, she clashed her hands over the cinnamon roots of her hair and slowly massaged her head. A headache was beginning to develop from over thinking the pressure she was facing. There was no escape. Unfortunately, the headache quickly had flared up and she could no longer allow herself to relax.
The young woman rose and suddenly bumped into another figure. Before she knew it, a set of hands were onto her wrists. Her eyes widened with shock. "A-Ash! Sorry. I didn't see you there…" She paused. "How long were you there?"
He put up a wide grin at her. "Long enough." When his eyes opened, he saw her pained expression. He set his hands down. "Are you alright?"
She sighed, glancing away from him. "Sort of. I got a headache."
"Let's get you something then." He led her to the kitchen where the medicine cabinet was. After she had water to swallow the pill, he kept his focus on her. Misty had been getting headaches a little too often lately and it was starting to concern him. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Misty felt his gaze on her. Flustered, she said, "I-I don't know if I'll be good enough tomorrow. I know I've improved but I'm sure everyone has improved too." Her eyes shifted. "What if I lose? There's no way I'll be able to come home if I don't make everyone proud."
His expression softened. He slowly approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Misty, you're going to do amazing. I'm gonna be there every step of the way. Win or lose, you're the best water Pokemon trainer I know."
She nodded, her face hesitating. "I know, but still…"
"Everyone's already proud of you, Misty. You've done so much. You have to remember to enjoy the tournament too."
"I guess you're right."
Ash had her in a warm embrace, doing his best to calm her down. She stiffened for a moment. Misty had obviously put herself under too much stress. He held her closer, hoping his breathing rate could help. When he sensed her relax, she placed her arms around him as well.
The redhead shifted her eyes up to him. "Since when did you get so wise, Ash?" Misty asked in an amused tone.
"I don't know, Mist. It kind of hits me at times," he said with a big grin, staring back at her. He saw Misty snort and laugh. Ash proceeded to give her a quick kiss and she happily returned the gesture. It was always a relief to have her feeling better.