It was all so nostalgic. More than ten years had passed since he watched the oh-so-beautiful Cerulean City. Around him there were trees, the river and not very uncommon pokémon center. As he looked at it now, like a picture, it seemed like nothing had changed. But so much had changed. He knew that, and that's why he couldn't enter. He just stood there, staring at the gym-entrance as if it were thousands of miles away. Out of his reach. His heart felt heavy and his stomach nervous. Raichu was next to him, looking up with a blank expression. Of course he wondered why they were just standing there. But Ash felt an invisible barrier, as if he was to enter a sacred place. Was he really worthy to enter?
So many times in his mind had he seen this scene, this scenario. A beautiful, warm day. He'd enter, and she'd be there. But how would they greet each other? Hug? Handshake? It was way more complicated than just nice weather. He felt it now more than ever.
But suddenly the Raichu spurted off, and the automatic doors opened up to the mouse-pokémon. Ash had to snap out of it, and as they used to even back then, he followed his companion without hesitation. The little bastard knew exactly how to get him moving. Too bad he wasn't wearing the cap anymore.
He threw it away. Like so many other things.
"Miss Misty, there's someone here to see you."
The ginger-haired girl looked behind her shoulder to one of the gym's trainers. In her arms were a floundering Togepi, splashing water around with a happy, chirping tone.
"Is it a challenger?" She asked, hugged the baby-pokémon and started swimming towards the pool-edge.
"No, miss. There's a man saying he knows you." The trainer explained, but Misty wasn't quiet sufficed. "Anything else about him?" She asked, taking a grip of the ladder.
"Well..." The trainer started, but seemed pretty uncomfortable being asked. There obviously was something. She gave him a frown and glare, so he quickly inhaled some air. "He said... He isn't here to break your bike this time, miss."
And right there, she was sure her heart stopped.
The sun coming in from the early morning sun, reflecting themselves in the water and lighting the gym up like it was magic. The smell of chlorine was unmistakable and warm. The whole place was very warm, actually. He felt it on his bare arms, how the air was thick, almost tropical.
But there was no time to enjoy the lighting, for he could see her. Raichu had taken his place next to Ash, watching the other with ears pointed high and eyes sparkling in excitement. Ash felt nothing but a hard, heavy lump in his chest. He was frozen. Her graceful movements in the water, and her slightly longer orange hair that floated in the waves. Her skin so pale and shining from the light of the sun, and the distant echo of her voice when talking to the other male.
It had been twelve years. Twelve, long years.
Misty walked up the ladder slowly with both her blue eyes glued to the silhouette in front of the entrance. Her mind was completely blank, and every heartbeat hurt like it would crush her whole chest, bones and flesh. He was tall. His hair was messy, his shoulders wide and his cap gone. He had both fists closed, and looked at her with a pair of blank, brown eyes.
Was she happy? Was she sad? She couldn't tell. Perhaps if he smiled, she would dare to approach him with no worries. But when his face stayed like that, so serious, he really felt like a stranger.
Misty only wore her white swimsuit, and carefully placed Togepi on the floor. The male trainer came with a towel, and she laid it across her shoulders. It was stiff against her shoulders. She had grown a little as well, but it was nothing compared to him. When her steps alone echoed in the big hall, she just waited for her heart to recognize him. And so, with an aching feeling in her stomach, she opened her mouth.
"Can I assume you're here to see me? Wouldn't think you need my badge again, alright."
Her voice woke something inside of him to life. He hadn't heard that voice in years, and the memory of it raised to the surface like a long lost treasure. The orange hair seemed to have an almost golden tone, and reached her collarbones. She looked a little skinny, but otherwise well. The blue tone in her eyes were like the sea, and the water drops on her body fell down on the overly-clean floor. He wasn't sure if his voice was gonna hold, but he had to answer.
"Well, I sure ain't here to hang out with the pool-cleaner."
A smile spread across her face, and Ash felt it doing something with his expression as well. The edge of his mouth, even if it felt heavy like Donphans, raised slightly. She saw his vague smile, and his whole appearance was just so... mature. Misty wondered if she had the same aura around her, as well. And also, if that was really what he was searching for.
"Wo~ow! The innocent little guy got some attitude now." The gym leader grinned, and suddenly heard some happy chirping from behind her feet. Togepi and Raichu and smelled each other a little, and then suddenly started talking with eyes seriously sparkling of mere joy. Like two long lost siblings, finally seeing each other again. Could Ash and Misty do that as well?
Ash shrugged and casually put both hands in the pockets of his jeans. "You seem well, at least." He pointed out, watching her cross her arms.
Misty had no idea what to answer. She wanted to say something like 'well, good you weren't here two years after I had to leave, cause I for sure wasn't okay', and then laugh like it was some joke. But she couldn't. The words stuck in her throat, and she swallowed them. She didn't want to blame him, nor Brock, nor her sisters. She tried to convince herself she was over it.
"Y-yeah, I guess." She said, brushing some wet hair away from getting stuck on her cheeks. "I survive well enough. How about you? I'm sure the wannabe-champion have a lot of stories to tell an old comrade."
Ash gave her a vague smile and a hollow chuckle. "Wannabe? Please, that was long ago. I won, I moved on." He stated, looking down the ground like with eyes like he was almost ashamed of it. And it did hit Misty with surprise, too. The last time she saw him, he had been crushed by defeat after fighting his hardest every day. And now, that was already over. The champion was a past part of his life. He got the shirt, and grew too big for it. So she stood there, blinking three times, then gave him a worried smile.
"Congratulations, a few years too late." She told him, crossing both arms over her chest. Ash dared to look up at her, and sought something in her eyes. He just wanted to find something that he had so longed miss. Some feeling of home, and a piece of the time where there were no troubles in the whole world.
But time had taken them all away from him.
Author's notes: Hi everyone! Thank you for reading the beginning of my first published fanfiction. I'm not a native English speaker, so I know there may be grammar errors all over the place, but I did do my best to check everything. I really enjoy writing this, so next chapter is hopefully up soon!