A few weeks after Ash called Misty, she decided it would only be right to visit Delia Ketchum, Ash's heartwarming mother. Misty loved Pallet Town. She considered it her second home. Delia Ketchum was always so welcoming to Ash and his friends on their stays there. When Misty started taking over the gym, Delia told her that she could stay in Pallet whenever she wanted. She thought of Misty as a daughter she never had.
On Misty's walk to the small white house, she remembered Christmas Eve at the Ketchum residence. She found Brock crying and missing home. Brock and Misty always loved going to Ash's house, but they missed their families in Pewter and Cerulean, but thanks to Delia, Professor Oak, and Ash, they felt welcomed and had a wonderful holiday.
She also remembered the "Mistletoe Fiasco". On the way back to Pallet Town, the trio, Pikachu and Togepi participated at a Christmas Party at the Pokémon Center in Viridian City. Nurse Joy had hosted a party, and well…Ash and Misty got stuck under the mistletoe…together. Misty was just fine with it, because she wanted to kiss Ash anyway. But Ash, being the dense 13 year old he was, panicked and crashed into the refreshment table. Although when the gang got to Pallet Town for Christmas, Ash and Misty forgot about it; she still thought it was one of the most embarrassing moments in their travels together though.
Misty came up to the small house and saw Mr. Mime sweeping the front porch, while Delia was watering her garden.
"Hi Delia!" she said.
"Oh! Misty dear! What a surprise!" Delia said surprisingly perky.
"Well, I just thought I should give you and Professor Oak a visit. I haven't been in Pallet since Ash left for Sinnoh." Misty smiled at the older woman.
"You are always welcome here, hon. Here, let Mimey take your bags. Do you mind staying in Ash's room like last time?" Delia said.
"No, not at all. And thank you, Mimey." Misty said politely.
"Mime! Mr. Mime!" ("Sure! No problem!")
Delia led the way into the house. Mimey took Misty upstairs into Ash's room. He opened the door, very gentleman like.
"Great…Mimey is 1000 times more of a gentleman than 50 Ashes combined." She thought.
"Mime Mime! Mr. Mime!" ("Here you go Misty!")
"Thanks Mimey, you're one great host!" Misty said while hugging the Mime Pokémon.
Mimey blushed, "Mime Mime Mime! Mime Mime Mr. Mime!" ("No problem, Misty! Delia will have dinner ready soon!") With that, Mimey closed the door so Misty could relax for a little bit.
But that didn't last long. Misty came right back downstairs to help Delia with some cooking. Ever since Ash left for Hoenn, Misty took cooking lessons from Delia. Now that she didn't have Brock to rely on for her meals, Misty had to learn how to cook.
"What are we making tonight Delia?" the gym leader asked.
"Well dear, we're making spaghetti and meatballs, salad, and garlic bread. I invited Professor Oak and Tracey over as well." The housemother said.
Misty started to toss the salad while Delia started cooking the garlic bread. Mimey was setting the table and letting the noodles cook. After about 40 minutes, dinner was ready to be served.
Just on time, Professor Oak and Tracey were knocking at the front door.
"I'll get it!" Misty yelled.
When Misty opened the door to let the professor and watcher in, she noticed that there were three unexpected visitors.
"Like, hey Misty!" Daisy yelled while hugging her youngest sister tightly.
"Um…Hi Daisy. What are you three doing here?" Misty asked.
"We like, came to visit Mrs. Ketchum, and hang out with Daisy's boyfriend!" Lily smiled.
Misty still wasn't so sure of the fact that all three of her sisters were in Pallet Town just to visit Delia and hang with Tracey.
"I invited them, Misty." Tracey said sheepishly.
Delia butted in, "Come in! Come in! We have PLENTY of food for all of us!"
Everyone ate their dinner and enjoyed everyone's company. Misty noticed that Tracey was not acting like himself. He wasn't talking at all and whenever Daisy and he made eye contact, he looked away nervously.
After dinner was put away and finished, everyone was sitting around the table telling stories. Daisy, Violet, and Lily told stories about Misty when she was a baby; the youngest sensational sister did not enjoy this one bit. Professor Oak told funny stories about what Ash's Pokémon do all day. Finally, Delia shared funny neighbor stories and baby Ash stories, which Misty laughed at…a lot!
Although, Misty still noticed that Tracey was very nervous, she just couldn't understand why. She hoped that he wasn't going to break up with Daisy, it would just crush her. Then Misty noticed that Tracey was trying to settle down everyone at the table.
"Everyone, I'd like to make an announcement." He started.
Suddenly, everyone became silent.
"Wow… good job, Trace!" Misty thought.
"Um…Daisy…" Tracey started, "I know we've been dating for a while, and I really do love you. Heck, I love everything about you! Your hair, eyes, smile, laugh, and personality. You don't even have to try to be a sensational sister around me, I love you just the way you are…and I always will."
He started to get up from his chair and got down on one knee.
"Daisy Waterflower…will you marry me?"
Delia, Samuel, Violet, Lily, Misty, and especially Daisy gasped. This was so unlike Tracey. Everyone awaited Daisy's answer.
"Like…YES TRACEY I WILL!" she shouted and kissed Tracey.
The sensational sisters pulled Tracey into a group hug.
"Like, welcome to the Waterflower family, Tracey!"
Misty on the other hand didn't want a group hug; she wanted to give Tracey a congratulatory hug herself.
"Misty?" Tracey asked, wondering why she didn't give him any acknowledgement.
Misty ran up and hugged him very tightly.
"Thank you for making my sister happy, Tracey."
The sensational sisters, Tracey, and Professor Oak went back to lab, while Misty stayed with Delia. Mrs. Ketchum realized that Misty didn't look like herself. After her sisters, Tracey, and Professor Oak left, Misty went up to Ash's room to sleep. Although, that wasn't exactly what she was doing.
Misty was looking at some old photos in Ash's room from their journeys. Back then they were only ten, not caring about the world around them. All that mattered was their friendship and new types of Pokémon.
Now, here they were 17 years old and living very different lives. Ash, still traveling all around the world, saving it, and living his dream; and Misty, taking a job that she didn't necessarily want and trying to prove herself to her sisters and the Kanto elite four.
"How could this all change in 7 years?" Misty thought.
She was getting kind of bored, so Misty looked through Ash's closet. Basically, Misty found what was in every 17 year old boy's closet; shoes, old ratty clothes, stuffed animals that they didn't want anyone to look at, underwear….Misty shuttered at this, and more photo albums?
"Hm…what's this?" Misty said out loud.
Misty opened the albums; it started with baby pictures of Ash. Misty cooed and awed at the little naked Ashy, and giggled at the blackmail. The next few pictures showed Ash and Gary as toddlers and young children, most of which, Ash was crying in the pictures. She then looked at pictures of Delia and Samuel with young Ash and Gary and finally one last picture of Ash and Gary with Delia and Samuel the day before their journeys.
Misty was filled with emotions, laughter, curiosity, and happiness. From all those pictures, Misty could feel like she was living Ash's childhood life with him. She then opened the next album that read "Ash's Kanto/Orange Islands/Johto Journey". Misty smiled, because in all of the pictures, she could relive those wonderful moments again.
For the rest of the evening, until early morning, Misty looked at all of Ash's photo albums up until his current journey. Laughing, crying, and so many other emotions, Misty felt. Half of which she felt because it seemed like she missed out on so much of their teenager years in just two years. Misty knew that she had to talk to Ash very soon, because she couldn't stand another day without hearing his voice.