Chapter 10:

I did agree to help Misty… thought Gary. But did I do it just because I wanted to be seen with her? Is Misty really that important to me or is it just a crush I developed?

He thought back to the time he held her close to his body while dancing. She felt warm, and nice, and comforting… and yet… He didn't know how to frame his thoughts properly. She felt miles away…like she belonged to someone else… I was holding her but it felt like it was just a shadow I was trying to grasp…

Gary walked across the Grass Pokemon Enclosure, his hands in his pocket, staring at the sky.

She like these stars… bright, fiery, powerful enough to scorch anyone who tries to get too close to her… And she is always…sacrificing for others… the thought made him smile sadly. Just like a falling star… She brings happiness to others, not minding her own fate…

Yes… she is definitely like these stars… beautiful and desired by anyone but belonging to no one in particular…

She guides others like a beacon…like the Pole Star when they are lost…

She watches over millions… and yet… she is alone up there… surrounded by darkness.

Stunning. Magical. Lonely.

Gary ran his fingers through his hair, letting a soft sigh escape.

If I were in Ash's place… I would have never let go…

Ash never realized how lucky he is…

…and yet he's unlucky because he's lost her, now.

Gary froze, his eyes glued to the white figure flying north high up in the sky. It was a bird with a wide wingspan and milky white in color. Is that a Lugia!? Gary couldn't believe his eyes. No way! Before he could even decide to follow it, it was already gone.

"GARY?"

Gary whirled hearing his name.

He saw Tracy standing behind him, yawning…

"What're you doing out here? Don't you want to sleep?" asked Tracy.

Gary looked back at the sky. His Lugia was nowhere in sight. Gary sighed and turned to Tracy. "I guess I need to get some sleep." He looked at Tracy. "What are you doing out here?"

Tarcy frowned thoughtfully. "I heard vibrations in the air that felt like Lugia doing out here?"

Tarcy frowned thoughtfully. "I heard vibrations in the air that felt like Lugia's supersonic emissions," he said. "But I don't see one here… May be it was some 's supersonic emissions," he said. "But I don't see one here… May be it was some other Pokemon… Did you see anything?"

Gary's eyes widened. "Then I really saw a Lugia…" he murmured to himself.

"What did you just say?"

Gary looked at Tracy. "I saw something white flying northwest!" he said excitedly. "And I thought it was Lugia because it was incredibly smooth and fast. I was just thinking of following it when you called my name."

Gary's infectious enthusiasm caught Tracy. "Fine! I'll go get my book and we'll see if we can spot it," said Tarcy. "If it was flying northwest, there's no water body there. The only place where it can find a large enough resting point will be Lake Cascade near Cerulean City!"

Gary nodded in agreement and Tracy sped off indoors.

Cerulean City… thought Gary. Is that a coincidence?

There was only one way to find out. He had to follow the Lugia.

-

"I'm so glad you're here, Brock!" May threw her arms around his neck in relief when he appeared before her, landing on her bed. the impact of the embrace knocked him back with May over him. "I'm sorry I disturbed your sleep."

"No, its really okay May," said Brock, gently pushing her back in an attempt to get up. "If you disturbed me, then the matter must be pretty serious. Sleep doesn't matter."

May nodded and sat crossed-legged on the bed, facing Brock.

"Tell me what happened," said Brock. "You know I'm always there, don't you?" he stroked her head like a caring older brother.

May nodded. "I was doing something I shouldn't have," she said. "It makes me look bad, but…" she shrugged. "You know Ash's mom wanted to talk to Misty, right?"

Brock nodded.

"Well, Ash and I saw her with Gary walking out of the woods. They looked pretty good actually, talking cheerfully, almost like a couple," said May. "And Ash started acting weird. Misty was a bit weird too, but then, she's always been weird… Gary looked pretty casual. Well, we told her that Mrs. Ketchum was looking for her and Ash told her she could stay at his place. And she debated with Gary to whether go home, stay the night at Prof. Oak's or Ash's. finally, Ash told her his mom would decide for her."

"Misty left then?"

"Yeah, she went to see his Mom."

"Then?"

"Ash and Gary started a word war, you know… pretending they were discussing fishing…" said May frowning. "Only that the fish they referred to was Misty. though their tone was light, there was a grim feeling to it, and I finally managed to drag Ash away."

Brock frowned. "Gary had an argument with Ash…? That too over Misty? this is serious…"

"I don't know what conversation Misty had with his mom, she looked happier and livelier when we go home."

"Who, Misty?"

"No, Ash's Mom. She looked more happy than I've ever seen her," said May, "but…there was disappointment in her eyes as well… I don't know if I imagined it, but…"

Brock patted her shoulder. "Its okay…"

"And then, Ash asked whether Misty had left and she said Misty was sleeping upstairs and insisted that Ash should talk to her tomorrow morning and drop her home."

"And Ash refused?"

"He half refused, looking almost spiteful."

Brock raised his eyebrows.

"he was referring to Gary. Gary had offered to drop her home tomorrow morning."

This sure is confusing… thought Brock.

"But his mom insisted and he agreed and went up to bed. his mom and I followed him a moment later," said May. "And I couldn't sleep after that… I heard someone pacing in the room opposite mine. Then I heard a door open after about one hour of pacing, so I opened my door too – just a tiny crack – and peered into the dark."

May drew her knees to her chin. "And I saw Ash knock on the door of his old bedroom. Misty opened the door after a few knocks and he went inside. I could hear their voices but they were so soft and snappy, I couldn't catch what they said. Then one of them turned the light on and after a few seconds, turned it off."

Ash went to Misty's room in the dark? What's going on?

May then told him the only bit of the conversation she'd heard and Brock's eyes widened.

"May… I don't know…" Brock said when she paused. "Ash and Misty… its true they've been hell close to each other before… but, I don't think they're in a relationship or something…" he shook his head. "Misty certainly isn't the type who gets involved like that so soon…"

Why am I even talking about this? Wondered Brock. Could it be possible…? No. Certainly not after Ash left her four years ago.

"But I told you, didn't I?" May pressed. "Ash said he's broken her hearts countless number of times before!"

"Broken her heart – yes," said Brock. "But they weren't involved like this, May… Hell. They weren't even dating each other."

"But-"

"Don't worry about Ash and Misty being that way, May," said Brock. "Trust me, they were never like that. Misty's been yearning to hear him say 'I love you' to her for years and he hasn't even said 'I like you' to her. Frankly speaking, I think she's given up hope now. Either Ash never saw her feelings, or he decided to ignore them." Brock shrugged. "I try not to butt into their personal lives, so I don't know if he even felt like that for her."

May frowned.

"He's still in her room?" asked Brock.

"What? No. They went downstairs after some time," she said. "And Misty looked like she didn't have control over herself. either she was drugged or she was really very tired, because she couldn't even balance herself. Ash helped her get downstairs."

"Then?" Brock rompted.

May hung her head embarrassed. "I know I did wrong, but I followed them downstairs and hid myself in the living room," she said. "They were in the kitchen, talking casually for a few moments…"

She then related everything she had seen and heard to Brock.

"I know what passed was private matter between them, but I really have to know more, Brock," May said sadly. "I don't know whom to believe… I mean Misty said such mean things about Ash and I know Ash is such a wonderful person – I don't know what to believe!"

She gazed at Brock's thoughtful face with a despairing sad gaze of her own.

Brock put his arm around her, moving closer to her. "Everything that you heard, May…" he said softly "is true – true to every word… Of everyone I've ever met in this life, May, I have never met two people like Ash and Misty. Complete opposites of each other and yet balancing each other in their own unique way… Where Ash is right now – the position he holds as a famous Pokemon Trainer – is because of Misty."

May gaped at him.

"Misty's been the most important and most influential person in his life," said Brock. "Sure they've been fighting over everything ever since the moment they set eyes on each other, but then again, they're the weirdest people I've ever met. There's no stronger friendship I've seen between anyone else."

"But this last argument they had-"

"-I know what you're thinking…" Brock cut in. "But you must know this, May, Misty always has the best interests for Ash. She is the nicest girl I've ever known… Her relationship with Ash has always been more than friendship, and I've always known that she has more affection for him than she shows."

"Misty loves him…"

"Of course," said Brock. "It is so simple to see that in her eyes, that its almost difficult to know Ash doesn't realize that at all."

"Ash doesn't love her then?"

Brock shrugged. "He's the other person whose way of thinking doesn't make sense to me. Sure, he's great with Pokemon, but… he isn't all that knowledgeable with real humans… At times he makes me wonder if he is a human or a pokemon…"

Ma closed her eyes. "So all that Misty said is true?"

"As true as you can say Pokemon exist in this world," said Brock. "And yet, their relation is way more complicated than we can imagine. I cant say how progressed Ash is in this thing, but Misty definitely breaks all barriers in this thing."

"Meaning?"

"Ash only has to think it and Misty already knows what he's thinking," said Brock. "How she manages to do it, its beyond me. She knows what Ash wants, what he's feeling, what he likes, when he's hungry, what he likes to eat – except that she didn't know how to cook, though I believe she can cook well now…" Brock smiled at the memory. "She's been really caring, you know. And she's really good at healing people when they're ill. She took great care of us when we were ill…nursed us back to health with her own fiery temper in no time…

"There were times when Ash almost drowned and each time, Misty was the one who threw herself in to save his butt. She's brave when she needs to be and she's the only one who knows how to keep Ash's temper in check…" Brock sighed. "But why am I telling you all this? If I were to tell you everything about Misty and Ash, this lifetime wouldn't be sufficient. There are so many things she speaks through her eyes, through her teasing, through her caring actions… She's the most expressive girl I've known…"

May sighed. "She loves Ash…does he love her back?"

"You heard her singing today," said Brock. "You know how expressive her singing was… My heart wrenched, May, listening to her… It sounded like she was imploring him to see the love she has for him…" he shook his head in disgust. "I stood there helpless to help her when she was crying in pain. Ash is insulting her feelings, May… and it isn't fair. For everything she's done for him…its ungrateful of him to treat her like that… Ash owes her a debt he cant ever repay… and yet…." Brock got up. "He's the same old dork as always… he never thinks."

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this before?" she asked Brock. "Surely, one of you could've mentioned few things about Misty even if in the passing."

Brock shrugged. "Ash refrained from the topic," he said. "And I didn't feel like dragging it every now and then if Ash didn't want to be a part of it. I know I kept in touch with her, and that's good enough for me."

May shook her head. "And to think I was feeling jealous of her…"

"Oh, you don't know anything," said Brock. "All you know about her is that she was a good friend of Ash and now the Gym leader of Cerulean City. Your brother, Max, knows a little about her which you don't."

May raised her eyes up in surprise. "Max knows something about Misty?"

"Of course. You remember the last time we met her, she took care of Max all through that stormy night we all got separated?"

"Yes."

"What change have you noticed after that night?"

May frowned and then gasped, covering her lips with her fingers. "Oh gosh!"

"He's been respecting you and trusting you more, hasn't he?" Brock voiced her thoughts staring at the ceiling. "Misty spoke to him."

"But how did she-?" May's eyes were wide, tears filling in them. Her relationship with her dear little brother was something she treasured. To think I was jealous of this one person who managed to improve our relationship…

Brock smiled. "That's Misty…" he said fondly. "She always knows… and," he added, "she wasn't the one who told me about this. Max and I had a little chat over what happened after Misty left, you know. She really seemed to like him very much…not to mention sympathize with him as well."

"Sympathize with him?" May frowned in confusion.

"he was being treated like extra luggage by you, similar to the way she's always been treated by her sisters," Brock told her. "Probably that's the reason she understands him better than you do, May. She has been through what he was going through and she dealt with it on her own… But she values relationships too much to lose them over such trivial issues."

May just stared. Can anyone really be that self sacrificing?

"She understood the problem you two were facing the moment she met you for the first time," said Brock. "I don't know how she does it…but she seems to have a heart that understands everything and yet carries a strength…a will so powerful…." He shook his head. "…I at times wonder if she is for real."

May bit her lip, feeling guilty like Ash had been feeling. "she must hate me after what I did to her…" she murmured.

"You didn't do anything, May," Brock said shocked. "What did you do to her?"

"When she arrived for the party…" May choked, feeling more guilty as she recollected the scene she had created over a trivial issue.

"Its human, May," Brock patted her back, squeezing her shoulders. "You heard her and Ash. did she say even once that she hated him?"

May reflected back to her memory. "No," she said after a moment. "Not once… and I was there the whole time."

Brock shrugged. "See? After he did that to her, she doesn't hate him. How can she hate you if you did feel a little jealous?" Brock felt tears coming to his own eyes. I'm glad its dark… "Misty hates no one, May. At least… she doesn't hate friends."

"I'm her friend?"

"Arent you?"

May hung her head. "I guess I am the one who didn't like her."

"Don't worry. I understand, May." Brock patted her and she rested her head on his knee. "It happens when you're in love with someone."

"But somehow…" May struggled to get her feelings right. "…me loving him doesn't feel right now…"

Brock blinked. "Why? Because he is loved by someone else?"

May pouted.

"Silly, May!" he ruffled her hair. "You cant stop loving a person just because some other girl loves him as well."

"I didn't say that I would stop loving him. Just that it doesn't feel right. Its like he doesn't belong to me anymore."

"Ash never belonged to anyone in the first place, May. He's too hot headed and spirited to belong to any one person. He cant stick to one thing for a long time, nor can he stay at one place for a long time. To belong to someone, one has to have patience, which Ash unfortunately lacks. He's too passion-driven about this Pokémon Master thing to sit down and actually think of important things around him."

"I know he is too passionate about training and stuff, but still, I have tried to change him…"

"But he hasn't changed one bit, has he? Girls find it difficult to put up with this behavior. I know, I have seen it happen before. I admit there is something about Ash – what I cant imagine – that makes him very likable to girls. But girls usually outgrow this liking as quick as they form it. Ash is too full of ambitions and dreams to sit back and spend time with someone. Hell. He loves his mother the most in this world, and yet, she cant convince him to stay home with her for a few days. How could you expect him to do something like that for another girl?"

"But Misty still loves him, right? She hasn't outgrown her liking for him."

"Just as I told you, they are the weirdest people alive," said Brock shaking his head. "I don't know how or why they manage it, but they balance each other extremely well, even if they are complete opposites. You know Ash's temper and his obsession with winning and his frequent arrogance. If anyone can handle Ash the best, its Misty without a doubt."

"How does she do that…"

Brock shrugged. "Beats me."

"She has a temper as well, doesn't she?"

"Worse than Ash, if you ask me," said Brock chuckling as he pictured Misty flowing into a rage. "She is something I can never handle. Every time that happened, I left Ash to deal with it."

May looked at him.

"Most of the times it was Ash who caused the uproar," said Brock shrugging again. "So I found it easier to let him deal with it rather than try wrestling a hot headed girl who kicks damn well."

"I'm hot headed as well, aren't i?"

"Oh you're as cool as ice in comparison to Misty," said Brock laughing now. "Trust me, you don't want her to get mad at you."

May frowned thoughtfully. "What I saw now… was that her temper?"

"From what you tell me, she was crying, wasn't she?"

May nodded.

"Misty never cries if she can help it," said Brock grimly. "And she is never the one to open her heart out like you mentioned. Her imploring, pleading song… then crying in front of Ash… and most importantly tell him how she feels about him." Brock got up. "If it came to that, then it wasn't her temper, May. It was her suffering, her pain that surfaced after nine years of knowing him. I don't know how long she's been keeping all that bottled up within her. Guess it finally exploded…"

Brock wiped the tear trickling down his cheek.

"wasn't it her fault as well that she didn't tell Ash how she felt about him before it was too late?"

"All she asked from Ash was his friendship, May, and even if he didn't understand her love, she was satisfied, contended being his friend. she didn't seek love from him – that was something she was showering him with. No. all she wanted from him was to fulfill his promise and keep in touch with her."

"So she doesn't want him to love her back?"

Brock rolled his eyes. She doesn't understand one thing about love and she says she's in love with Ash?

"Of course she does, May," he explained however, patiently. "Only that gaining his love isn't her priority. What she really wants is for Ash to be happy. Even the day she left us, her last words to Ash were, 'Keep up the progress.' Though she never said this aloud, I know her well enough to understand what she really wants. Her goal has always been Ash's future and Ash's progress as a trainer. Its always revolving around Ash. I think given a chance, she would bring Ash to a level no other trainer has attained before…

"In her concern about Ash's future, she never gave a thought to her own…" Brock started pacing the floor. Reliving old memories in situations like this is never easy. "She had pretty great offers, you know, while she was travelling with us. A water Pokemon Expert and Trainer, Torean offered to let Misty stay with him and study and run his gym with him. She could've easily remained there and by now reached a top level… But she didn't. she gave up that once in a lifetime offer for sake of watching over Ash…"

Brock shook his head. "And then, there was one occasion where the Trovita Gym Leader, Rudy, whom you met earlier this evening, proposed to her – you know, kind of asked her to be his fiancée until they were old enough to get married. His younger sister, Mary, had even planned their honeymoon out. And trust me, that guy really saw Misty for what she was. I mean, he was really in love with her. He even offered to let her become the leader of his gym… He would've kept her much happy than she has ever been… and she refused him as well. Though she didn't tell him the reason, he realized what her heart wanted. He's the first guy I've met who understood her heart, simply gazing into her eyes…"

There was a brief pause as May's eyes followed his steps.

"…a feat which would've been altogether impossible for Ash, though I have to admit I cant understand her heart looking into her eyes either." Brock ruffled his own hair. "Though Ash may not admit it, Misty has always been a source of inspiration for him. She dared him, challenged him and motivated him to win, at times giving words of encouragement and at times plainly insulting him, but the result she produced has always been great. Even after she left us, and though Ash didn't reply to any of her mails and all that, I know Ash secretly waits everyday for her miss call, or for her sms or for her mail. He hasn't spoken or contacted her even once, but her imploring messages were inspiring enough to carry him through these past battles and tournaments."

Brock completed, "In any case, it wasn't my intention to make any comparisons… They say a man should never praise a girl before another girl. It isn't healthy."

May sighed. "You weren't making any comparison…. Thing is there is no comparison. I can never level up to her."

"No body said you have to."

"But Ash-"

"I am sure he doesn't want you to change. Misty was like that, adapting to his every whim and habit and that didn't have any profound change in his feelings for her. Its no use changing, May, just remember that."

"You think he'll notice if I change my attitude a little?"

Brock shrugged.

"I know you don't…" May sighed sadly.

A long minute of silence passed.

"I want to do something for Misty," May finally said.

Brock seemed surprised. "You want to do something for her?"

"If she's helped improve my relationship with Max, then it is only fair I do something to help her relationship with Ash."

"Wouldn't that be inviting trouble?" Brock asked choosing cautiously. "Think well, May. A lot of things might change."

May smiled faintly. "You mean I might end up losing Ash…."

"If you're thinking Misty might steal him away from you, just know she wouldn't dream of doing that. She'll never stoop that low, May. She's a girl who likes to hold her head up high."

May nodded. "I don't care what future brings. What Ash did was wrong… though I don't know why he would treat her like that – if all you told me is true. But even so, I want them to be friends again. I started this little jealousy game this evening… so I am in a way responsible for whatever happened." May clasped Brock's hands in hers, looking at him earnestly. "I want to show I have a selfless side too. You have to help me, Brock."

Brock swept her face with a thoughtful, searching gaze. I want them to make up as well… "Okay." He pulled her close to his body, wrapping his arms around her in a protective brotherly hug. "We'll do what we can…"

Ash, Misty… thought Brock.

Two bodies of the same mind…

Ash must have a pretty good reason to make her suffer so much…