Hey, everyone.

So, I know it's been, like forever… and I really hope you can forgive me someday. But I wrote this just today, (special help from malory79080- thank you, Malory!) and… well, here goes!

"Okay, Misty. Dawn will be here in a few minutes and I'd like it if you made an effort to get along. She's a nice girl, so don't worry." Delia told Misty. Misty nodded and sat down.

Ash was trying his best to focus on the English essay he was attempting to write.

"Could you please be a bit quieter? I'm trying to work on homework." He asked.

Delia was startled by that sentence.

"Oh my gosh, I forgot!"

"What is it?" Misty asked curiously.

"You need to go to school if you're staying with us for the forseeable future! You'll have to go to Ash's school." Delia babbled.

"I can't go to school!" Ash heard Misty protest. "I'm perfectly smart and I don't need it. First of all, I'd blow my cover for SURE! And besides…" she continued more quietly. "I don't think I'd fit in, at all, here…"

"I'm sorry Misty." Delia apologized. "Ash has some girl friends so you could hang out with them. And it won't be that bad."

"I don't want to."

"Thats just how the cookie crumbles."

Delia shrugged but was interrupted by a knock to the door.

"They're here!" She shouted suddenly, and Ash, at the moment, wished for nothing more than to lock himself in the basement and hide out with the (lack of) mice.

Unfortunately, Delia grabbed his and Misty's arms and pulled her into the living room, where she opened the door.

"Johanna! It's so great to see you again." She gushed. "And this must be Dawn! You've grown so much, you're taller than your mom now, aren't you?" Ash tuned out as he went through the same ritual.

"Hi, Aunt Jo!" He cheered, giving her a hug and greeting Dawn enthusiastically, if not 100% sincerely.

"And who's this fine girl?" Johanna then turned to Misty, who shot her a rather confused smile.

Delia swooped in to save Misty an explanation. "This is Misty. She's… from my husband's side of the family." She mentioned Ash's father rather coolly, he noticed.

Johanna gave rather a cold nod, regarding Misty.

"Well, welcome to the family, Misty. I'm Johanna, and this is my daughter, Dawn."

"Hey, Misty!" Dawn shouted excitedly. Ash suddenly wondered what exactly was this girl's sugar intake.

"I'm Dawn, I guess I'm your cousin too, right?" Ash watched the pair as Misty gave an amused half-smile but sent an SOS message with her eyes as Dawn wouldn't stop talking.

In twenty minutes, Dawn had managed to talk Misty into changing her outfit ("you can NOT be seen like THAT, cuz!") and her hair style ("too elementary school") and into wearing the minidress-and-beanie outfit Delia had gotten her earlier.

"Yes! You look so cute in that, I think grey and blue are YOUR colors."

Misty shook her head as Ash watched, half-enjoying the show and half-trying to focus on his homework.

"My… colors?"

"Yes! They bring out your eyes. Now, what say I see if I can do something with your makeup. What are you wearing?"

"I'm… not."

"What! No way. Good thing I have some with me. Let's see what we can do… I think I have a color that may suit you… you look a lot like me, but your eyes are lighter and your hair is darker…"

Ash thought he would choke with laughter at Misty's expression.

"You're next." Dawn grinned at him.

That quieted him instantly.

Read? Review?

Please? :)