So I guess I owe all of you an explanation but first I must say I am so sorry for my ridiculously long absence from FF, I certainly did not plan for it to happen.
Basically the last year has been a whirlwind for me. I spent all last autumn travelling around the USA, which was incredible, but left me no opportunity to write. I started a job almost immediately after I returned to the UK which I love but it is extremely intense. The company I work for is a big international firm so they have been sending me all around the world. I am also studying for my Chartered Articles and have had to sit 12 exams in as many months. I don't want to sound like a drama queen but you get an idea of how busy I have been. (I can't believe there have been two Star Wars films made since I last posted a chapter!)
Anyway, enough of my winging. I have at last written the next chapter of this story. I know I have let many of you down with my absence but if any of my readers are still out there then I dedicate this chapter to you and your loyalty. I shall iterate once more that I will not abandon this story so please do not abandon me.
In Love and War
Chapter 26: You're Not Alone
Leaf gave up trying to get to sleep and sat up on the worn mattress she was lying on. She rubbed her eyes and held her head in her hand for several seconds as she considered how to solve the problem that was currently tormenting her brain.
The brief exchange that she had overheard between Misty and Melody had at first seemed insignificant to her. She was interested in the opposite sex but the gossip mongering and bitchieness that the majority of her gender displayed when getting involved with men had always seemed pointless and stupid to her. If she had overheard any other girls at any other time, discussing any other boy in any other place she would have paid no attention to the conversation and erased it from her mind, however, as soon as she had grasped what the pair were discussing alarm bells had started ringing in her head.
Clearly she had been wrong about whom Misty harboured feelings for. Given her behaviour over the past week she had assumed she was close to Rudy however, it was now clear to Leaf that Ash was in fact the object of her affections.
It was not personal reasons that had pricked her interest. Although she had formed an immediate disliking for Melody she did not care about her personal life nor Misty's for that matter. No what she cared about was what affect it would have on Ash.
She had no idea what the Indigo League Champion's experience with dating was like. She imagined that because he was such a successful trainer Ash would have had his fair share of girlfriends over the years but that did not put her mind at ease. She did not know Misty or Melody personally but she was familiar with their type. Both were confident independent woman who would be determined to get whatever they wanted. They were both young, attractive and intelligent and Ash would not stand a chance should Misty rise to Melody's challenge.
Leaf chewed her lip as she considered the consequences of such a battle of romances. She knew what her sex was capable of when it came to winning the hearts of men. They would flirt, flatter and manipulate Ash into falling for them, which was exactly the last thing she needed.
The Unit's unhealthy infatuation and reliance on the trainer had only increased after his miraculous return. His last minute appearance had pulled them all from clutches of defeat to victory and reinforced the belief that he could do no wrong. Ash may not realise it but at this moment in time he was probably one of the most influential trainers in the world.
Fortunately for all of them Ash was modest, kind and focused on making the world a better place. He listened to those around him and so far the judgements he had made had been the right ones. Yet Leaf feared that his focus might be broken should Misty and Melody start fighting over him.
She was by no means an expert on male emotions bit she knew that when faced with a pretty girl - never mind two - most men's thought processes became irrational at best. With so many lives depending on his decisions Ash could not afford to make a mistake. The past week had shown Leaf what happened to the Unit's morale when faith in Ash was lost and she feared it might cost them the Orange Islands should it happen again.
Leaf sighed and closed her eyes briefly. While the scenario she had just through was far from guaranteed it was much more likely than she was comfortable with. She could not just let events take their course. She needed to act and that meant putting an end to Melody and Misty's little challenge before it started.
Leaf opened her eyes and stared around her small room. The luxuries of the festival hall did not extend much beyond a roof and four walls. Despite hosting the annual feast held in honour of the Chosen One and a number of other minor events the building had never been meant for accommodation. The furnishings were second hand, donated by the islanders over the years. The place was rough and uncomfortable and was not the setting she needed if she was going to think straight.
The brunette slowly got to her feet and stretched her aching back. The mattress had provided scant protection against the hard stone floor and she tried to relieve as many of the pains as possible. When she was as comfortable as she was ever going to be she slipped on some sweats and a tank top and headed to the door.
Of the five rooms crammed into the rear of the festival hall, Leaf was in the one on the far left. With a stealth born from years of training in the G-men she crept past the other rooms where Ash and the others were sleeping and practically glided into the main hall. Once in the large room she moved normally and crossed the large space to the steps that led down to the street outside.
The person sitting on the bottom step was so still that Leaf didn't spot them until she was only half a dozen paces away. The brunette froze and instinctively reached for a pokeball but her fingers found only air. She mentally chided herself for going out unprotected but relaxed as she saw the person posed no threat.
The night's sky was more overcast than it had been over previous days and thin, ghostly wisps of cloud floated across the black abyss obscuring the moon. As a result she did not make out the person's identity straight away and had to take a couple of steps closer to discern their features.
"Dawn!" Leaf exclaimed with genuine surprise as she drew close enough to recognise the coordinator's blue hair. Of all the people staying in the festival hall the young women was perhaps the last one she had expected to run into.
Dawn jumped and almost slipped off the step she was perched on. She flailed around for a second before regaining her composure and turning to face Leaf.
Leaf caught a flash of red and white and she realised the young coordinator had not made the same mistake she had.
"Woah there is no need for a battle it's only me, Leaf'
"Oh, sorry'" Dawn said in an embarrassed tone. "You startled me."
Leaf grinned. "You're pretty scary yourself," she mused.
There was a moments silence before leaf spoke once more. "Can I sit with you?" she asked, gesturing to the spot next to Dawn.
The coordinator glanced down at the step and then back at Leaf and shrugged.
"Sure she replied," sliding over to give the brunette some room.
Leaf smiled and nimbly lowered herself down onto the rough wood. After the heat of the day the night was cool and she wrapped her bare arms around her legs.
"So, what's keeping you up?" she asked, not looking at the other girl but staring off into the darkness. "We won the battle, Ash has returned from the dead and it looks as if we may win the war, there shouldn't be a worry one your mind."
Dawn smiled but without any humour. "Things seem simple when you put it like that," she replied.
"Trust me, this war is anything but simple," Leaf said, thinking back to the dilemma that had kept her from sleep. "But the only way to overcome a problem is to tackle it head on so why don't you tell me what is on your mind and I will see if I can help."
Dawn turned her head and considered Leaf for a long moment. This was the first time she had properly spoken to the young woman and the prospect of divulging her personal problems was uncomfortable. She hadn't discussed Paul's and Ash's argument with even May or Misty. However, a voice in the back of her mind told her that there was a reason she had not divulged that afternoon's events to her close friends. Both vehemently disliked Paul and she knew they would resent any defence of him. With that reasoning maybe Leaf, who had spoken up for Paul on Kumquat Island, was the right person to speak to after all.
Dawn sighed and after a second's hesitation started speaking.
"This war seems to be changing people and not for the better," she said, speaking into the darkness rather than directly at Leaf.
Leaf nodded though the action was barely visible in the dark. "I'm afraid that is what conflict does to people," she replied in a sombre tone. "We see and experience horrific things in war that change the way we view the world."
Dawn shook her head. "That's not what I meant. I mean, it brings out sides to people that I have never seen before or even knew existed."
Leaf turned to look at the coordinator. "Are you talking about Paul?" she asked, knowing the young girl was close to the trainer.
Dawn turned and returned the brunette's gaze with a sad expression. "I am talking about Ash and Paul," she corrected and then shook her head again. "I can't see them coming back from this."
Leaf frowned. "Coming back from what? From Paul disobeying Ash?" she asked, confused.
"You haven't heard then?" Dawn replied though she was hardly surprised. Only she and Ash knew about Paul's banishment. She hadn't told anyone and she doubted Ash would be spreading the news around.
The coordinator sighed. "I made Paul meet with Ash after the battle. I wanted him to apologise and put this whole horrible situation behind us," she said, her voice taking on a pained note as she recalled the encounter.
Leaf didn't have to be a genius to figure out from the girl's tone how the story finished. "Let me guess. He didn't apologise," she ventured.
Dawn let out a dry humourless chuckle. "He didn't get the chance not to," she muttered.
"How so?" Leaf asked even more confused.
Dawn looked down at her hands and it was several seconds before she spoke gain. "You know I said I've seen sides to people that I never thought existed? Well today I saw a different side to Ash. When he saw Paul he just exploded. I know Ash isn't the best at controlling his emotions but I have never seen him snap like he did."
Leaf shrugged seemingly unconcerned. "What did you expect? Paul's action nearly cost Ash his life. Ash was always going to be upset with him," she reasoned.
"You don't understand," Dawn replied shifting her weight. "Ash wasn't just upset, he was furious. Normally he is a forgiving person but he didn't even give Paul a chance to explain himself. I have seen Ash get angry with Team Rocket and other bad people in the past but he never lets things get personal. He always fights for what is right, not personal gain or vengeance but all he did was attack Paul as a person. It was like he wanted to humiliated Paul not chastise him for his actions. Quite frankly, it was scary"
Silence descended as Leaf digested the information, the last of the coordinators words lingering uncomfortably in her mind. She was worried about Misty and Melody's feud causing Ash to act irrationally but from what she had just heard it sounded as if that might be the least of her problems.
Leaf cleared her throat. "So what happened then," she asked.
Even in the poor light Leaf saw Dawn's concerned expression turn to one of melancholy.
"Ash banished him from the Unit," Dawn responded in a quite tone.
Leaf's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean he sent him back to Kanto," she asked?
Dawn nodded and closed her eyes as her mind replayed the angry exchange between the two men. "He told him to 'get out' and that he didn't w-want him in the Unit. I told him that you, Drake and the others had voted to keep him in but he wouldn't listen," she explained her voice cracking slightly.
Leaf's brain reeled from the new piece of information. Ash getting angry with Paul was to be expected but for him to react in such a way and dismiss a decision made by his peers, she had to agree with Dawn, was out of character and disconcerting. The only good thing with Paul gone was that Ash wouldn't react like that again. She relayed this to Dawn but the other girl shook her head.
"I don't know," the coordinator replied in a concerned tone. "Paul was the trigger that caused Ash to snap but he was angry when I ran into him." She sighed heavily and placed her head in her hands. "I should never have made them speak to one another,"
Leaf momentarily didn't know what to say. The younger girl was clearly blaming her for the dispute between the trainers yet she had never been any good at comforting other people. Like Gary and Ash, she was an old child and had never had to take care of a younger sibling.
"It's not your fault," she said eventually. "You said yourself that you have never seen this side of Ash before, you weren't to know how he would react."
Dawn lifted her head up, only half consoled but Leaf had already moved on.
"The question is, what would have got him that angry in the first place?"
Dawn scowled. "What difference does that make now? It won't change anything so why does it matter?"
Once again Leaf thought about the influence Ash held and the Unit's reliance on him. "It matters a great deal if he is likely to get that angry again. We can't afford for our commander to make wild, volatile decisions," she replied ominously.
Dawn shrugged and gave the girl an apologetic look. "I have no idea then. I left Ash and the others after he had just been reunited with Misty..."
The coordinator's voice trailed off as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "My bet is that something happened involving her. Only she can get Ash worked up that much," she exclaimed.
This time it was Leaf's turn to frown, her forehead creasing in confusion. "But I thought Ash and Misty were friends?" she questioned.
Dawn hesitated, wondering how much she should tell the woman. Ash hadn't actually sworn her or anyone else to secrecy but she knew he would be mortified if the knowledge that he was in love with Misty got out. Still Leaf was a friend and Dawn doubted the older girl would abuse the information. Never the less Dawn decided to tell the brunette in a way without actually telling.
"Ash and Misty are friends, very good friends. In fact Ash cares about Misty so much that he can react irrationally to the tiniest provocation," she said, giving Leaf a meaning look.
Leaf raised a curious eyebrow. "Are you saying Ash has feeling for Misty?" she asked, intrigued.
Dawn smiled. "I'm not saying anything," she replied before sending Leaf a wink that was obvious even in the darkness.
Leaf smiled in return and for a second she felt a sense of relief. If Ash liked Misty that solved her problem. Misty would win Melody's challenge in the opening few shots and Ash's focus would remain largely unbroken. The idea of Ash starting a new relationship in the middle of the war wasn't perfect but it was certainly preferable to him being fought over for weeks.
Leaf's good mood was short lived however as another memory surfaced in her mind. With a sinking feeling she recalled how she had suggested to Misty that she help Rudy on the beach as she believed them to be close. Though it had been a reasonable assumption at the time the brunette mentally cursed herself. Ash had been standing right next to her and had doubtlessly drawn the same conclusion as she had.
Leaf instantly felt the penny drop inside her brain.
No doubt Ash had assumed that Misty, the girl he had feelings for, was interested in another man. That was enough to upset anyone, let alone someone as emotionally sensitive as the raven-haired trainer. However what was even worse was that it meant that Ash's bad mood had not been solely attributed to Paul but was much more deep rooted.
Quite unintentionally Leaf had created the very problem she was trying to solve.
"Oh, shit," Leaf whispered under her breath.
Dawn's smiled faltered at the explicative and faded altogether when she noticed Leaf's pained expression "What?" she asked, concerned.
Leaf grimaced. "I know why Ash was angry when you saw him earlier," she replied sourly and explained to Dawn the conversation that had taken place between Misty, Ash and herself.
Dawn sighed with exasperation and closed her eyes. "That would do it," she said in weary tone. "Ash has always had a bit of a jealous streak."
"We need to sort this out before Ash gets the idea ingrained into his mind," Leaf said, already racking her brains for a solution.
"Good luck with that," Dawn said, furrowing her brow. "Once Ash gets an idea in his head he doesn't forget it easily. Short of telling him that Misty likes him and doesn't like Rudy I don't know how we can convince him."
"Well that makes things really simple doesn't it," Leaf replied, not understanding the other girl's pessimism. "We just tell Ash that Misty likes him. He'll be happy, so will Misty and we won't have to worry about him making any more angry decisions."
Much to Leaf's surprise Dawn shook her head sadly.
"We can't tell Ash, Misty doesn't want him to find out and has sworn us all to secrecy," she answered reluctantly.
Leaf looked at the girl in amazement. "Are you serious?" she said incredulously. "You think we should keep this a secret? Even though it solves countless problems. If Ash and Misty admit they like each other then both of them will be happy and there won't be any more of these unnecessary tantrums. Heck, Ash might be so happy he might consider letting Paul back into the Unit."
Privately Dawn conceded that Leaf's suggestion was by far the most sensible option, yet she maintained that they could not break Misty's trust.
Leaf ground her teeth in frustration. "But she will thank us once she knows Ash likes her back," she insisted stubbornly.
Dawn couldn't argue with that but she refused to budge. She had promised Misty she wouldn't tell Ash and if Leaf did so she would feel responsible. "It's not right. This is between Misty and Ash so it should be one of them who tells the other," she said seriously.
For a second the coordinator thought the brunette was going to continue the fight but after several long seconds Leaf closed her outs and let out a long sigh.
"Fine," she conceded, a new plan forming in her. "I won't tell Ash."
"Thank you, I know-," Dawn started to reply but was cut short as Leaf abruptly stood up. "Where are you going," she said, surprised.
Leaf looked down at the girl with a determined expression. "Back to bed," she announced. "I'm going to need my rest if I am to convince Misty to reveal her feelings."
With one last roar of its mighty engines the first ferry of the day from Kumquat Island drew alongside the great stone blocks of Shamouti Island's quay and slowed to a stop. Without warning the rumbling vibrations ceased and the boat grew silent as its power was cut. A second later dozens of people jumped to their feet either to begin the frantic unloading of supplies or to disembark themselves. They huddled and pushed in an impatient and disorderly procession as they hurried to leave the ship's deck.
Drew waited patiently for the crowd to thin before gingerly rising to his feet. It had been well over a week since he had incurred his injuries but much to is annoyance he was still in a very fragile state. His arm hadn't improved much and his knee was still weak and the last thing he needed was to get bowled over by some over-enthusiastic trainer. Never the less the doctors on Kumquat Island had assured him that he was healing extremely well and had even allowed him to walk without crutches.
As the last of the passengers began to disembark Drew hobbled awkwardly to the gangway. The metal walkway sloped steeply down to the shore and was pitching up and down as the boat was rocked by the sea. Despite his longing for independence he was neither proud nor foolish enough to refuse assistance from a kind member of the crew and allowed the man to help him off.
Once he was safely on dry land he thanked the man and quickly scanned the crowded waterfront. Shamouti Island's small quay was bustling with activity, a fact that Drew had expected but did not welcome. It was crucial that he did not knock or worsen his injuries in anyway and it was going to be a nightmare negotiating his way through the horde of people and pokemon. On top of that he had the added task of locating one individual amongst the sprawl of bodies.
For the umpteenth time that day he whipped out his PokeNav and brought up his message history with May Maple. He gazed hopefully at the screen but just like the previous time he had looked the last eight messages had been ones he had sent and not received. Drew sighed and stuffed the device back into his jacket pocket. He had messaged the brunette to tell her he would be arriving early this morning and had hoped she would be here waiting for him, yet there was no sign of her distinctive red bandana anywhere.
Drew felt the familiar icy feeling of worry begin to trickle into his veins. May's lack of response could be down to a whole number of reasons but given the battle the previous day there was only one his mind could focus on. Even though the Unit had been victorious he knew from experience that many trainers and coordinators would have been injured, some of them fatally and, although it made him sick to even consider the thought, it was entirely possible that May was one of them.
From the moment he had watched May sail away from Kumquat Island he had battled a fear that was stronger and more petrifying than any he had felt before. The knowledge that something might happen to her, that he might lose her, had left him numb with terror. He knew his feelings for the girl had changed in recent weeks but only then had he realised just how much she meant to him.
With a deep breath to calm the creeping sense of panic Drew pressed on into the crowd, focusing his agitated mind on avoiding those around him. He was bound to bump into someone he recognised sooner or later and he would ask where he could find Drake, Leaf, Brock and the other leaders. They at least would be able to give him an answer, he just hoped it would be one he'd want to hear.
Moving through the busy harbour was not an easy task. Drew had to constantly stop and alter his course without warning in order to avoid getting jostled by several oblivious people. He was so focused on forging a safe path in front of him that he did not notice the figure approaching to his left until they were right next to him.
Drew caught the movement out of the corner and quickly pivoted to one side on his good leg. "Hey! Watch it," he shouted, thinking the person was about to collide with him.
He turned to face the careless individual but his irritation drained out of him when he realised who it was.
May Maple stood just two feet away, her shoulder length brunette locks and shinning sapphire eyes, unmistakable. She was dressed, not in her usual scarlet attire, but her less worn orange outfit that she had taken to Sinnoh and he saw why he had failed to spot her. Her hair was frizzier and more unkempt than usual and she had a puzzled, slightly startled expression on her face but to Drew's adoring eyes she had never looked more beautiful.
"Oh thank Arceus!" he blurted and without any thought or care for his injuries, threw himself at the unsuspecting girl.
May, who had easily spotted Drew's distinctive green locks amongst the throng of people, was taken completely off-guard by the boy's sudden display of affection and her bemused expression immediately turned to one of surprise. However, a second later she recovered from the shock and eagerly locked her arms around his waist.
Even after the horrors and violence of the past twenty four hours their encounter right before she had left Kumquat Island had never been far from May's mind. The embrace they had shared then had ignited wonderful feelings within her and doing it for second time brought a level of ecstasy that was even better than before.
"You need to start answering your PokeNav," Drew teased softly, his lips just inches from her ear.
May couldn't help but smile into the boy's shoulder as she realised just how worried he had been. "It got broken during the battle, I'm sorry, I should have used Dawn's to message you," she mumbled apologetically.
Drew shook his head. "Don't apologise, all that matters is that you are safe," he whispered.
May nodded and then, after a deep breath, uttered the question she had been dying to ask ever since he had given her the rose the previous morning.
"Does - Does this mean that you - I mean - that we are –"
"It does," Drew answered before she could finish, knowing without a shred of doubt what she was asking.
May finally lifted her head and looked up at Drew with shining eyes. He gazed back just as fondly and very slowly, almost hesitantly, lowered his head down towards hers.
"When you two are quite finished!" Gary's voice said loudly, tearing through the blissful moment.
Drew abruptly lifted his face away from May's and looked up sharply. His gaze quickly locked onto, Brock, Ritchie, Gary and Dawn who were standing just a few feet away. He realised that they must have arrived with May however he had been too preoccupied with her to acknowledge them.
He expected his cheeks to flush with embarrassment as he reluctantly turned his attention to the rest of the group however, to his surprise, he felt no awkwardness at being caught in such a compromising scenario.
"Sorry guys, I didn't see you there," he said offhandedly as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"Really? We didn't notice," Gary said sarcastically, his trademark smirk plastered across his face.
Drew shrugged. It shocked him but for the first time in his life he didn't care if the whole world knew about his feelings for the wonderful girl standing beside him. He was on cloud nine and even Gary's irritating digs couldn't get under his skin.
"Not jealous are you Gary?" May teased, leaning her head on Drew's shoulder as if she had been doing it all her life. Her heart was racing and she was slightly dizzy but she too felt no embarrassment…well, not yet.
"What? No!" the researcher replied in a disgruntled tone, disappointed by the lack of angry denials his jibes usually received.
"Can't you not be annoying for once in your life Gary?" Brock scolded, entering the conversation and giving the researcher a disapproving look before turning his attention to Drew and May. "But seriously you two, it's about fricking time!"
May and Drew glanced sheepishly at each other as the Breeder's words rang home. Simultaneously they realised how much troubled they could have avoided if they had just admitted their feelings earlier.
"I guess we could have made this easier," May said, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment.
"I'll say!" Dawn retorted, only half joking.
Ritchie sniggered. "Look on the bright side, at least that is one down now," he said optimistically.
"One what down?" Drew asked, looking confused.
"One couple," Ritchie answered, gesturing at the two coordinators as if it were obvious.
"One annoying, frustrating – oh my god just wake up and see the obvious – couple, to be precise," Gary mused.
May glared irritably at the researcher however Drew simply blinked. It was the first time in his life he had been described as being in a couple and, to his surprise, he found that he liked it. He smiled to himself as he mulled the idea over in his head but then frowned as his brain finally registered what Ritchie and Gary had said.
"If we are one couple, who's the other?" he asked, perplexed.
May turned her head and looked at the green haired boy with an 'are you serious' expression.
"Ash and Misty, of course!" she said as if it were obvious.
Drew's head snapped back in shock, his perplexed expression immediately replaced with one of incredulity.
"What!" he said sharply, not believing what he had just heard.
May gave an exasperated sigh. "Those two are even more trouble now than they were before," she said, not understanding the coordinator's surprise. "Believe me when I say that fighting Team Rocket is a walk in the park compared to dealing with them two."
Drew gaped at the girl, his brain working overtime but ultimately failing to process this new piece of information.
"But Ash is dead!"
"Ohhh, right," May said, finally understanding the coordinator's confusion. "No, Ash is alive."
Drew's eyebrows shot halfway up his forehead and he stared at May with stupefied expression. He spluttered several unintelligible sounds before his brain was finally able to relay an actual word to his mouth.
"What!" was all he managed to say again?
"Ash didn't die, he has been here on Shamouti all this time."
For several seconds Drew was unable to comprehend what the girl was telling him. He had seen Ash die, he had been there when it had had happened, had been injured by the same grunts. With a great struggled Drew's overload brain finally managed to kick into gear enough to produce one word.
"How!"
The rest the group quickly described the battle they had fought the previous day and explained how they had been re-united with Ash and how the trainer had survived his fall. As they spoke Drew's expression went from incredulous to disbelieving to excited and finally back to incredulous as May explained Ash's sudden epiphany regarding his feelings for Misty.
"But this is great!" Drew said once the group had finished speaking. His mind had sufficiently recovered from the shock and was beginning to comprehend the implications of Ash's return. "If Ash likes Misty, those two can finally get together and we can finally get back to beating Team Rocket!" he said brightly.
Brock snorted. "Ah Drew," he said, shaking his head sadly. "If only it were that simple."
"Why is not?" Drew asked.
"Because we are talking about Ash and Misty," Gary said in an exasperated tone and he briefly explained that Ash had got it into his head that Misty was in love with Rudy.
"You should have seen him last night, he was moody as hell. Barely said a word to the three of us," Ritchie added, indicating himself, Gary and Brock.
"Same with Misty," May agreed. "She barely registered that Dawn and I were there when we got to our room at the Festival Hall."
Drew shrugged, unconcerned, the relief of finding out Ash was alive fuelling is optimism. "So what. All Misty has to do is not spend any time with Rudy and Ash will soon realise she doesn't like him. Give it a couple of weeks and things will be back to normal," he said matter of factly.
"I'm not sure we can wait a couple of weeks," Dawn said, her tone unusually pessimistic.
The rest of the group turned to look at her.
Drew stared at the coordinator and for the first time he noticed her gloomy expression. "Why do you say that?" he asked, confused.
Dawn sighed and explained what had happened between Ash and Paul and the conversation she had had with Leaf just hours earlier.
"Arceus, I didn't realise things were that bad," Brock said after Dawn's words had sunk in.
Gary scowled. "What's worse is that Leaf is now involved."
Brock shook his head. "No, Leaf is right," Brock countered. "Ash is angry and confused at the moment and if we are going to regain the advantage over Team Rocket we need him to be at his best."
"But she is the last person who should be talking to Misty about personal matters," Gary retorted angrily.
"Maybe so," Dawn cut in. "But getting Misty to reveal her feelings to Ash is the only way we are going to put this situation to bed once and for all."
"Fine," Gary conceded. "But I'm not leaving that down to Leaf. If anyone is going to tackle Misty head on it needs to be one of us."
May raised an eyebrow and gave the rest of the group a sceptical look. "That's easier said than done. We all know how stubborn Misty is," she muttered.
Drew shrugged unconcerned. "It can't be that hard," he mused.
Gary shot the coordinator a cynical look. "Easy for you to so say lover boy. Just because you admitted your feelings doesn't mean everyone else is about to start gushing out theirs, least of all Red."
Drew blinked at the words and he stared at the researcher as if he had just come out of a trance.
"That's it!" he exclaimed loudly.
"What is?" Gary asked, confused by the green haired boys sudden animation.
Drew grinned with excitement. "We appeal directly to Misty's greatest fear. She already thought she had lost Ash without telling him how she felt once before. Surely, with a little persuasion, we can convince her that she should tell him now in case of the awful event that we do lose Ash for real," he exclaimed.
May's brows furrowed. "You think that will work?" she asked.
Drew turned to the brunette and looked down at her with gaze full of affection. "The thought of losing someone without telling them how you felt? Yes May, it certainly worked for me" he said, his voice gentle and genuine
May's eyes widened to sapphire orbs shimmering with unrestrained emotions and she wrapped her arms around the green haired boys as if her life depended on it.
"You know what, I think Drew might be on to something here," Brock said with a thoughtful expression as he watched the pair.
"You know what," Gary repeated, staring at the embracing coordinators with a horrified expression. "I think I preferred it when those two were trying to kill each other."
Misty yawned loudly and took a large gulp from the watery cup of coffee that rested on the small circular table in front of her. Like most of the trainers and coordinators in the Unit she was taking it easy after the exertions of the previous day and was sat outside one of the small cafes that lined the west side of Shamouti's bay. Like all public places the establishment had been closed under Team Rocket's occupation however, with the influx of supplies over the past twenty four hours and an army of hungry young people at its doors, the owner had reopened to sell what little supplies it had available. It was part of a trend that was repeating itself throughout the town and, though it was still a long way off, the island was slowly returning to normal life.
Misty yawned again and rubbed her tired eyes wearily. She had barely managed to get a wink's sleep that night and had spent the majority of it staring up at the blank grey ceiling of the room she was sharing with May and Dawn in the Festival Hall. The small space was cramped and incredibly Spartan yet it was not the uncomfortable surroundings that had kept her awake. Melody's threat had kept her tossing and turning all night, keeping her from sleep despite her exhaustion from the battle.
The situation she found herself in frustrated, confused and worried Misty all at the same time. Firstly, despite hours of analysing Melody's words she was still uncertain about how real the girl's intentions were. The brunette claimed that she liked Ash but in the short time they had been on the island she had spent much of the previous day following Gary around. As a result the Gym Leader could not decide whether the challenge she had made was simply a joke just to get her riled up? The Gym leader wouldn't put it past the brunette to pull a prank like that just so she could get a reaction from her however was it as risk she could really take?
If Melody wasn't bluffing and was in fact interested in Ash, Misty knew all too well how effective the girl's flirtatious nature was. Ash had fallen victim to it before and though Misty hated to admit it, several years of maturity and only increased Melody's allure. But there was also another problem. Even if Melody was bluffing it was now a guaranteed fact that there would be a long line of eligible young ladies waiting for the chance to snap Ash up now that he was the Champion and a war hero. Misty had never taken the threat seriously before but she knew she was no longer the only player in the game and other's had already started making their moves.
As far as she could see, she was left with three options. She could either reveal her feelings and just get the rejection over and done with, actively try to win Ash over herself in the vain hope he might develop feelings for her in return or sit back and allow others to fight over the heart that was rightfully hers. Of course she could do nothing and hope that Ash would ignore any advances made on him however she knew too well from past experience that she could not rely on the trainer's judgement when it came to romance. More importantly, Misty knew she would never forgive herself if she just gave up on the one thing she desired more than anything in the world, which ruled out the third option.
The first option was also clearly out of the picture. After the torturous ride she had been on she could not handle the loss of her friendship with Ash, which would surely happen if she admitted her feelings. That only left her the option of trying to win Ash's affections however, she knew it was an impossible task. She had not managed to make an impression on the trainer in seven years and her chances of doing so were even lower now that he believed she like Rudy.
Misty sighed had let her head drop into her hands. She felt her eyes begin to water but she gritted her teeth and refused to let her self-pity get the better of her. Some things were just not meant to be. She had enjoyed seven wonderful years of Ash's company and clung onto the shred of hope that one day they might final be together but perhaps it was now time to finally let go.
Without warning a shadow fell across the table and Misty looked up to see a figure looming over her. She blinked in surprise as she recognised Leaf and her mind quickly tried to decipher why the reclusive brunette might want to talk to her.
The surprise must have registered on Misty's face as Leaf put on an expression of mock concern.
"I didn't think I was that scary," she said lightly.
Misty's ignored the weak attempt at a joke and remained on edge. Although they had sided with one another against Melody the previous day she barely knew the girl and doubted she was just passing by.
"May I join you?" Leaf asked as the silence between them started to become awkward.
Misty hesitated, given how her last unexpected conversation had gone she was in no mood to have a repeat. However, Leaf had never demanded her attention before and there was something that told Misty this was not going to be a casual chat.
Reluctantly she nodded and in one fluid motion Leaf pulled out the chair on the opposite side of the table and slipped into it, her long brown locks swishing as she did.
When she was settled Leaf fixed her striking green eyes on the woman in front of her and not for the first time, considered the enormity of the task ahead of her. All she knew about Misty was what she had manged to pick up from her own observations and the information that was contained in the files the League kept on its Gym Leaders. Given the fact that Misty had been in the role for only a few years her personnel file was not very big yet, what little there was suggested Misty was both a competent and determined individual.
Leaf had read how the Gym Leader had turned the Cerulean City Gym from a struggling institution to a powerhouse of global renown and couldn't help but me impressed. The orange haired trainer was clearly someone who was not pushed around easily, a quality that Leaf did not appreciate at this time.
Leaf considered making polite conversation but she registered Misty's tired eyes and impatient expression and decided she would have more success if she just got to the point.
"Have you decided what you are going to do?" she asked, keeping her tone neutral.
Misty looked blankly back at her. "What?" she replied, confused.
Leaf breathed out patiently. "What you are going to do about admitting your feelings to Ash?" she continued.
Misty's eyes widened in surprise. Leaf was the last person she thought would take an interest in her relationship with Ash however she quickly regained her composure.
"I don't know what you are talking about!" she exclaimed, doing her best to feign ignorance.
Leaf had expected Misty denials and calmly held her gaze. "Misty, I overheard your conversation with Melody yesterday. I know how you feel about Ash and I know what she has challenged you to do," she explained, cutting to the chase.
Misty, whose nerves were already frayed from her encounter with Melody and a lack of sleep froze at the other girl's words. Her stomach violently lurched like it always did when someone found out her true feelings for Ash and for a brief moment she thought she was going to be sick. She took a few deep breaths to try and control the turmoil raging inside her. Once she was feeling slightly more relaxed she stared back at Leaf as she attempted to assimilate the consequences of the brunette's sudden revelation and why she was taking an interest.
"Why does this even matter to you?" she asked wearily and then in a sudden vent of anger. "Why does everyone get a kick out of my own personal feelings?" she hissed, glaring intensely across at Leaf.
Leaf did not appreciate Misty's hostile attitude but decided to cut the girl some slack given how stretched her emotions were. She waited a few seconds before replying in order to give the Gym Leader time for her anger to dissipate.
"Misty, I do not get a kick from finding out about your personal feelings. Who you like is your business and quite frankly I wish it could remain that way."
Misty frowned. "Then why are you asking me about it?" she demanded.
Leaf sighed. "Because it has now become my business," she replied putting on a reluctant tone in an attempt to convince Misty she was not trying to be difficult.
This only confused Misty further and she ran a stressed hand through her fiery hair. "How in the world is this your business? These are my feelings and I wish everyone would recognise that," she said tersely, glaring at the other girl.
Leaf nodded. "Personally I have no problem with you harbouring feelings for Ash," she explained in what she hoped was a sympathetic tone. "Normally I would stay out of…romantic affairs, but these are not normal times, this is war time."
Misty scowled, not understanding what Leaf was getting at. "What difference does that make?"
"It makes every difference," Leaf reasoned. "Before the war your actions only held consequences for you but now Ash is the commander of the Unit his actions will impact the lives of thousands of people. It's crucial that he focuses solely on beating Team Rocket and not on girls chasing after him."
Misty screwed up her face, confused. "But how does that have anything to do with the way I feel. Ash doesn't have a clue that I like him and there is about a million to one chance of him figuring it out."
"And this time yesterday I would have agreed with you. But after your little conversation with Melody last night I am worried that things are about to turn into a soap opera." Leaf countered. "She literally challenged you to battle for his affections. You know Ash better than anyone. Do you think he will be able to remain focused on the war if you two are chasing after him?"
Misty doubted Ash would notice anything she did short of her waving a giant flag saying 'I love you' on it but finally she could see the point Leaf was making.
"You think Ash will get distracted from the war?" she questioned.
"You think he won't?" Leaf shot back.
Misty didn't reply because she didn't have to. If Ash figured out what was going on between herself and Melody he would probably suffer a mental breakdown.
Leaf smiled thinly. "We can't afford for Ash to get distracted. One wrong decision from him and it could cost us the Orange Archipelago. Heck it could even cost us the war," she warned dramatically.
Misty closed her eyes as a fresh wave of exhaustion hit her. She knew Leaf was leading up to something but she was at the end of her tether. This was too much, she couldn't handle this anymore.
"What do you want Leaf?" she said, her weariness painfully clear in her voice.
Leaf relaxed as she sensed the other woman's capitulation. "What I really want if for you, Melody and Ash to forget your feelings until the war is over, however I doubt that is going to happen," she replied sceptically.
Misty smiled sadly. "I cannot speak for the other two but even if I wanted to I couldn't forget my feelings," she sighed.
"I thought not," Leaf confirmed. "Instead, I want this challenge between you and Melody stopped before it has even started."
At first Misty was unsure what Leaf was implying but sat up slightly as she caught the girl's meaning.
"You mean that one of us wins without there evening being a contest?"
Leaf nodded.
Without any warning Misty felt the fight rear up in her once more. "Well I'm sorry Leaf. If you think I am going to just roll over and let Melody of all people win over Ash then you are wasting your time."
Leaf smiled at the Gym Leader's fiery reaction. "Misty, you misunderstand me. I don't want you to back out of the challenge, far from it," she said with a chuckle.
A confused expression carved itself onto Misty's features and she stared at the girl as if she were going crazy.
"But Melody is never going to back down so how is one of us going to win?" she demanded.
Much to Misty's irritation Leaf smiled once more.
"That's easy," she mused and after pausing for suspense added, "You are going to tell Ash how you feel."
Misty's jaw dropped open. This was the last thing she had expected Leaf to say. It caught her off guard so much that it took her several seconds to form a response.
"You want me to tell Ash I'm in love with him...?," she spluttered, her tone and expression incredulous
Leaf looked at Misty calmly and nodded.
Misty stared at the girl with an expression of overt disbelief. "You're kidding right?" she questioned, recovering from her shock.
Leaf shook her head slowly as if Misty had given her a wrong answer. "I'm not kidding Misty," she said almost apologetically. "I need you to do this."
A thought suddenly occurred to Misty and a cold expression settled over her features. "Oh I get it," she replied in an angry tone. "If I tell Ash, he'll reject me and that will put an end to the contest between Melody and I. With me out of the picture, she won't try anything, Ash won't get distracted and you won't have to worry about the war. Everyone wins accept me who loses her best friend and gets humiliated!"
Leaf was unperturbed by the woman's hostility and remained calm.
"That's not my intention. In fact the opposite is true if you give me the chance to explain," she asked patiently.
Misty's expression did not become more amicable but she remained silent which Leaf took as her cue to continue. She breathed in and took a moment to think of the right words.
"I want you to tell Ash because I don't believe he will reject you, I believe he will reciprocate your feelings…"
This time Misty's eyebrows disappeared behind her fringe and she stared at the brunette as if she had grown a second head. "Yeah right!" she exclaimed, letting out a biting laugh, "like that would happen."
Leaf's forehead creased in confusion, not understanding the woman's reaction. "How do you know it won't," she asked.
Misty shook her head. "It's complicated, but I just do," she replied in a dismissive tone.
"That doesn't sound like a convincing reason to me," Leaf challenged.
Misty bristled. "That's because you've only been around Ash and I for all of three seconds. I have had feelings for Ash for years so forgive me if I think that I am slightly more knowledgeable of the situation," she retorted angrily.
"And you'll forgive me if I think you aren't," Leaf countered coolly.
Misty screwed up her face in an exasperated expression. "How the hell could you possibly think that," she said in an incredulous tone.
Leaf leaned forward in her chair and stared the Gym Leader in the eye. "Because I think that you have believed that Ash doesn't have feelings for you for so long that you have convinced yourself he never will. Maybe there was a time when he wasn't interested in you but things have changed. He does have feelings for you, you're just too stuck in your own world of denial that you blind to all of the signs."
Misty snorted derisively. "And what signs are these," she replied sceptically.
"How about him practically throwing a tantrum yesterday when I said I thought you would want to spend time with Rudy," Leaf challenged.
Misty arched an eyebrow, unconvinced. "That's hardly a sign. Ash has had a problem with Rudy for years," she said, dismissing the suggestion with a casual flick of her wrist.
"And I bet Rudy has been in love with you for an equal amount of years," Leaf counted. "Have you ever thought that Ash's resentment is in fact jealousy?"
The comment took Misty off guard and a look of doubt flashed across her face as if she had never before considered the possibility. However a second later, her metal defences kicked into gear once more and she rejected the thought.
"Of course Ash wouldn't be jealous," she replied though her tone was less confident than before.
Leaf caught the change in the Gym Leaders tone and pushed home her advantage. "See, despite what you might think, can't you admit there is a possibility that Ash really might have feelings for you," she implored.
Misty tore her eyes away from the brunette's penetrating gaze and stared down at the half drunk cup of coffee on the table in front of her. The unforgotten drink was now cold and she pushed it away from her as her mind raced.
Only a couple of weeks ago May and Dawn and told her that they thought Ash liked her. She had thought that they had just been trying to cheer her up but what Leaf was saying actually made sense. Right from the very first day they had met Ash had disliked Rudy. Misty had always put the matter down to the fact that Ash had been irritated with the Trovita Island Gym Leader's lack of interest in battling but was she wrong?. Had Ash in fact been upset by Rudy's advances on her…?
Misty caught herself and a wave of anger rose up inside her for letting her thoughts spiral out of control. All she was doing was giving herself false hope and she needed to stop before she caused herself any further pain.
Rallying herself once more she focused her gaze back on Leaf who was staring at her with a curious expression. Misty couldn't help but admit that she was good. Neither May or Dawn, nor her sisters, not even Brock and made her think quite so much about her feelings for Ash but now it was time to play Leaf at her own game.
"Ok Leaf," Misty began in a calm tone. "Let's play it your way. Let's assume I do reveal my feelings to Ash, how do you think he will react."
Leaf shrugged. "If I'm right he will be undoubtedly be very happy," she said.
Misty nodded like and expectant teacher. "And what if you're not right? What if I tell him and it turns out he doesn't have feelings for me? How do you think he will react," she asked in a hard voice.
Leaf didn't respond immediately. She could tell from the other woman's gaze that this was her biggest concern. If Misty had spent seven years convincing herself that Ash would never have feelings for her then she would have spent just as long convincing herself he would reject her if she were ever to reveal her emotions.
"You know Ash. He is one of the nicest, most understanding people I have ever met. Even if he didn't reciprocate your feelings nothing would change between you," she replied in what she hoped was a reassuring tone.
To Leaf's disappointment Misty shook her head.
"You're wrong. If I tell him how I feel he would run away screaming. He would be horrified that his best friend, a girl he had known for years, was love with him and had been pinning over him all this time. Given Ash's maturity to romance it would probably traumatise him and then he would be useless as a commander and then you'd be in the very position you are trying to avoid now."
"Surely it's worth a try," Leaf implored. "If Melody gets her way, Ash will get distracted. But if there is even the smallest chance that he does have feelings for you then sure it is worth taking it?"
"But what if he doesn't. What if he his horrified with me. What if he never wants to speak to me again?" she whispered her voice cracking at the mere thought of Ash rejecting her.
Although Misty's features remained steady Leaf could see the fear in the Gym Leader's eyes.
"Then at least you tried." She replied in what she hoped was a soothing tone. "But think of it this way. What if he does? What if he returns your affections and you get everything you've ever wanted?"
But Misty wasn't convinced and she shook her head sadly.
"I wish I could believe you but it's not worth the risk. I'm not losing his friendship."
Leaf stared at the orange haired girl with a mixture of frustration and pity. The woman's ability to resist to even consider that Ash might actually like her in return was sub-human. No amount of logic was ever going to convince her to change her opinion. This left Leaf with just one more tactic and it was one she was terrified of using…her own feelings.
Leaf took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes as she prepared to release emotions she had shut away for a very long time.
"Misty. You may not have a choice of whether you lose Ash's friendship or not," she said in a surprisingly calm voice.
Misty frowned. "Why not?" she asked.
"Think about it," Leaf continued. "Melody has already warned you that other girls will be after Ash if we win the war. He will be one of the most popular figures in the world and he will be a world away from your life in Cerulean City. Even if you stay friends you will hardly ever see one another and life will go back to how it was before the war. However, even worse is if team rocket win the war. What do you think will happen to us if Giovanni takes power? Do you think he will let those who fought him go free? No way! Lance, the Elite four, Ash and any other prominent figure will be hunted down by Team Rocket. What chance will you have of realising your feelings then?"
"That may not happen," Misty protested, though without much conviction.
Sensing that she had the upper hand Leaf pressed on. "Oh get real Misty. Of course that is what will happen and the sooner you realise it the better it will be for you," she demanded.
Misty's eyes narrowed. "Don't pretend you are looking out for me. You are only doing this for the benefit of the war, not because you care about what happens to me." Misty snapped her anger flaring once more.
Leaf bristled at the insinuation. "Yes I am doing this for the benefit of the war but I'm also doing this for you!" she retorted hotly.
Misty let out a short bark of humourless laughter. "How the hell are you doing this for me?" she demanded her voice raised.
"Because I'm trying to stop you throwing away your chance for a relationship like I did!" Leaf shouted, her voice drawing the attention of passers-by.
For a second the two girls stared at each other as they tried in vain to read the other's thoughts. In the end it was Misty who spoke first.
"What are you talking about," Misty said, her face flushed but her voice returning to normal levels.
Leaf sighed heavily, it was time to reveal her own secret. She had never told anyone what she was about to tell Misty but it was the only bullet left in her arsenal.
"Let me explain," she began in a weary tone. "Over seven years ago Silph Co. was infiltrated and taken over by Team Rocket. Of course the operation was nothing like the scale of the war we are currently fighting today but at the time it was the most notorious hostage situation the Kanto Region had ever seen. To take over such a large and prestigious organisation without alerting the authorities was unthinkable and it was a major catastrophe."
Misty frowned, she knew all about the Silph Co. Seige as it had been named in the papers. She had been travelling around Kanto with Ash and Brock at the time and the fallout had been plastered over the news for weeks. According to those who had been taken hostage during the crisis, the syndicate's plan had been to steal the technology for the newly developed Master Ball the company had recently invented. They had wanted the information in order to achieve their goal of world domination, fortunately however, they had been stopped before they could complete the mission.
Misty relayed all of this information back to Leaf to show that she was well aware of the events that had taken place. The brunette listened patiently and waited for the Gym Leader to finish before continuing.
"Bear with me," she replied. "Of course what you say is all correct but you, along with everyone else, only know half the story," she said, shifting into a more comfortable position. "Tell me, do you know exactly how Team Rocket were stopped?"
Misty opened her mouth to reply but stopped when she realised that she actually didn't have an answer. Back in those days she had spent most of her time wondering through whatever forest or cave Ash had gotten them lost in with only minimal contact with the outside world. She had caught newspaper headlines in shops and the occasional news bulletin on TV but back then there were no PokeNavs or smart devises and as a result she had never learnt the full story.
She shrugged. "I assumed the police found out and eventually raided the place," she said, hazarding a guess.
The answer seemed to amuse Leaf as her face broke into a knowing smile. "That was the official line," she agreed, her expression returning to normal. "But the actual story was far more embarrassing for the League and the Saffron City P.D."
Misty arched an eyebrow. She was still uncertain as to why the girl was telling her all of this however the story had peaked her curiosity. "How so?" she asked.
Leaf leaned forward, her usual serious demeanour fading slightly as she because caught up in her story telling.
"Because Team Rocket were stopped completely by chance!" Leaf exclaimed. "There was no police investigation, no mission to raid the building, nothing. The authorities had no idea Team Rocket were anywhere near Saffron City. The only thing that stopped the syndicate was an eleven year old girl who accidentally stumbled onto them."
Misty's brain connected the dots in a flash and she suddenly knew how the story was going to end.
"It was you," she said, impressed. "You stopped team rocket and that's why you were recruited by the League."
Leaf smiled, impressed that the other woman had managed to piece her story together so quickly. "Yes, it was me. I had gone to Saffron to battle Sabrina for a badge when I stumbled across their operation. I would have gone to the police but the city was filled with undercover grunts and I didn't know who I could trust. It seems horrendously reckless now but I decided to infiltrate the building myself and I just got lucky. As soon as Lance found out what I had done he offered me a position within the G-Men. Needless to say, I accepted the offer."
Misty nodded and leaned back in her chair so she could appraise Leaf in a new light. It felt good to finally learn something about the mysterious girl from Ash's past but she still couldn't figure out why she was telling her this. In the end she gave up trying to solve the enigma and resorted to her trademark bluntness.
"I still don't understand how any of this relates to my feelings for Ash," she probed.
Leaf's demeanour became serious once more and she leaned forward so that her head was only a couple of feet from Misty's, making the conversation much more private.
"There are two reasons why I have told you this," she began, her tone level. "Firstly, I want you to know that I have a history with Team Rocket and have seen first-hand how evil they are. I thought I had stopped them seven years ago and I want to make sure I do so this time. Therefore if revealing your feelings to Ash helps to achieve that in any way then I will do all in my power to make it happen."
Misty was silent for a moment, she too knew the horrors the syndicate was capable of but she still couldn't work out what Leaf was driving at.
"And the second reason," she asked, hoping it would provide more clarity.
Leaf's expression soften slightly. "The second reason, the more important reason, is that I was in the same position as you are now," she said with almost a trace of humour.
Misty shook her head slowly. "I don't understand," she admitted.
Leaf sighed. She had known she would have to explain herself as soon as she had started telling her story but that didn't make it any easier.
"Just like you, I too used to love someone whom I was too afraid to tell," she said, her heart tightening in her chest as she spoke the words out loud.
"Who?" Misty asked, her attention completely fixed on the brunette.
Leaf chuckled yet there was no amusement to the sound. "Take a guess?" she muttered.
Misty tilted her head to one side, confused. As far as she knew Leaf could have been in love with anyone in Kanto. However, the moment she stared thinking about it she realised that there was only one possible answer.
"Gary!" she blurted out loud.
Leaf nodded grimly and adverted her gaze as if she were embarrassed. "Gary," she repeated.
For the first time in the conversation Misty was speechless. Despite his good looks the Gym Leader couldn't imagine any self-respecting girl having feelings for the researcher, least of all Leaf. The brunette was so strong, so independent, so self-assured that she couldn't conceive she would love someone as arrogant and chauvinistic as Gary Oak. They were complete opposites. Then again, wasn't that what people said about her and Ash…
Misty shook her head. The reason for Leaf's feelings wasn't important right now. Her reason for telling her them was.
"Why were you were afraid to tell him?" she prompted.
Leaf looked at Misty with a bitter smile. "For the same reason as you," she said in a miserable tone. "I thought he would think less of me if I did. I was terrified I would lose him as a friend."
Misty nodded understandingly. She didn't need any help imaging the paralysing fear Leaf was describing.
Leaf carried on, unable to stop the flow of memories. "We were such intense rivals when we were young. All we cared about back then was becoming the strongest trainers in the world. That's what Gary cared about anyway. He was infatuated with having the strongest pokemon and only respected trainers whom he saw as strong as himself. You probably already know that he had no respect for Ash back then, but he respected me. Believe it or not but back then I was strongest of the three of us. I was always the first person to win Gym Badges and always caught the most pokemon."
Leaf's tone had become wistful now and her eyes were slightly glazed as she ind focused on old memories.
"I think it infuriated Gary to no end that I was better than him. He had a huge chip on his shoulder and he would get so angry when I beat him in a battle. When we started our pokemon journey he would call me four or five times a day to gloat about catching a new pokemon or to check if I was ahead of him."
Leaf's eyes suddenly focused once more and she looked back at Misty. "I loved the attention," she said with a sad smile. "Of course I was way more mature compared to Gary and Ash, but I was still young and impressionable and Gary made me feel special. I couldn't help myself, I fell in Love with him."
Several seconds passed between the two women before Misty finally spoke. "So…what happened," she whispered, thoroughly captivated by the girls story.
Leaf puffed out her cheeks and blew out threw her mouth. "Then the whole Silph Co. incident occurred and the next thing I know I was being offered a job as a trainee agent for the G-men. There was a catch of course, there always is with these sort of things. Due to the nature of the G-men's business and the fact that I was only eleven at the time no one could know, not even my family."
It took Misty a couple of seconds to digest the enormity of the decision Leaf had had to make at such a young age. "So you just disappeared, just like that? Without telling anyone?" she asked incredulously.
Leaf shook her head. "It wasn't as bad as it sounds," she protested. "An eleven year old girl couldn't just disappear without a trace, people would start asking questions otherwise. I still kept in contact with my parents, I just told them that I was still on my journey and although he never said so I always thought Professor Oak knew what I was doing."
"And Gary?" Misty questioned.
Leaf sighed heavily. "Gary, I couldn't tell. Lance wouldn't allow it. I also couldn't pretend that I was still on my journey as he would have known that I wasn't and would have suspected something. Instead, I cut him out of my life, just like that."
Misty gaped at the other woman, utterly astonished by her story. "So you never told him how you felt," she said in a quiet voice.
A pained expression crossed Leaf's expression and she nodded miserably. "No, I didn't," she replied remorsefully. "It's not like I didn't think about it. The only reason why I would have refused Lance's offer would have been so I could have continued my journey with Gary. If I had told him how I felt and if he had reciprocated those feelings then I am certain I would have continued as a trainer."
"But I was too afraid, just like you are with Ash. I was terrified that he would see less of me. I thought he would view my feelings as a weakness of some sort and that I would lose the respect he held for me. I thought the best thing to do was preserve our relationship how it was, but clearly I was wrong. Just look at us now, we can't speak to each other without trying to tear one another apart."
A sudden weariness overcame Leaf as she finished talk. It was if the effort of recalling and re-living her memories and feelings had physically taken a toll on her. It had certainly taken a mental toll.
"Do you wish you had told him?" Misty asked, the interest evident in her tone.
Leaf nodded. "Don't get me wrong. I love working for the G-men. It can be tough sometimes but every day we help to make the world a better place, however, I can't help but agonise over the things I gave up to do so. I've always wondered what my life would be like if I had told Gary my feelings, particularly recently, and I would be lying if I said I didn't regret my actions. I made a decision not to tell Gary how I felt and I ended up losing him anyway."
Misty frowned. "But what if you had told him and he didn't reciprocate your feelings. What if he had thought less of you like you were afraid he would," she explained.
"Then at least I would have had an answer rather than not knowing one way or another. And even if he had thought less of me…well, our relationship couldn't have turned out any worse than it is now."
Misty was silent for a long time as she assimilated all of what Leaf had told her. Finally she understood why the brunette had told her story.
"Ash and I aren't you and Gary," she insisted suddenly.
Leaf smiled sadly. "Maybe not at the moment but with every passing day you become more and like us. As I said earlier, one way or another you and Ash will be drawn apart and just like me you will look back and resent yourself for not telling him when you had the chance."
Misty didn't respond. She couldn't. She could try to deny what Leaf was telling her but deep down she knew it was true.
Leaf could see the doubt in Misty's eyes and with a sense of relief she released that she may just have made a tiny breech in the Gym Leader's defences. She had dredged up some of her worst memories and quite honestly wanted to get away from the conversation as soon as she could but she was not about to give up her advantage when she had worked so hard for it and she made once last attempt to reason with orange haired woman.
"Listen Misty, I can't force you to tell him, this is your decision to make but time is running out for you. It may not be perfect but this is best chance you are going get. Don't throw it away. You may justify to yourself that you have good reasons for not admitting your feelings but trust me, it never stops hurting."
Misty gave no reaction as Leaf spoke but as she uttered her last few words the brunette saw the Gym Leader's left eye twitch slightly and she knew her words had struck home. It was time for her to let the other woman make her decision.
Leaf could feel her legs shaking as she got up from the table. She would have to face her own torturous memories for the foreseeable future, she just hoped it had been worth it.
Misty watched the pale faced as the brunette walk off down the street. She wanted to reject everything Leaf had just told her, to dismiss it without any thought but she knew she was right. If she didn't tell Ash, she would lose him forever.
Author's Note
Well there you have it, the first and last chapter of 2016. I hope you all liked it, it was aimed at all of the shippers out there. I know I haven't done an action based chapter for a while now so I am sorry if things have slowed a little however, from now until the end of the story there is going to be pretty much nothing but action/drama!
Once more I am sorry for my absence. I do aim to finish this story (unless everyone has given up and stopped reading) so please bare with me. I have already written a large proportion of the next chapter so hopefully I will have that up soon. I will return to responding to reviews in the next chapter.
So, until next time... Oh, and a Happy New Year!