Word: Hug

Song: Toxic by Britney Spears


Atmosphere was heavy in the club. Sweaty bodies were swaying to the beats of an early 2000's Britney song. Neon lights flickered making anyone dizzy from either the brightness or the rapid blinking.

Pants, moans and breaths were what escaped the lips of most people in the dance floor. You'd think that being in a public place a person wouldn't allow him/herself to lose control and embrace animalistic vibes.

People were no different from Pokémon Ash mused. In the end it all went to basic instincts. No matter how calculated or level-headed a person maybe but given the certain environment and situation anyone could go wild.

And like a predator lurking for his prey, he had eyes on only one thing.

Right there in the middle of the dance floor dressed in a denim boiler suit exposing her bedazzled bra to the world like no body's business was a certain red head that he had once called scrawny.

"Hey man do you have a five?"

The raven head turned his head to see Brock slumped over the table "Don't tell me someone took your wallet, again"

"I thought she really wanted it!" the former gym leader wept "She was getting all handsy"

Sipping his glass of brandy "Because she was wondering where your wallet was in all those pockets of yours"

"Ketchum shut up and just give me a five" Brock groaned.

"How sure would I be that you wouldn't donate it to some random chick in the bathroom again?" Ash teased.

Lifting his head from the table "Very funny"

Ash lifted his drink and gave his friend a smirk "Aw, cheer up, don't worry drink's on me"

"What is it with you Pallet folk, not only do you snug all the Pokémon but you've taken the women too!?"

Patting Brock on the shoulder "First of all, as much as I love Pokémon I don't go for bestiality. Second, it's Gary who takes all the chicks. I'll be passed out in the middle of the street in some unknown city before I get on with a girl"

Glaring at his friend "Yeah right, any woman would flash their chest at the Kanto Champion!"

"If that were true then I'm gonna wear a blindfold whenever I go home to meet mom"

"Come on Ash" Brock rolled his eyes "What are you even doing here sitting in some corner when you could bumpin' and grinding with those hot blondes over there!"

"I'm enjoying my drink; unlike most people here I actually appreciate the fine work the bartender does" Ash said taking another sip.

Brock raised a brow "Don't tell me you swing . . ."

"If I said yes would you stop asking me to hump the waitress every time she passes by?" Ash deadpanned.

Before Brock could reply a loud slap was heard and immediately the boys turned their heads to the source of the sound.

In there they saw a fuming Misty who was clenching her fist and a surprised random dude on the floor.

"Oh oh" Brock rose from his seat "She's not going to . . ."

"From the look on her face that dude probably won't see anything tomorrow" Ash commented also rising.

People who were dancing earlier were now staring at the Cerulean gym leader wondering what wrath she was going to implode on this poor random man. The girl was balling her fist so tight she was practically shaking it. After a moment of anticipation she dropped her fist and just immediately left stomping for the exit.


Misty was immediately greeted by the cold air of Celadon city. She had exited the night club and retreated for the balcony and was greeted by the sight of neon signs, smoke from food stalls, and random cab noises.

When she had first come to Celadon city she hadn't realized of how much sin the city contained. She didn't think that a lady such as Erika would be the leader of a town famous for its casinos and nightclubs.

In fact Misty never even thought she'd even be in one right now.

She looked at the clothes she wore and she didn't know if she should gag or cry, this was definitely not her comfort zone. What on Ho-Oh's land made her wear such a thing? Not even her sisters would convince her to show off her bra.

"Hey Mist you ok?"

Oh yeah that's why she did this.

She refused to face him, this was not one of her best moments, there were worst but still.

"Hey Mist?" he repeated again.

She remained silent and crossed her arms.

"Fine you wanna do it that way?" she then heard a click "Then fine, have it your way"

Misty turned to face him "And you have the audacity to smoke in my presence"

Ash placed his lighter in his pocket "And you have the nerve to give that bloke back there a black-eye"

"He was asking for it" the red head grit her teeth. "He was getting handsy"

Ash nodded "Uhuh" he removed the cigarette out of his mouth and let smoke come out "You were sorta asking for it with that get-up of yours"

"I liked it better when you were the idiot who didn't know better but Pokémon and food" Misty glared "Now you're a chain smoking smart-ass who still doesn't know anything but Pokémon and food"

He did a thumbs-up.

Misty sighed "Ok, it was my fault. But all I did was a slap! I didn't beat him up or anything!"

"I was wondering that, usually by now we're defending you from assault charges"

"I just . . ." she trailed off.

Placing the cigarette back in his mouth "Uh huh"

Wrapping her arms around herself because it was cold "I was just letting my frustrations out . . ."

"Go on . . ."

Misty stared at her silver glittered stilettos "I feel out of place"

"Out of place?" Ash raised a brow "You seemed to be having a good time earlier"

The girl groaned "I take back what I said earlier, you're still an idiot"

"And you're still a girl with more mood swings than a woman suffering from menopause" Ash looked up at the clear dark sky. "Look, if you didn't want to come why did you come?"

"Cause it's the only way I can hang out with you!" she yelled at him.

He took a moment to remove his cigarette "What?"

Misty sighed "Look, we're not little kids anymore. We can't just go off and have adventures like we used to, we have responsibilities now and it's rare for us to take a break."

"What does this have to do with you forcing yourself . . ."

"I dunno!" Misty raised her hands "It's just . . . you of all people have no free time and when you do it's usually casino hopping with Brock . . ."

"Not always" Ash pointed out "We did go to this one . . . magic show in Vegas . . . before . . . playing blackjack . . ." he coughed "And I know you hate doing stuff like that that's why I don't invite you"

She was pretty much glaring at him "That's the thing Ash; you never invite me to anything! You go bar hopping with Brock, mountain-climbing with Gary; deep-sea diving with Max, food-trips with May heck you even went on a shopping-spree with Dawn and Serena!"

"That last one was because I was dating Serena then!" Ash pressed his cigarette on an ashtray "And because I keep getting tickets to fashion shows for some reason"

"So . . ." she turned her back against him "Why didn't you invite me to any of those"

Sighing and rubbing the back of his neck "Well I actually did, but whenever I tried you were either too busy battling kids all day or knee-deep in League paperwork. If it weren't that you were usually going to some foreign conference or something. I guess I just stopped trying after that"

Misty tapped her foot trying to think of a reply but nothing came out.

"Look I understand" he continued "You're probably wondering why the Kanto Champion has more free time than you. Well it's not exactly a fixed schedule, but sometimes I get three months and others I have to be in three regions in one day. And sometimes . . ."

"Get to your point!" Misty growled.

"My point is we don't really have that much time together" he placed his palms behind his neck "Which is why we should be making the most out of it. If you don't wanna go bar hopping then fine we'll go camping, I'm sure Brock wouldn't mind"

She faced her friend "You know that's impossible to do now"

"What camping?"

"Yeah, you know we can't just go pitch a tent in the Viridian forest now" Misty exclaimed "We might get ambushed by trainers who want a chance to challenge the Champion or something"

Ash snorted "You just don't wanna sleep with bugs"

"Ash I'm serious, this has nothing to do with my . . . distaste for a certain Pokémon type"

Before Ash could reply he felt his PokeGear vibrate "Sorry I have to take this" he then took his phone and went to the other side of the balcony.

As her friend left the red head leaned against the balcony and crossed her arms "Idiot, no matter how many championships you hold you still wouldn't get it" she looked up at the stars, which weren't that visible because of the city lights, hoping that Arceus or some other mythical beast would knock some sense into that stupid Pallet trainer.

Despite wearing a denim boiler suit she still couldn't help but feel the chill of the town. This is probably most likely due to the fact that her chest was exposed and there were no buttons to cover them up.

"I hate you Daisy" she said trying to cover her chest with her arms. "Just because he knows how to drink a scotch doesn't mean he looks at boobs now"

"I do actually"

Suddenly some cloth was thrown at her face blocking her view "What was that for!" Misty took off the cloth before realizing it was Ash's coat.

Placing his PokeGear back in his pocket "If you don't want freaky guys touching your chest cover them up will ya" he then went back inside.

Pouting, Misty put on the coat and made sure to button up before following her friend in the club. She had managed to catch up with him as he was walking back towards his table with Brock "So did the League call you up again?"

"Yeah, something about some Mankey smuggling ring somewhere near Fuchsia city" they saw Brock had drunkenly fallen asleep on their table so Ash slammed his palm hard on the table "BROCK! GET UP!"

This act deemed to be useless as the former Pewter city gym leader continued to sleep on his pool of drool. "Jeennneeehhh, wanna plaaaaaeeeyyyy?"

Misty rolled her eyes "Do you want me to pull his ear?"

"No it's no use he'll probably be too drunk to stand up anyway" Ash then took out a Pokeball from his belt "Come on out Scraggy!"

The shredding Pokémon came out and almost immediately tried to head-butt a nearby waitress.

"What the . . . SCRAGGY GET BACK HERE!" Ash said chasing the dual type.

Misty sighed "Somethings never change" and it was at this time that out of nowhere Pikachu jumped unto the girl's shoulder "Oh hey there Pikachu, did you have fun dancing?"

The electric rat squealed at Misty's petting "Chaaaaa"


"You didn't have to drive me back all the way to Cerulean" the red head yawned. After finally getting Scraggy to carry a drunken Brock into Gary's Mercedes Benz E-Class Estate (which Ash stole after the said Oak beat him into a very long game of Backgammon), both the breeder and the Pokémon fell asleep at the back. Pikachu on the other hand fell asleep on Misty's lap throughout the trip.

"Don't worry Koga seems to have everything under control" Ash said as they walked up to the front door of Misty's house.

Misty raised her brow "Then why did they call in the champion if, an Elite Four member could handle it"

Ash shrugged "I dunno, bureaucracy?"

At this the red head snorted.

"What's so funny?"

Misty shook her head "I never thought that you would not only know what that word means but actually use it in a sentence"

Ash paused for a moment "I actually don't know what it means, I just say that whenever someone whines about anything the League does"

"Well" Misty held unto the doorknob "I guess I'll leave you in the hands of League officials and politicians"

The champion gave his friend a look "Hey Mist"

"Ye . . ." before she could say anything she was suddenly wrapped in his embrace. She was taken aback by his gesture, he used to give hugs to everyone when they were kids but now it seems getting a handshake was difficult to get by with him.

She didn't know how long it had been since he held her like this. She realized she missed being in his arm. He was warm, he was holding her tight as though she were to evaporate at any second now and . . . he just felt sincere.

"I'm sorry I can't be with you all the time" Ash mumbled unto her shoulder "This is the best I could do, I hope you're ok with that"

Misty wrapped her tiny arms around him, he had definitely grown a lot. "Take some breath mints next time would ya" she joked "I can smell your cigars from here"

"Sorry"

"It's ok" Misty closed her eyes relaxing "Aside from that, you're still the same old Ash"


As promised another letter, it took me awhile to think of making something non-sexual out of a well sexy song.
Please review.