This chapter is for the prompt 'old flame,' written, as usual, for a writing challenge over at LiveJournal. Again, thank you for the lovely reviews. There's a hint of one-sided Pokéshipping (Ash/Misty) on this part and a potential CanalShipping (Ross/ Misty). In case you're wondering who Ross is, he's the guy Misty beat at the water chariot race in the movie Pokémon Heroes. Also, Paul may be a bit OOC here, but keep in mind that he's on the road to changing his attitude, if not toward Pokémon then at least toward Ash.
Disclaimer: This is only fan fiction and written for non-profitable purpose. Pokémon and its characters are owned by its creator, Satoshi Tajiri, and the media franchise is owned by Nintendo.
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Chapter 3: I LEFT MY HEART IN SINNOH
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"Corsola, Spike Canon!" Spikes shoot out of the Coral Pokémon's body, hurling the sharp projectiles straight to Buizel.
"Dodge it, Buizel and use SonicBoom!" Buizel leaps up and spins around with a quick swing of his tail. The shock wave Buizel propels hits Corsola, sending the small, pink, roundish creature tumbling back like a rubber ball.
"Corsola, no!" Corsola's quick to recover though and a smile slides into Misty's lips as soon as her Pokémon's back up. "All right, Corsola. Let's show Ash your new move." Misty lifts her arm and points a finger straight at Buizel. "Ice Beam, go!"
Perfect. One corner of Ash's mouth twists. "Use Aqua Jet!"
The Sea Weasel Pokémon lifts up his fore-feet and as soon as his whole body is covered with water, he launches in the air, soaring straight to the white icy beam. Buizel, whole body wrapped in the now frozen water, lands on Corsola head on with a deafening crash.
Thick noise reverberates around them, drowning Misty's yells, and a cloud of dust rises from the ground. Ash can't see a damn thing. Once the air clears, they find Corsola lying motionless several feet from the point of impact.
Misty rushes to her friend's side. "Oh, Corsola. You did great. Thank you." She recalls her Pokémon back to its Poké Ball then her green eyes slide over to Ash as soon as she rises up to her feet. "Wow, Ash. Your Buizel sure is powerful."
Buizel crosses his arms, rears up his nose and utters, "Bui, bui," in response to the compliment, no doubt.
Ash rests a hand on Buizel's head. "You were awesome as always, Buizel." To Misty, he says, "How d'you like Buizel's Ice Aqua Jet, Misty?"
"It was amazing. You've obviously been working hard."
"Well, I still aim to become Pokémon Master."
It's been a month and a half since Ash returned home from Sinnoh, the thrill of the league gradually seeping out of his body. He's supposed to be on break but the pent-up energy clogging his veins makes him restless. All his Pokémon seem to share his sentiments. They've all been eager to get back on training so Ash grabs any opportunity for a casual battle just to keep his friends fired up.
They trudge back to Professor Oak's lab to leave both Corsola and Buizel with Tracey so both Pokémon can rest and recuperate. With plenty of time in their hands, they decide to return to the open field. Ash just has to show Misty the newest addition to his Pokémon family.
"Where will you be traveling next?" Misty asks, not removing her eyes from the grassy meadow that stretches before them.
"Not sure yet. Probably Unova. I'll decide once we get there."
The sky has grown dimmer, gray clouds rolling over the smooth mantle of light blue. Misty settles on the ground, pulling her knees close to her chest. Ash slumps beside her with little grace, tucking his feet under his legs.
Bayleef bounds over to them and forces her head between Ash's hand and thigh. Ash strokes the Pokémon's head and her long neck absentmindedly, making her purr.
"Bayyyy, bayyyy," she bleats, rubbing her cheek against Ash's knee. The spicy aroma coming from the leaves around Bayleef's neck tickles Ash's nose.
"I know, Bayleef. I missed you too." Ash stretches his legs before him then leans back, propping himself up against his arms, palms digging into the grass. It feels rather strange not having his gloves on. He's been so used to wearing one that he feels half naked without the woolen material clinging to his skin.
"Bulba, bulbasaur!" he hears Bulbasaur screech. His eyes dart to the other side of the field where he finds Heracross sucking the bulb on the spotted toad's back. Pikachu soon comes to Bulbasaur's aid, hitting Heracross with what Ash can tell is a mild Thunderbolt. It works but as soon as Heracross jumps away, he runs after Sceptile instead, trying to take a bite of Sceptile's leafy tail.
Ash laughs, glad that his Pokémon are giving him the comic relief he needs to lighten the mood.
"Boy, I missed hearing you laugh," Misty says.
Before Ash can utter a response, Gary's familiar voice yelling, "Ash!" reaches his ears. He whips his head around to see his childhood friend and once rival descending down the gentle slope.
Ash pushes himself up and brushes some grass off his jeans. "Hey, Gary," he says when Gary's close enough to hear him. "Quite a surprise to see you here."
"Professor Rowan says I should take a break so I decided to head home for a while, see how things are here in Pallet Town." Gary's eyes slide past Ash's shoulder. "Hey Misty. Long time, no see."
"I know." Misty moves closer to Gary and for a moment, she looks like she's going to give him a hug or something but she doesn't. "I hear you're a successful researcher now."
Gary rubs at the back of his neck, a crooked smile sitting on his lips. "I wouldn't say successful, but the researcher part is more accurate."
Misty hums and says, "Modesty suits you. I like this side of you much better," causing Gary to burst into laughter.
He turns to Ash and throws an arm over Ash's shoulders. "So Ashy Boy. I hear you're going to Unova with Grandpa."
"Next month, yes. I'm so stoked." Truth is, Ash has been marking his calendar, counting down the days 'til he's on a plane heading off to a farther region. The excitement has been gnawing at him, making his skin itch with unbridled enthusiasm.
"Are you planning to get into that region's league?"
"I'll have to check it out first."
Gary drops his arm, takes a step back and stares at Ash as if Ash has morphed into a Charizard. "Where's the impulsive Ash I know?"
Heat surfaces on Ash's cheeks. "Left buried in the ancient ruins of Sinnoh I guess?" Ash is actually wondering the same thing, wondering why he's not making brash decisions. Has he really changed? Old Ash would've simply said 'you bet!' but this new side of him prefers to think things through.
"Well, I'll probably throw myself in the middle of Lake Valor if you say no to a one-on-one battle right now."
"Come on, Gary. You know I'll never turn down the privilege to have a battle with you."
The wide smile that stretches across Gary's face is one Ash rarely sees. "Great. I saw on T.V. that you've defeated a trainer's Electivire." Gary pulls out a Poké Ball. "Let's see if you can defeat mine."
Ash spies Infernape lurking nearby. "You up for this Infernape?"
"Infernape," is the response he gets from his Ape Pokémon, the flame on its head growing bigger.
"Oh jeez!" Misty clasps her hands together, cheek resting against the back of one. "It's been ages since I last saw you both in a battle."
It turns out that Gary's Electivire has grown more powerful since the last time Ash saw it in action. The match doesn't last long though. Ash's Infernape wins in the end.
They spend the rest of the afternoon walking around the open field, careful not to let Ash's thirty Tauros trample them. At dusk, they sit under a tree, leaning against Snorlax's soft body while the large, round Pokémon sleeps. The sky turns from pale yellow to orange to a dull gray as the sun slowly sinks beyond the horizon.
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Ash's mom insists that Misty stays for the night. "I've already prepared the guest room for you, dear," Delia says and Misty finds it hard to decline.
"Thank you, Mrs. Ketchum."
This is a bad idea, Misty reckons. Being around Ash stirs a lot of conflicting emotions and knowing he's just across the hallway makes things worse. Years have rolled by since she realized she has um… special feelings for her younger friend, hasn't been too good in keeping it a secret either. But Ash has been too focused in his dream that she doubts he even thinks about her the same way.
It's sad to think that time has stood between them and they've grown apart somehow. She thought the separation would dull the ache in her heart but it didn't. She still cares deeply for Ash.
Her attempts to talk to Ash about it, maybe ask Ash if they can pick up where they left off – Yeah, right, where exactly did we leave things? – went unnoticed earlier. Ash was too busy showing off his Pokémon and then Gary showed up to ruin her momentum.
Now she's having second thoughts, but she has to know, has to be sure before….
Ash has changed over the years. Maybe this time, Misty will have better chances of getting Ash to admit how he really feels about her. He seems more in touch with his emotions now than the little obtuse kid she knew.
A light knock on the door interrupts her musing. "Misty?" The door opens slightly and Ash head appears though the crack. "Dinner's ready."
The smile that grazes Mrs. Ketchum's lips throughout supper is unadulterated, clear that she's thrilled to have her son around. Ash himself is full of energy and Misty hopes she has something to contribute to Ash's mood. But Ash talks all night about his rival in Sinnoh.
"Paul really has excellent battle strategies. And he's um… nice, too." There's a catch in Ash's voice that makes Misty wonder if Ash is exaggerating. "I wish you would've met him, Mom. You too, Misty. You'll probably find Paul erm… interesting. And his brother, Reggie? He's a breeder. It was awfully nice of him to let us stay at his place when we were in Veilstone. Oh, and did you know there are meteorites there at the park in Veilstone…?"
The rest of Ash's words fail to register when Misty's mind slips into her private little world. Should she ask Ash tonight? Or should she just forget about it and move on with her life?
"Misty? Misty?"
Hearing her name yanks Misty back to reality and she blinks at Ash who's waving both his hands over her face. "Huh?"
"Mom's asking if you want some dessert. She made cream pie."
"Sh-sure."
After dinner, Mrs. Ketchum herds her and Ash to the living room to watch the Sinnoh League competitions that she managed to record. Misty thinks it's probably just a way to keep them occupied so Mr. Mime can do its chores in peace.
"You see that guy, with the purple hair?" Ash is literally on the edge of his seat, gesturing at the television with his finger. "That's Paul."
Misty's eyes are glued to the match currently playing. She's got to admit, this Paul guy is good. Really good. Handsome, too. And his Pokémon are obviously well-trained. No wonder Ash can't seem to stop talking about him. Or is that the only reason? She wonders—
"Isn't Paul awesome? He beat Barry, swept the match three to zero." Ash is staring at the screen, a wistful look on his face. Misty feels a twinge in her chest.
"Yeah. But don't count yourself out, Ash. You're good, too." She doesn't even try to tell Ash he's better. By now, she can tell Ash has sort of placed Paul on a pedestal that Ash will most likely brush off any flattery.
The scene changes onto the next match between trainers that Ash claims he doesn't know. The battle seems less exciting so they just watch in silence. Misty thinks this may be the perfect time to bring it up. She clears her throat, says, "Ash? Remember what I told you, weeks before I had to go back to the Cerulean Gym?"
"What about it?" Ash finally faces Misty, eyes a little unfocused like his mind is elsewhere.
Misty hesitates; soft beeping sounds echoing from the hallway distract her for a moment. She mentally stomps down any uncertainty that's nibbling on her confidence and locks gazes with Ash. "Remember when I told you how I felt – still feel about you? And you said you felt the same way. I was wondering—"
Mrs. Ketchum breezes in saying, "Ash? You have a phone call. It's Paul from Veilstone City."
Ash springs up from the couch and dashes toward the hallway faster than Pikachu's Quick Attack with a rushed "sorryMistywe'lltalklater."
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Paul looks different. The frown that seems to be permanently etched on his forehead is gone, replaced by a serene expression that makes him look blissful somehow. The slight curve on his lips appears to be congenial.
"Hey Ash." Even Paul's voice sound different. It's deeper, the resonating timbre gliding across Ash's skin like a gentle caress.
"Hi Paul. Were you able to have a rematch with Brandon?"
"No. Unfortunately he went back to Kanto, which is why I'm calling." Ash's heartbeat stutters when Paul says he's setting out for Kanto next weekend. "Exactly nine days from now," Paul adds, lips arching up into a genuine smile that makes Ash woozy for a while.
"That's awesome, Paul! Maybe you can stay—" Ash replays Paul's words in his head. Exactly nine days from now. Nine days. "Oh no! We're leaving for Unova in eight days."
Paul casts his eyes downward when he says, "That's too bad." A hint of disappointment crosses Paul's face when his gaze slides back to Ash. "Maybe I'll see you some other time."
"Can't you come earlier?" Ash crosses his fingers, chanting, Please, please, please say yes, in his head.
"'Fraid not. Reggie will be traveling to Verdanturf Town in Hoenn three days from now. I think he's going to pick up several Pokémon that were rescued from a group of poachers. He won't be back until the twenty-first. That means I'm stuck home doing his work."
"Oh." Something heavy settles in Ash's heart.
"There'll be next time, Ash."
The call ends too soon, in Ash's opinion. He wants to talk to Paul more, wants to know what Paul's plans are, wants to ask Paul if he has changed his training methods. But his tongue is frozen in his mouth and all he can do is nod stupidly when Paul says, "Bye, Ash."
Misty is still in the living room when Ash returns, her long red hair partially covering her face. His match against Paul at the Lily of the Valley Conference is flashing across the television screen. Ash is caught in a momentary nostalgia; the yearning to see Paul again burns deep in his chest.
"Sorry about that," he says, sinking next to Misty. "What were you saying?" Ash hears a soft sniff and he reaches out, lays a hand gently on the curve of Misty's shoulder. "Hey. Are you crying?"
"Nah," she says but her fingers ironically slide across her eyes and when she blinks up at Ash, traces of tears are clinging on her lashes.
Ash chooses not to say a word about it. "You were saying?"
Misty releases a long, audible sigh and it takes a while before she starts to speak. "I'm not sure if I should, but I just wanted to know if you still feel the same way about me. You told me once that you like me the same way I like you. But now that I think about it, you were too young then. Too naïve. You probably didn't know that I liked you that way."
"Oh." Ash feels like he just crashed into a concrete wall. "Oh."
"But. Forget about it. At least now I know how you really feel. You see me as nothing more but a friend," she says with what Ash can clearly see is a feigned smile.
Ash's brain refuses to form anything coherent and his mouth struggles for the right words. If he were to be honest, Misty may be right. He does like her, just not in the way she's probably thinking. Or hoping. Hurting her is the last thing Ash wants though, so he says, "H-how can you be so sure?"
A short and rather derisive laugh tumbles out of Misty's mouth. "Don't even try to make me feel better, Ash. It's so like you." She turns to face Ash, dragging one leg up on the cushion and tucking her foot under her thigh. "I know because I can clearly see in your eyes that there's someone else who owns your heart now."
To say Ash is perplexed is an understatement. "Excuse me?"
Misty offers a small smile. "In all the years I've known you, Ash, I've never seen you so captivated over someone as much as you are to Paul."
"I am what?"
"You know what I mean," she says with a shrug. "I've noticed since I arrived this morning that, even though you're here with me, you seem to be somewhere else. You've been talking about nothing but your recent travel. It's as if… as if you left your heart in Sinnoh." She shifts on her seat to face the television, prompting Ash to flick his eyes to the screen.
The match has progressed to Pikachu against Paul's Froslass and Ash remembers that scene so well as if it happened yesterday.
"The reason why I wanted to know is because… well," Misty worries her lower lip, her gaze falling on the table in front of them, "do you remember Ross? The guy we met at Alto Mare?"
Ross. Who's Ross? Oh yeah, the boat guy. "Uhuh. I remember him."
"He''s living in Cerulean City now, working in the new Aquarium just a few blocks away from my gym. He um… he asked me out and I told him I'll think about it. Maybe it's because I'm still hoping we can… I don't know. I guess I was hoping now that we're older – you're older – we can start dating."
Ash is filled with so many emotions – too many to name. "Oh Misty."
"I'm tired," she says then places a chaste kiss on Ash's cheek. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Ash."
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Before Misty departs for Cerulean City the next morning, she wraps her arms around Ash, says, "Learn from my mistakes, Ash, and tell Paul how you feel. Don't wait for him to make the first move," leaving Ash infinitely puzzled, wondering what she means.
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