Valentine's Day has once again come, and I decided to put up a little follow-up chapter for this story. I hope you like it.

One Year Later

Valentines Day had once again arrived, and the entire Kanto region was celebrating. Couples everywhere from Lavender Town to Indigo Plateau were out spending the holiday in their own special way. The citizens of Cerulean City were no different as they flooded the streets, heading to various locations with their special someone. This was also true for everyone's favorite Cerulean City Gym Leader. But rather than stay in town Misty was instead standing alone on Lover's Peak, waiting for the boy that stole her heart one year ago.

"Has it really been a year?" she asked herself. In her mind it was hard to believe that it had just been a year since the young Pokémon trainer that she had secretly had a crush on made her dream into a reality. It still felt like a dream, but every day since then had reminded her that this was reality. She was so deep in thought she almost didn't hear the footsteps behind her. She smiled as she felt two arms wrap themselves around her waist and pull her back into a hug.

"What took you so long, Ash?" she asked. "I was starting to think you weren't going to show up."

"Sorry, Mist. I didn't mean to make you wait so long," Ash replied.

"It's okay, Ash. All that matters is that you're here now," Misty said. She turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck before the two kissed. No matter how many times they kissed Misty still felt the same as she did the first time. For those brief moments she was in heaven. When they broke the kiss both of them had smiles on their faces.

"So, what took you so long?" Misty asked again.

"Well, I had to go check on everyone back at the Gym," Ash replied. "I think Brock is going to be permanently scarred with all the Thundershocks Pikachu's used on him."

"Why would Pikachu do something like that?" Misty asked.

"To keep him away from your sisters," Ash replied. Misty laughed at the thought of Brock being constantly Thundershocked by Pikachu every time he tried to hit on her sisters.

"Are you sure Pikachu's going to have enough power for all those attacks?" Misty asked.

"He's a trooper. He'll manage," Ash replied. The two shared a quick laugh.

"Okay, now I know that alone couldn't have kept you busy that long. What else were you doing?" she asked. Ash's face became slightly serious when she asked that. He let her go and backed away a bit.

"Misty... I know we've only really been going out for a year, but I feel as though we've been together ever since you first fished me and Pikachu out of that river all those years ago," he said.

"I know what you mean," Misty said.

"And that's why... I think we're ready for the next step," Ash said. Misty didn't know what he was talking about, but when she saw him reach into his back pocket and pull out a small black box she had an idea where this was going.

"This... this can't be happening! Is he really going to do what I think he's going to do?!" she thought.

"I've realized in this past year that there's no one else I love like you, and there's no one else I'll ever love like you. That day you fished me and Pikachu out of that river was the best day of my life, even if I didn't know it at first," Ash said.

"A-Ash..." Misty managed to stutter out. Before she could say anything else Ash got down on one knee and opened the box, revealing a diamond ring.

"Misty... there's no one else I want by my side... no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with," he said. "Misty Waterflower... will you marry me?" Misty brought a hand to her mouth, tears of happiness flowing from her eyes.

"Yes... yes! YES! I'll marry you, Ash!" she cried. She fell to her knees and hugged Ash. Ash wrapped his arms around her and held her, tears forming in his eyes as well. They pulled away long enough for Ash to place the ring on her finger.

"I've dreamed of this every day for the past year," Misty said. "I can't believe it's actually happening!"

"Believe it, Misty," Ash replied. Misty threw herself into his arms again, kissing him for all he was worth. After what seemed like a lifetime they broke the kiss.

"I love you, Ash Ketchum," Misty said.

"I love you too, soon-to-be Misty Ketchum," Ash said.

"You know, I like the sound of that... Misty Ketchum," she said.

"It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it," Ash said. The two laughed before meeting in another kiss.


Ash and Misty returned to the Cerulean Gym later that day. Once they informed everyone of their engagement the entire Gym was in an uproar, but in a good way. Misty's sisters could have been happier to see their little sister getting married, and Brock congratulated Ash on the engagement (after expressing his disappointment at the fact that Ash got engaged before he could even get a girlfriend). But the happiest one of all outside of Ash or Misty had to be Pikachu. The fact that Ash and Misty were getting married was the best news the Mouse Pokémon had heard in a while.

"Wait a minute! We, like, have to plan everything for the wedding!" Daisy said.

"Yeah, like where it's going to be and when!" Violet added.

"I've already got an idea about that," Ash said. After listening to his suggestion everyone agreed that it was perfect. The date was to be in two months and the location was the river where Ash and Misty first met.

"Now that we, like, know where and when we've got to start getting the invitations out," Daisy said.

"And you, like, need a dress," Lily said. Though Misty was excited about getting married she didn't like the thought of going with her sisters to get a wedding dress. Still, it was a necessary evil she had to endure. The same went for Ash, as he had to deal with Brock helping him find a tuxedo to wear.

"This is something I'm not going to enjoy," Misty said to Ash.

"Me neither, but you've got to keep your eye on the prize," Ash told her. Misty smiled as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck.

"With you as the prize I think I can do that," she said. The two smiled before moving in for a kiss. The next two months would be busy for the both of them.


The two months went by faster than anyone thought, and the day of the wedding arrived. The bank of the river was busy with the sound of people and Pokémon preparing for the most anticipated wedding of the year. Misty had insisted that her sisters, Ash's mother and May be her bride's maids while Ash couldn't think of anyone besides Brock he'd want as his best man. And of course they both picked Pikachu to be the ring bearer. Once everyone was settled in the wedding official started. Ash stood at the altar, waiting for his future wife to make her way down. Brock was next to him.

"You nervous?" he asked.

"Let me put it this way... I'd be more relaxed staring down Lance's Dragonite with nothing but a Magikarp," Ash replied.

"It's only natural you feel this way," Brock said. "Just remember what you said when you first told us you were getting married... 'You've got to keep your eye on the prize'." Seconds later the organ began to play.

"And speaking of the prize, here she comes," Brock said. Ash looked down the aisle. If there was a time where Misty was even more beautiful than she already was Ash knew right now was that time. As she walked down the aisle Ash could see her absolutely beaming. Even her veil couldn't hide her smile from him. As she took her place next to him Ash lifted her veil, gazing into her eyes.

"Well... how do I look?" she asked him.

"Mist... words wouldn't do you justice," he replied. She smiled before the two of them faced the priest.

"Friends, we are gathered here to witness the union between Ashton Ketchum and Mistina Waterflower," he said. "I understand that the bride and groom have written their own vows for today. Ash, you may go first." At that moment all the nervousness in Ash started to rise once again. But once he looked at Misty those feeling went away and were replaced by confidence.

"I'll be the first to admit that we didn't start off as the best of friends. In fact, I wondered just how in the world we could stand being around each other," he said. "But as time passed I couldn't see myself without you by my side. That's why I found it so hard to say goodbye when you had to go take care of the Gym." Misty nodded after everything he said.

"Misty... to say this past year was the best year of my life would be an understatement. To me it was nothing short of heaven. Just having you by my side would have been good enough, but to have you share my feelings made it that much better," he said. As he took his ring and placed it on Misty's finger he finished speaking.

"I picked this location for its symbolic purpose," he said. "This is where we first met, where our friendship first started. And today, this is where our lives together will begin." Misty almost couldn't hold back her tears as she began.

"Ash... our friendship may not have started out in the best way, but in the end I valued your friendship more than anything. It... it really devastated me when I had to leave you for the Gym. I was almost certain that I'd lost my only chance at love," she said. "But then... you came back to me... and made me the happiest girl in Kanto. That was then, and now, you've made me the happiest girl in the entire world." She then took her ring and placed it on his finger.

"Ash, I love you, and I don't want to be anywhere but by your side, now and forever," she said. With their vows spoken the priest spoke once again.

"If there is anyone who feels these two should not be married speak now or forever hold your peace," he said. Of course no one spoke, everyone believing that they truly did belong together.

"Then by the power vested in me by the power of the region of Kanto I pronounce you man and wife," he said. "What has been joined here let nothing come between. You may now kiss the bride." Ash looked at Misty.

"I've been waiting for this moment," he said.

"So have I," Misty said. With that the two shared their first kiss as a married couple.

"I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ash Ketchum," the priest announced. As their friends and family cheered the two continued to kiss, nothing else in the world mattering to them at that moment.


Hours later everyone had decided to leave. Only a few people were left, including Ash, Misty and their closest friends and family.

"I can't believe my little Ashy's married now," Delia said. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom," Ash replied.

"And Misty, welcome to the family," she added.

"Thank you, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty said.

"Please dear, you can call me 'Mom' from now on," Delia said.

"Okay... Mom," Misty said. The two women shared a quick hug.

"Well Ash, looks like you got the upper hand on me this time," Gary said.

"I sure did," Ash replied.

"Just don't let it get to your head," Gary added, slapping Ash on his back. The two ex-rivals laughed.

"Well, I'd better get going," Gary said. "Gramps is going to be busy catching up on everything he missed at the lab today, and something tells me he's going to need my help with that."

"And we, like, need to get back to the Gym," Daisy said. "Those challengers, like, aren't going to stop coming just because there was a wedding today." Misty gave her sisters one last hug.

"Take care, you guys," she said.

"You too," Lily said.

"Take care of our little sister, Ash," Violet said.

"Don't worry," Ash replied. "I won't let anything happen to her."

"We know," Daisy said. As Gary and Misty's three sisters left Delia hugged her son.

I wish I could stay longer but I need to get back to Mimey," she said.

"We understand, Mom," Ash said, returning his mother's hug. "We won't be too much longer."

"I'll be waiting for you two back home," she said. With that Delia left, leaving Ash and Misty alone. The two newlyweds took comfort in finally being alone with only the sound of the river there.

"Today felt like a dream," Misty said.

"I know, only this dream was real," Ash said. The two shared a kiss before a bright light overhead caught their attention.

"What is that?" Misty asked. She and Ash both looked up. There, flying overhead, was a large golden bird.

"Is that?!" Misty said.

"It's Ho-oh!" Ash said. The same Pokémon Ash saw on the first day of his journey had come back and was now circling overhead, filling the sky with glitters of gold each time her wings flapped.

"What is she doing here?" Misty asked.

"I think... she's here to give her blessing to us," Ash said. Misty looked at Ash.

"You think so?" she asked. Ash faced her before answering.

"I do," he replied. The couple smiled and looked back to the sky. Ho-oh was still circling them, giving the sky a beautiful golden glow. They stood there and watched, Misty being held in Ash's arms. Today was the perfect beginning to the rest of their lives, and it all started a little more than a year ago with a simple Valentine's Day visit.


I hope you enjoyed this. Happy Valentine's Day!

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