Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. I just thought I should mention that in case anybody was confused or something.
Sweet Home Pallet – Homecoming
"Hey Kasumi, I'm glad I finally got through to you," Scarlet spoke into her cell phone as she sat around a table with her friends. "I didn't get the chance to congratulate you on last nights show before your boyfriend whisked you away from us all on some kind of romantic whim."
"Yeah, not many did," Kasumi replied as she readjusted her sunglasses. "Guess what, that boyfriend with the romantic whim proposed," Kasumi said her voice lacking the enthusiasm expected from such an event.
"By propose you mean . . ." Scarlet trailed off more excited about the way things were than Kasumi herself.
Kasumi made the appropriate noises as Scarlet seemed to continue without prompting.
"Please tell me you said you'd think about it and not straight out no," Scarlet begged. "You know it's unhealthy to be holding onto the boy like you are."
"I said yes," she stated nonchalantly.
"And you know what's even more unhealthy?" Scarlet continued, "bringing up a guys hope like this on the chance that you may actually be in love with him and not someone else. Are you sure that was the best idea?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out," Kasumi sighed.
"Look, why don't you come round to the café? Krysanthia and the rest of them are here and you can show off that cute little rock that's probably sitting in your bag right now and not on your precious little ring finger knowing you," Scarlet sighed exasperatedly at Kasumi's obvious behaviour.
"It doesn't fit," Kasumi replied as she shifted awkwardly in her seat attempting to defend her neurotic behaviour.
Scarlet seemed to ignore this explanation and moved right along in the conversation with only a condescending 'uh-hun' to acknowledge Kasumi's hardly believable defence. "Where are you right now anyway? The connection is terrible."
"I'm in Kanto," she sighed glancing at a sign along the road with 'Welcome to Cerulean' written in big bold letters. "It seems like I'm going home."
"Oh god," Scarlet exclaimed only seconds before the phone went dead.
Ashton Satoshi Ketchum, the worlds youngest Pokemon Master, though not as young as he used to be, collapsed tiredly into his couch after what could quite possibly have been the longest day of his life. And as we all know, it's about to get longer.
It had been a very long day today and he was afraid it would never end. It seemed there was just too much to do and not enough sunlight to do it as his workload became heavier and heavier. He could barely remember the last time he had a day to himself, he didn't think he ever had in the last couple of years, but at least now he was making a good start.
He closed his eyes trying to get a few moments rest before he would have to tend to all his Pokemon and start on his training as he did most evenings. He was surprised that his hectic schedule allowed him to sleep at all, but what little he got was a god sent.
But today was not one of those days where sleep would come easily to the young Pokemon Master, it seemed some one had other plans for him which demanded that he remained conscious at least for a little longer.
Just as he felt his eyelids grow heavy and his thoughts moved into the pleasant realms of fantasy the turn of wheels and the crunch of gravel made him think otherwise.
"Go away," he called sleepily as he tried to make himself comfortable on a two-seater couch which barely held half of his six foot two figure.
He waited to hear the sound of tyres moving in the opposite direction along his drive way, but it never came. Instead came the annoying, ear bursting sound of a hand being pressed against the cars horn.
"Fine I'm coming," he yelled angrily as the noise stopped and he walked towards his door. Boy was he going to give this person a piece of his mind for interrupting his precious sleep time.
But what met his eyes made him change his mind just a little, for now at least.
"How can I help you miss?" Ash asked smiling appreciatively as he looked her up and down taking in every perfect curve and not yet realising whom she was. He was going to be as charming as possible until something told him otherwise.
Misty Kasumi Waterflower glared at him under her Gucci sunglasses. Maybe if he had seen that he would have known better than to mess with this red head, but then again she had always been his weakness.
"Ash Ketchum get your lazy stubborn ass down here right this instant and give me back my ring. Please," she asked/yelled at him as she lifted the sunglasses off her head so she could get a better look at him.
The seven years apart had been kind to the boy she used to know. You could see that he had matured but one thing still remained the same, he had the same youthful, naïve, chocolate brown eyes that still haunted her dreams every night that pierced right through her soul. If possible, he was even more handsome now than when she had left him all those years ago.
"Misty!" he exclaimed as he recognised the telltale fiery red hair, the cerulean blue eyes and the infamous 'Waterflower glare' that was cast across her ever perfect features.
He knew it was time to runaway, that if he didn't take this time to run away right this instant he would be reintroduced to her mallet that is on the off chance that she hadn't found something bigger and better in Emerald City. He knew that staying on that porch was a death wish in its own right but he just couldn't quite compel his feet to move or his eyes to look away.
Misty walked up the steps towards him her whole aura intimidating, maybe even more so than usual, as she got closer and closer.
But Ash stood his ground as he stared down at her taking a few moments to notice how perfectly her chosen outfit of black boots, a black and white cow print skirt and cream shoulder-less turtleneck accented her already perfect figure.
"It's great to have you here Myst," Ash said sarcastically as she glared up at him from a threatening five foot seven inches. "So how are you? What brings you back to little old Pallet after seven years of not even a phone call or letter just to say hey?"
She tried not to be phased by his comments despite the truth and pain they held for her. She wasn't going to back down or break out into tears like she wanted to, or even fall into his arms like she could have years ago, she had come too far, she was so close to getting over him that she couldn't just let him break down all her walls like that.
Her eyes scanned over his fingers for the prized possession she had come all the way from Emerald City to collect. He had promised her he would never take it off, that he would keep it with him forever. He had lied.
It wasn't where it was supposed to be and now that she actually thought about it she could only remember one or two times when it actually had been there.
'Do I mean so little to him?' she thought to herself sadly for a second before focusing on the supposed meaning of her visit and her fiancé waiting for her back in her new home.
She promised herself then and there that the moment he handed over her ring she would be done with him forever and she would never think of him again. She would finally get over him just like she had promised herself from the beginning and this would be the first step in the right direction.
"I'm fine," she told him smiling sarcastically sweet at him. "Now where's my ring?"
"Like I'd tell you," he said before opening the door and slipping inside.
"The only reason you're not giving it to me right now is to piss me off," she yelled at him. "You happy now, cause guess what? It's working.''
"No," Ash replied. "The only reason I'm not giving it to you is because you've turned into a bitter old hag and think you're so much better than the rest of us just because you picked up a new accent in that flash faultless city of yours. So screw you, and screw your precious little ring." And with those last words of 'encouragement' he slammed the heavy wooden door in her pretty little face.
"Oh real mature Ketchum," she yelled through the door as she slammed her fist into it several times too caught up in her anger to even notice the pain she was inflicting onto herself and the small dents that were appearing on the wooden panels.
"That's what I though too," he yelled back at her.
Ash smiled smugly to himself as he dusted his hands and walked away from the door and, for as long as she would let him, her too. He stopped suddenly and ran to the back door as he suddenly remembered that it was unlocked glad to find he had beaten Misty to it.
He guessed that Misty wasn't nearly as smart as she always made herself out to be.
Too bad he had underestimated the feisty red head, yet again.
He smiled proudly as he grabbed himself a beer from the fridge and marched proudly towards the lounge closing the front door as he did.
'Wait,' he thought freezing in mid step. He groaned as he did a double take on things knowing for sure that he hadn't left the front door open.
"You know, you really shouldn't lock someone out when they know where the spare key is hidden," a familiar voice called from behind him carrying that ever present note of arrogance and sarcasm.
Ash spun around slowly and there she was again sitting on his bar stool gently petting his prized Pokemon acting as if it and this entire place were her own.
He took a deep breath and counted back from ten trying his best to resist that distinct urge to strangle her to death right about now.
"You know Myst, that's the thing about spare keys," Ash replied trying his best to keep a calm even, non-committal tone, "it would help if a person would tell you where they hid it."
"Whatever Ash," she muttered to him. "Just give me what I came for and I'll go, you'll never see me again and all will be back to normal."
"Sure, typical of you Myst just walking out on things," he hissed at her barely even grasping the meaning of his own words. "Just walk on out before people get too close for your liking, just like you always do."
"I did not walk out on you Ash Ketchum," she stated angrily, "so don't even try to imply that I did. The only reason I'm here is for my ring and the sooner I get it the sooner I'm gone."
"I bet your folks don't even know you're here," he speculated watching her reaction. Her angry scowl disappeared for a second as she was hit by the harsh reality of his words. "Gees, that pretentious little city of yours has changed you a lot more than I thought Misty."
"Oh, and what's that supposed to mean?" she said bitingly trying to rid herself of the sting left from earlier comments and the sickly feeling of guilt in her stomach.
"It's supposed to mean that you're my best friend who I haven't seen for about seven years and the first thing you say to me is 'where's my ring?'" Ash commented angrily looking down at her from a towering height that made her feel more insignificant than a bug. The look of utter disappointment was enough to make her skin crawl with shame. "No hey Ash, old buddy, old pal, how's life treating you? Had any nice battles lately? Caught any interesting Pokemon? Not even a good old fashioned how are you?
"You'd think you had walked into the house of a complete stranger," he finished resignedly.
"Maybe I have," she replied sadly without even thinking.
Ash looked at her sympathetically for a second but changed his mind.
The old Misty he would have taken in with open arms. He would have told her how much he missed her after all these years and how much she truly meant to him, but this Misty wasn't worth it. She wasn't worth his time or his words and when all was said and done that's all he had to give her, all that would ever come close to what she had in Emerald City.
"Whatever Misty," he sighed taking one last look at her as he grabbed the cordless phone off its cradle. "All I know is that you just broke into my house and even down here in Pallet that's considered a criminal offence."
Ash quickly shut yet another door in her face before she had the chance to argue back.
He didn't want to hear what she had to say anymore. Perhaps he was finally giving up on Misty, but then perhaps it had all only just begun.
'Damn you Ash Ketchum,' Misty thought to herself as she absentmindedly ran her hand through Pikachu's silky, golden fur.
She was reminded of what a good a job he had always done in taking care of his Pokemon. They were always like a family to him and for a long time she had been a part of that family.
He doesn't mean it the electric mouse told her as he noticed the forlorn expression on her face.
"No he does," she sighed looking away from the mouse's questioning eyes. "And what's worse is that he was right."
She sighed again as she looked out the window. It was almost sunset and the brilliant shades of red, orange and purple had already begun to creep their way into the horizon.
She couldn't remember seeing anything so beautiful since she had left for the city life and she missed it almost as much as she missed Ash.
'Don't cry,' she told herself as she felt the moist drops collecting in her eyes. She didn't want to cry anymore, she had too much on the line to cry. 'Crying won't solve a damn thing.'
She had already cried far too many tears for Ash Ketchum and for a long time she had thought she was done with that.
How she wished things were different right now?
She didn't want to be angry with Ash or for him to be angry with her. She wanted to be able to walk through that door and act like they hadn't been apart for as long as they had. She wanted things to be the way they used to but she knew she had thrown that away years ago.
A knock on the door brought her away from her thoughts.
Ash finally stalked out of his room smiling smugly as he went to greet whoever was at the door. She tried to ignore her racing heartbeat as she noticed that familiar gleam of mischief sparkling in his eyes.
"Well it's a pleasure to see you this evening Officer Femesse," Ash said loudly emphasizing the word 'Officer' for Misty's benefit.
She gulped slightly at the word. She really had thought that he was joking when he told her he was calling the cops that they would work things out how they usually do, with a good old shocking from Pikachu. She didn't think Ash would take it this far.
"Gees, what's with the formalities Ash," the officer replied as he walked into the lounge and spotted Misty. "If you're trying to impress her with your Pokemon Master connections then bringing down the town sheriff probably isn't the best idea."
"Take a closer look," Ash suggested throwing Misty a distasteful look as she giggled at the officer's comment. "I want her arrested for breaking and entering."
"Excuse me but I didn't break in," Misty stated glaring at Ash and sending him a distasteful look of her own. "I used a key," she said holding up the key as evidence.
"Yeah, after I locked you out," Ash argued.
"Whatever, you were there so I don't think it counts as breaking and entering," she replied sarcastically.
"Sure, you walk into my house without my permission and that's not breaking and entering," he answered in the same sarcastic tone.
"I used the key you keep under the flower pot and that's the only thing I broke when I kicked it over because you were being so damn immature," she hissed.
"This coming from the girl who just kicked over a flower pot because I shut a door in her face and followed me around all because of some bike," he muttered.
The officer's eyes flicked from one person to another slowly putting two and two together. He would recognise that childish banter – that chemistry – that went on constantly between the two when they were at ends with each other just about anywhere, that voice and the glare flowing across her features made it clearer still. The bike thing just clinched the deal.
"Wait a second," Officer James Femesse said stopping the argument. He did as Ash told him and took a closer look at his worthy opponent. "It couldn't be . . . Misty Waterflower?"
"In the flesh," she replied with a smile forgetting about her argument with Ash. "Now you wouldn't go and arrest little old me, would you James?" she asked him sneaking a sly glance at Ash as she pulled the patented puppy-dog look she had perfected over the years.
"That depends," James sighed. "Misty, did you enter Ash's house without his permission?"
"Maybe, just a little," she replied innocently gesturing modestly to prove her point.
"I'm sorry Misty but I'm going to have to take you in," James replied sadly. "Don't worry you can have your old cell and everything."
Misty forced a smile onto her face as James placed the cuffs on her wrists after Ash specifically asked him to, her being a rather dangerous criminal who was suspected to be armed with a mallet and all. She had tried to convince James that it was completely unnecessary but he replied by telling her that it wasn't very often that he got to do this and she complied woefully.
"They suit you Myst," Ash smiled smugly as James led her away.
"I'm not through with you Ketchum," she hissed vehemently glaring at him through her red bangs. "Next time we'll see who's wearing the handcuffs."
"Gees Misty," he called after her. "I didn't realise you were into that kinky sort of thing."
The only reply was an infuriated "ARRGH!!!"
to be continued
Finally updating something. The worst part is that I've already completed the next three chapters of this story so I have no excuse for taking so long.
So if you want to see that next chapter, please review and if there is still interest in this story, I will try my best to put the next chapter up as soon as possible.
