A/N: Okay, so, this is finally done! Hey, everyone! New one-shot for you! Here's the story behind this one: one day, I was listening to the song "The Weight" by The Band (Great song! Go listen, if you've never heard it) and I was thinking that there are sometimes we have some things that weigh on us and I tied it to an Ash and Misty situation and here is the finished product! And, yes, I did mean to spell the title that way.

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to Pokemon or "The Weight." They are owned by their respective owners.

'One more battle. One more city. One more challenge. One step closer.'

The mantra of the 23-year-old Ash Ketchum ran through his head over and over again as he sat on his parked motorcycle as it along the side of a dirt road. He had just come off a victory from a random trainer along the route to Cerulean City. It was just another battle for him but, with it as it did with every battle, came the triggering of his mantra.

'One more battle. One more city. One more challenge. One step closer.'

But, as much as chanted that to himself, these days, it was overshadowed by one singular thought:

'But… am I actually any closer?'

It was the most troubling thought in his mind lately. And it was appearing often.

No matter how hard he tried, how far he travelled, or how many battles he won: his dream of being a Master seemed like it was slipping farther and farther away. The last League battle he was in came back on him. He tried his hardest, did everything he could, but he just couldn't win. The loss, quite frankly, left him very disillusioned. That a month ago and he hadn't tried for another league since. He left Pallet three days ago, in an attempt to clear his head. He even left Pikachu at his mom's house because he needed to be alone without his best pal just for a little while. He brought a couple of other Pokémon just in case a situation occurred when he needed them. A battle wasn't what he planned but he decided to take part in it, to exercise his skills if anything.

Even though he won this battle, he couldn't shake this feeling; this feeling of inadequacy, of failure, and of disappointment. It was hard to tell if it was a real feeling or his mind running away from him. But he did know of a place where he could find out. He looked up at the road sign and focused on the marker that pointed toward Cerulean City.

'Time for a reality check…' He started up the bike and headed toward the city of his best friend.

Misty was sweeping up outside of the gym, enjoying the warm summer sun. After she was done, she placed her broom back in the closet and headed to pick up a few things. She walked outside and looked up see a man leaning against a motorcycle. He was wearing a dark brown leather jacket, sunglasses, white t-shirt, torn blue jeans, and black biker gloves. Misty took notice of his long hair, tied back into a ponytail. She noticed it was almost as long as hers.

The man pushed his sunglasses up to his forehead. Once he did, she noticed something else. She knew this biker.

"Ash?" she asked.

He smiled as he got off the bike. "Hey, Misty."

"Whoa! Hey!" She dashed over to him and hugged him. He hugged her back and Misty instantly notice how strong his arms seemed around her. Even then, it was gentle, as well. She almost became lost in a little fantasy world just by the touch.

'What the heck?' she thought. She released the embrace and looked at him. "How are you?"

He did his best to feign a smile. "I'm good. How about you?"

The redhead gym leader wasn't fooled. She knew Ash's smile, his genuine smile; this wasn't it. She also knew the smile he put on when something was on his mind and he didn't want to say what it was; that was the smile he currently had. Something was bothering him. "What's wrong?"

He tried to fake it. "What do you mean?"

"Don't try it. Something's wrong. I can tell. So just tell me so I can panic, you can calm me down, and get it over with."

She saw right through him. How was she able to do that? That smile had been fooling most everyone lately. But, then again, this is Misty. Somehow, she always knew.

"It's nothing," he tried to deny. "Just…" He wanted to talk but nothing came out. He could've sworn this issue wasn't weighing on him like this. Sure, it was bothering him but now, it seemed like paralyzing. No matter how he tried, he couldn't speak on it right now. Why? Why was it bothering him like this?

She looked him over and saw that he was really disturbed by something. "Come with me."

He nodded.

They went to the back patio of the gym, to sit in the sunlight. It was a clear summer day and the temperature was perfect. Ash already felt more at peace now than he did earlier; Misty always had that effect on him. But, eventually, he knew that feeling was going to come back. But, that was why he was here: to truly understand it. Maybe even get past it.

She came back with a tray of lemonade. "Here we go," she set it on the table.

He smiled at her. "We're adults and we still drink lemonade."

"You saying you don't want it?" she asked, sarcastically.

He chuckled. "Nope." He took a glass.

She looked him over. "I like the whole biker thing you got goin' on here. Makes you look dangerous." She put the glass closer to her face. "Glad I know better."

He chuckled. "You know me better than most."

"A fact that I'm proud of." She took a sip and set her glass down. "Now, what's wrong with you?"

He held his smile, though it was a little less full. "Just… thinking about my life."

"And?" She was going to find out what he was holding back.

He decided to go ahead and let out what he was feeling. "Just feels like… lately, I haven't accomplished much."

She couldn't believe that those words just left his mouth. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Just what I said."

She looked at him like he was crazy. What in the world was he even talking about? "What do you mean you haven't accomplished anything?" she asked, upset.

"I mean… I haven't…" He stopped. This was still hard to admit, let alone say out loud. He looked up toward the sky and whispered, "I'm not a Master."

"What?"

"I'm not a Master," he said louder. He groaned. He ran his hand through his hair. "13 years… and nothing. I keep getting close. I get so close every single time and…" He groaned again, "and I just can't do it."

"So?"

"So, it means that I haven't accomplished anything, Misty!" he said, raising his voice. He didn't scream it but it definitely didn't come out in a pleasant manner. His frustration wasn't aimed at her. It had just been there for a while and hadn't really had anyway to escape until now. He became remorseful for it, though. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He sighed. "I'm just… tired of not getting anywhere. I haven't done anything that I should've done by now. There are so many people who are much further than me… and I can't get past where I'm at."

This was bothering him. That was easy to see. She saw that before his sudden outburst and even that wasn't a surprise. Ash wasn't one to hide feelings that well; lately, he did a slightly better job but she always knew better. She could always see right through his shroud; for her, it was rather thin, anyway. When he was feeling a certain way about something, it showed. He was feeling very bad about this; he really thought he hadn't accomplished much with his life and in his goal.

Still, as bad as she could tell he was feeling, she couldn't stop herself from thinking, 'He's being ridiculous.' She stared at him, indignantly. "Ash. That's a crock." With their history, she earned the right to be blunt.

He looked at her, surprised and a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"Ash. Are you seriously going to tell me that just because you haven't become a Master already that you're a failure?"

He groaned and looked away from her. "Not just that… I'm letting everyone down…"

"Who's everyone?"

"Mom. Dad, wherever he is. Pallet. Brock…" He paused and looked at her. "…you…"

She was starting to get annoyed with, especially since that last part was utter nonsense. "When have you EVER let me down?"

"I swore I'd win. Be a Master by now… I didn't… I haven't."

She paused. She gave him another indignant stare. "And?"

He looked at her, confused. "And what?"

"And… so what? So you haven't made it yet. You keep trying. That counts."

"Maybe…"

"No maybe! You are not some failure who hasn't accomplished anything and you haven't, I repeat, haven't failed me. You never have."

He looked at her and gave her half a smirk.

She paused, knowing that things were still bothering him. She leaned over the table and looked at him. "Don't be so hard on yourself. There is nothing wrong with having not made it yet. It happens. There's nothing wrong with you."

He exhaled in defeat. He didn't fully believe her.

"Stop that," her voice became very sincere. "You can't do this to yourself, Ash. You talk about failing everyone else but that isn't true. Not at all. You're the only one who's putting these burdens on you. No one else. You have to let them go. It's like… it's like you're carrying all this on your back. It's making you heavy and exhausted. I know you're trying and waiting for your time to come but… you're gonna hurt yourself if you keep this up. Carrying this weight around… just because you haven't done it yet, it's not good for you. Don't do this to yourself. Just… let it go."

"Hard to get rid of it," he mumbled.

"You set yourself up for too much, that's why."

He scoffed and shrugged. "I guess I just do that, sometimes."

"All the time. You think there's something wrong with you every time you don't win a league."

"The 'every time' part of that is the problem."

She stared at him. "So, what, then? Are you saying you should give up?"

He paused, letting his eyes fall to the table.

"I'm seriously asking. I want you to answer."

He looked at her.

"Because if that's what you're saying, I don't know you. The Ash I know doesn't give up. It gets hard for him all the time and he hasn't stopped yet. I can't name anyone else who tries as hard as you and never quits."

"But I hardly win, either."

"Big deal," she said, swiftly. "There are people who win all the time, doesn't make them good people, hard workers, or anywhere close to deserving what they have. Some do but not everyone."

She got up from her chair, walked over next to him, and leaned down, putting her hand on his. He was surprised by the gesture. He looked into her eyes.

"I know you're waiting for this because it's what you've always wanted. I get it. But, please, don't let the setbacks keep weighing you down. That's not you. You always bounce back. And, like I said, these are just setbacks. They won't last forever. You're gonna overcome them. Like you always do." She smiled at him. "And when you do win, when you become a Master… and, if you've ever believed me, believe me when I say you will… you're going to know that you earned it. Then… moments like these… they'll be nothing but a memory."

He stared into her eyes. Those eyes of hers. They always got to him, somehow. "You really how to encourage a guy."

"No. I just know how to encourage you. And tell you the truth."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Misty. You're always there for me."

"Always will be."

"And I'm thankful for that."

She held her smile. "So, feeling better?"

"A little."

"That's 'cause you're still so heavy."

He looked at her, sarcastically, "That better be a metaphor."

"Oh, my! You know what the word 'metaphor' means."

"I am taking back my compliment."

She giggled. She tugged on his arm, "Stand up."

"Why?"

"Because I said." She tugged again and realized she was meeting a lot of resistance. "Have you been working out?"

"Here and there."

"Wow." She shook her head. "Anyway, stand up!"

"Okay, okay!" He did as told. "Now what?"

"Example."

"Huh? Of what?"

"What this kind of thinking can do to you."

"How do you mean…" He became suspicious. "…and should I regret asking that?"

She giggled again. "Maybe."

He knew something was up. "This is a set-up."

She smirked. "Ya see…" In a cagey manner, she moved around him. "…holding to all that stress can make you heavy…"

He looked at her and chuckled, "What are you doing?"

"Making a point!" She jumped on his back and they both laughed immediately. They wrestled around for a few second with Ash falling back first on a nearby lawn chair and Misty landing on top of him. They laughed harder.

Ash got a few laughs out, "How old are we again? I could swear we weren't both in our twenties."

Misty laughed. "What's the point of growing up if you never have fun?"

"Careful," he smiled. "You sound like me."

"You tend to rub off on people."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was." She stared at him. "Feel better now?"

He smiled at her. "Actually, yeah."

"See? Mope around like that, let all those bad thoughts in your head… it's like a heavy weight. It crushes you." She smirked, "Sorta like I'm doing now."

He smiled. "First off, you weigh what? 50 pounds, soaking wet. So not the same thing."

"If that was some way to trick me into giving you my weight, nice try."

"It wasn't. I was making a point."

"And that is?"

He paused and stared into her eyes. "That you're a weight that I wouldn't mind carrying."

She smiled. "Really?"

He nodded.

"Not even say… oh, I don't know… forever?"

He got lost in her eyes for a second, "You're stuck with me that long anyway."

She stared right into his. "Works for me."

He paused, slightly confused at her meaning. "Okay, I know what I'm talking about. What are you talking about?"

She giggled quietly. Then placed a kiss on Ash's lips; answering his question. She pulled back and stared into his eyes.

Breathlessly, Ash said, "Yeah… that's… that's what… I was… talking about."

She smiled. "You've always been an impressive person, Ash. Don't you ever sell yourself short again. Otherwise… I'll have to jump on you again."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Their lips met again, for a lot longer this time. In that instant, all of Ash's worries melted away.

Misty lifted up and looked into his eyes. "Mind staying for dinner?"

"Just dinner?" Ash smiled.

She smiled. "See? You have accomplished something. You learned to give a girl who likes you exactly the right answer."

"You're not any girl. You're Misty. It's not hard at all."

She gave him another genuine smile. She was going to get up now and start on dinner but… they both realized how much they enjoyed kissing one another. They would get to dinner.

Eventually.

A/N: So, what did you think? REVIEWS, please! Thanks in advance!

Also, guys, this turned out to be more therapeutic than I intended. For all of 2013, I was dealing with a lot. Essentially and without going into too much detail, I was weighed down by quite a bit. Now, I need to get back to work. I can't quit! I have to finish my book and move on to other areas of my life. I want to thank you all for showing such interest in my work here. I'm constantly wondering what I can write to put out there for you all and, because of all of you, I am able to deal with things easier because I have an outlet. Thank you so much. It means more to me than you will ever know! Take care and be blessed!

T2 Angel