A/N: This story was kind of hard to start because I couldn't decide on whether to use Ash or Red. I ended up using Ash, but made him older due to the opinions of my friends. Seriously, Ash should be 20 years old in the anime by now, dammit.
The sun was rising in the sky, and the morning was fresh and the air was clean.
The ocean is the place where Misty felt at home, so the trip from Cerulean to the Sea Foam Islands was like a trip home after being away for so long. The sight of it was breathtaking, and the scent of the salt water air was refreshing. That and the moment she felt the white sand on her bare feet sent a shiver of excitement up her spine.
Misty reached for the Pokeballs on the thin black belt around her waist. "C'mon out you guys! Enjoy the water!"
Coming from the Pokeballs were Horsea, Psyduck, and Starmie, with Horsea and Starmie taking off in the water as soon as they got out. Psyduck on the other hand, even though it was a water type, splashed helplessly in the water. That was odd, given it was only in ankle deep. Misty sighed in disappointment, 'I'm glad I never use you in battles anymore…"
Misty went to the beach and laid out a blanket in the white sand. She also had a picnic basket with a lunch in it. She also removed the belt she wore that was used to hold her Pokeballs, which made her feel considerably lighter in her one piece white bathing suit. She went and sat down on the blanket, sighing in a relaxed manner. She undid the ponytail her hair was in, and it fell like water in a waterfall, with the tips going halfway down her back.
Looking around, Misty saw that Horsea was by the boat dock, swimming in the shallow waters, while Starmie and Lapras swam around out in deeper water, and Psyduck had finally gotten out of the water and just starred off into the distance. Misty felt like she was at peace—physically anyway.
Her mind was elsewhere, away from the paradise her body was comfortable in, and began to remember the good old days of travelling around Kanto and Johto on adventures long past. Eventually, Misty had to go back to her duties as a gym leader. She had reluctantly gone home. She didn't want to, but it was needed. She had left Brock and Ash behind.
Eventually, she learned that Brock had returned to Pewter City to help his younger siblings, but Ash had decided to travel on alone. That was nearly four years ago, and neither Brock nor Misty had heard from him in that time. The only evidence that they had that he was alright was a rumor of a trainer from Pallet Town was training in a place called Mt. Silver.
"Though it was just a rumor…I hope it was indeed Ash," Misty said aloud. She had known Ash a long time and he was a close friend. A boy from Pallet Town with dreams to become a Pokemon Master, and a chance meeting on the road to Viridian City.
A chance encounter that destroyed Misty's bike. 'I followed him to make sure he would repay me for that thing…he never did…not that it mattered in the end.'
Misty lay down on the blanket, staring up at the clear blue sky, thinking of Ash as she took in the sound of the ocean. 'I wonder how he is doing…'
Still, four years and no word also made Misty wonder if she meant anything to him. Sure, there was the journey they took together but Misty had thought they were very close friends. But what had Ash thought of her? Was she just a friend to him?
Or…something more?
This question bothered Misty to the point she no longer felt relaxed. She eventually got up and walked on over to the dock, standing at the edge. She sighed, "Here I am worrying about him like a girl with a crush. Should just move on and forget it." She suddenly felt a great deal of frustration building up.
She had the urgent need to shout at the top of her lungs, "Stupid Ash! Not even sending a letter, making a phone call, or stopping by to say hello! You're a jerk you know that—whoa!" In her rant Misty failed to remember where she was, and she fell over the edge of the dock into the water. Her fire of anger was doused with the splash of reality.
Misty got back to the surface and gasped for air, and Horsea greeted her. It seemed worried, but Misty patted its head, "Don't worry Horsea, just had to let it out." She reached up to grab the edge of the dock and pulled herself up, grumbling to herself about stupidity in herself and the world in general. She hoisted herself up and got on her knees, rubbing the water from her eyes.
Misty realized that she wasn't the only one on the dock. In front of her was someone dressed in a red trainer's jacket and blue jeans.
Then, there was the hat, which seemed oddly familiar…
"Still a hot head, huh Misty?" The man before her offered his hand, and Misty was confused as to how this stranger knew her name.
"Um...thanks," she took his hand and he helped her up. 'He seems familiar…'
"What? You seem confused. Don't tell me you forgot about us?"
Then a yellow colored mouse Pokémon called Pikachu popped up from behind the young man's shoulder, "Pika!"
'He has a Pikachu…he knows my name and he's strangely familiar...could it be…' Her bottom lip trembled, "Ash?"
He smiled, "I knew you didn't forget me. I would have been disappointed if you did."
His voice was deeper than she last remembered, but that was from him growing up no doubt. He was also taller, just a bit more than Misty.
"So, how have you been?"
Misty didn't answer. Instead she fell to the wooden deck in a faint.
Misty's eyes slowly opened, and Ash was blocking the sun.
"Ash?" She had believed that it was a dream that her old friend had appeared as a result of her dream. To make sure, she slowly raised her hand to his face. Her finger tips lightly touched his skin, confirming that he was there, and to make doubly sure she tapped his cheek.
"You're real…"
Ashe smiled, "Uh, yeah."
Her earlier frustration replaced her glee at seeing her friend, and she then proceeded to smack his face hard.
This sudden form of saying hello made Ash back up with surprise, but he took it better than he would have four years ago. "Hey Misty what was that for?!"
The orange haired girl sat up quick and all in a huff, "What do you mean 'what was that for'?! I went away for a long time and then you drop off the face of the earth! Making me worry! No phone call, no email, not even a letter! You better have a good explanation, Ash Ketchum!"
That shouting knocked Pikachu off Ash's shoulder and cowering in the sand in fear.
Finishing her rant while huffing and puffing, Misty brought her arms up to her chest; Ash didn't know what to say for real. He had been working on giving Misty a little explanation of how he trained around the world and went underground to hone his skills, but the planning he had done proved useless when he saw Misty's anger before he had even started to explain.
Then the whole situation turned into something else all the more.
Before Ash could open his mouth he noticed something different about his friend. Pikachu also noticed that Misty's expression had changed drastically. What had once been eyes filled with pure rage and being upset was now sparkling in the sun with fresh tears forming. Her cheeks were starting to turn into a mix of red and pink. She really looked as if she was going to cry…
"Misty…I'm sorry—"
Misty flew into Ash's arms, burying her face into his shoulder, finally letting the tears flow. "Stupid Ash…I missed you…"
Not too surprised at her reaction, Ash put his hands on her shoulders, and held her close. "I missed you, too."