Hello, everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful day today! And as you all know, today is a special day if you support the idea of Ash and Misty being a couple. 19 years ago today (in Japan, at least, as the rest of the world, particularly America, would not get the episode for another 11 months), the episode "Gotta Catch You Later" aired for the first time in Japan, marking the end of Misty's time traveling with Ash. Supporters of the ship decided to mark the day as "Pokeshipping Day", which I am writing this story for. In this story, Misty will have the chance to reunite with Ash, and as Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl are less than two weeks away, I decided to have them reunite in Sinnoh. How will the reunion go? Well, you have to read to find out! Let's get going!
It was a sunny day in the city of Cerulean, and as the early rays of the sun hit the eyes of one Misty K. Waterflower, the gym leader, she woke up and yawned as she got up out of bed to get ready for the day. There were many trainers who would be coming to her gym in a few hours and challenging her for a chance to win the Cascade Badge. It was a job that was important for the city but was monotonous as Misty was one of the strongest gym leaders in the region, despite only being ranked second in the traditional gym badge order (she blamed her good-for-nothing sisters for that).
"I wonder if I will receive any challenge today…" Misty said as she brushed her hair and put it into a ponytail before putting on her outfit of a blue jacket, a one-piece swimsuit, and sandals. She then made her way out of the room to see her oldest sister, Daisy, sitting at the table eating a breakfast of cereal. The Azurill that Tracey gave to the fake blonde back when she was just an egg was bouncing around the kitchen, full of energy. She accidentally bumped into Misty and fell to the ground.
"Rill!" The baby normal-and-fairy Pokémon whined as Misty kneeled down and picked up her "niece" and rubbed where it hurt.
"You okay?" Misty asked the baby softly.
Azurill nodded. "Riri ririll," she said as she was cradled in Misty's arms before she handed the Pokemon over to Daisy.
"So Misty," Daisy said, "in the mail, there was, like, a letter for you…" She pointed to the center of the table, where the mail was dropped off, and on the top of the pile was a letter from the Pokémon League.
"Better not be a letter telling me to go easier on my opponents as I am the second gym leader, not the last one…" Misty thought to herself as she opened the envelope that contained the letter and read it out loud.
"Dear Misteria Kasumi Waterflower,
The Kanto and Sinnoh regions have decided to hold a series of exhibition matches in honor of the 15th anniversary of Sinnoh being an official member of the World Pokémon League Association. The matches will involve the gym leaders and Elite Four members of both regions, and the matchups will be determined by the type specialties of said trainers. Half of the matches will be in the Kanto Region and the other half in the Sinnoh Region. They are listed below. If you cannot be there, please tell us ahead of time.
Thanks for being a part of the best sport in the world,
Charles Goodshow, Pokémon League CEO."
"A battle against a strong Sinnohan?!" Misty asked. "And he is coming to our gym?!"
"You should, like, see," Daisy pointed out.
"Right," Misty said as she read the list that stated the trainers who would be hosting Sinnohans.
"Gardenia versus Erika, Celadon City. Maylene versus Bruno, Indigo Plateau. Byron versus Lance, also Indigo Plateau. Volkner versus Surge, Vermilion City. Bertha versus Terry (new Viridian gym leader), Viridian City. Lucian versus Sabrina, Saffron City," Misty read out loud. She reread the list in her head. Neither her name nor hometown appeared on the list, which was weird.
"Uh, you might want to, like, look at the matches taking place in the Sinnoh Region," Daisy suggested to her youngest sister.
Misty nodded in agreement as she looked at the other side of the list, which listed the Kantonians going to Sinnoh. "Blaine versus Flint, Lily of the Valley. Janine versus Aaron, also at the Lily of the Valley. Lorelei versus Candice, Snowpoint City. Agatha versus Fantina, Hearthome City. Forrest versus Roark, Oreburgh City. Misty versus Crasher Wake, Pastoria City." Right next to the last match was a star signaling that this was the place that Misty would be going to for her battle. Misty stared at the list for a long while before her sister broke the silence.
"You know, that, like, gives you a challenge that you wanted," Daisy said to Misty.
"But who will take care of the gym?" Misty asked. She was concerned about leaving the gym in control of her sisters, who would regularly just give badges away to trainers without them even having to battle. "You know I don't trust you, Violet, or Lily with all of the Tauroscrap that you have pulled over the years you controlled the gym."
"But there is a chance that your boyfriend might be there to root for you," Daisy said as she held out a newspaper with one of the articles talking about Ash's recent victory against Veilstone City's Gym Leader.
Misty's cheeks were as red as her crush's partner Pokémon's. "Ash isn't my boyfriend!" she shouted. "Ash is a boy, who is my friend, but he is not my boyfriend!"
"We both know you are lying," Daisy said, giving a smile. "Anyways, Trace can always come over and help me if I need anything with the gym."
"Do you promise to actually battle any trainer who comes through these doors and not hand the badge simply for showing up?" Misty asked Daisy.
"I do," Daisy said as she nodded.
"Good," Misty said as she took out a piece of paper and began to write a letter to the Pokémon League.
"Dear Mr. Goodshow,
I have decided that I will be going to Pastoria City to fight Crasher Wake, and my oldest sister will be taking over the gym for me while I am away. I plan on being out of town for about a week starting tomorrow. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to battle a stronger opponent; I will be looking forward to our match.
Sincerely,
Misty Waterflower."
She then put her letter in the same envelope that she received her invitation in, sealed it and gave it to the Wingull that her sisters caught during their tour of the Hoenn region, which served as their mail Pokémon. "Take this to the Pokémon League," she asked the water-and-flying-type Pokemon.
"Gull!" Wingull said as he flew off to give Goodshow Misty's letter.
In a region far from the city of Cerulean, a black-haired trainer and his friends were walking along the routes to make their way to Pastoria City, where his fourth gym challenge of the region awaited.
"Ash," a blue-haired girl said to the boy, now revealed to be none other than the one and only Ash Ketchum, "don't you think we should stop and take a rest? The next Pokémon Center's only a kilometer away."
"But Pastoria is so close," Ash said. "If we keep walking, we will be there before the place closes its doors at 11 PM, Dawn!"
"But my feet are killing me, Ash!" The coordinator protested.
"Lup…" the penguin Pokémon who was sitting in Dawn's arms said in a yawning voice as if to tell the Kantonian, "I'm tired."
"Pika pika Pikachu!" Pikachu, who was on his usual spot on Ash's shoulder, told Piplup, as if he meant, "You haven't done anything all day but sit with your trainer carrying you!"
"Pip pip!" Piplup countered, his cries meaning, "So have you!"
"Enough," Brock said, trying to break up the fight between the Pokémon who wouldn't be in their Pokéballs unless absolutely necessary. "Ash, Dawn is right. We should probably check in to the nearby Pokémon Center and finish the trek to Pastoria City tomorrow."
"But Brock…" the fourteen-year-old whined to the Pewter City native, "I want to hurry up and get my badge already!"
"Ash," the adult said to Ash, "the Sinnoh League is not for another six months. You will have plenty of time to earn your next five badges, and the gym leaders are not going anywhere. Unless they are Fantina, of course."
Ash groaned. "Fine." Whether he was upset about having to make a pitstop or being reminded of how the Hearthome City Gym Leader prioritizes her contests over her battles, nobody was sure, but it was leaning towards the former. After walking a little bit more, Ash, Dawn, Brock, Pikachu, and Piplup arrived at the Pokémon Center. "Hello there, and welcome to the Pokémon Center!" a warm voice said to welcome them to the free healing and shelter location.
"Hello, Nurse Joy!" The humans said back to the pink-haired lady. They handed their Pokémon to the nurse before Ash and Dawn sat down while waiting for Brock to see if there were any rooms available for the night. Ash looked around the Pokémon Center for a bit when he saw a poster advertising an upcoming battle in Pastoria City. "Come one, come all to Pastoria City Gym at 1:00 PM FJET (Former Japanese Empire Time) on November 7th, 2021 for a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Gym Leader Crasher Wake will be hosting a strong trainer from the Kanto region in a special exhibition battle to honor 15 years of the Sinnoh Region being a part of the WPLA. Admission for all trainers is free, but seating will be limited to the first 20,000 people to show up; standing room will be available for the 5,000 who come after that. Ask your local Nurse Joy for more details," the poster read.
Ash stared at the poster for a long while before he looked back at Dawn and pointed the advertisement to the Twinleaf native. "Isn't that cool? A strong trainer is going to be challenging Wake!"
"It is cool," Dawn said as she looked at her Pokétch to see what day it was. November 4th. "And it will be in three days!"
"Yeah," Ash said, "let's go and ask Nurse Joy what she knows about the battle!" They then headed up to the counter where Nurse Joy was… with Brock doubling down while holding his nuts with his Croagunk smirking. Ash knew that Brock was flirting with Nurse Joy and not just asking her for an available room. Dawn took the key that Brock asked for and dragged him to the room, their Pokemon following them. Ash then turned his attention to Nurse Joy.
"So," the ebony-haired teenager said to the nurse, "I saw the poster advertising an upcoming battle between Crasher Wake and a special trainer from the Kanto region."
"Yes," Nurse Joy, "and I heard that, with who is coming, I think the attendance will be well above the 25K capacity of Pastoria City Gym."
"I bet so," Ash said. "Anyways, who is the trainer who Wake will be facing?"
"I am not sure, Ash," Nurse Joy said. "I doubt that the trainer will be coming to the Sinnoh region due to their tight schedule."
"So I will have to wait and see who it is then…" Ash said, disappointment evident in the tone of his voice.
"Yes, unfortunately," Joy commented.
"Well, I better be heading off to bed," Ash said as he headed to the room where he, Dawn, and Brock would be spending the night. When he got there, he plopped down on the bed and tucked himself in.
"I wonder who the special trainer will be…" Ash thought to himself. He spent the final moments of the night thinking about who might be coming to the Sinnoh Region to fight Crasher Wake in a Pokémon battle. He still could not find an answer when he closed his eyes and drifted into the land of dreams. He dreamed of seeing his first human companion in the Sinnoh region to see him, even though he knew it would likely not happen… unless someone else had a plan to see the two reuniting temporarily for two regions in a row. Maybe she would be the one to take on Crasher Wake. After all, they both focused their teams on the same type. But who would control the gym while she is away? Would she really trust her sisters whose battle skills were equivalent to those of beginning trainers? Many thoughts ran through Ash's head, making his sleep uneasy.
The following day, as Ash and his friends were traveling ever closer to Pastoria City, Misty was also making her way to the town for her hyped matchup with the gym leader. After sending the league a letter to confirm that she would be coming to Pastoria City for the battle against Crasher Wake, she received a plane ticket for a flight from Cerulean City International Airport to Pastoria City Airport on November 5th. She landed just outside of the town after flying for three hours at 5:00 PM. But due to all of the stress from the prior days and hours, she was exhausted when she finally got to the Pokémon Center at 7.
"Good Evening, and welcome to Pastoria City Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy said behind the counter as Misty came into the Pokémon Center. "How may we help you tonight?"
"I am here for my battle with Crasher Wake in two days," Misty said, "and I was wondering if you have a spare room I can spend the night in."
"Of course," Nurse Joy told the Cerulean gym leader, "and you are?"
"Misty Waterflower," Misty answered.
"So you decided to finally leave the gym again," Joy said.
"Just for this battle with Wake," Misty said, "then I'm going right back home. I do not trust the post of Cerulean gym leader to my sisters after what they did the last time I was away."
"Makes sense," Nurse Joy said as she handed Misty the key to her room. "Your room is just down the hall."
"Okay then," Misty said as she headed down the hall and to her room, falling asleep the moment that she hit her bed from pure exhaustion.
A little after Misty arrived at the Pokémon Center, Ash and his friends also arrived in Pastoria City's Pokémon Center. Ash personally wanted to arrive at the Pokémon Center earlier to try and catch a glimpse of the trainer who would be battling Crasher Wake. But of course, the TRio just had to attack them, try and steal their Pokémon, set them off course for a few hours, and make them just miss the special someone arriving at the Pokémon Center.
"Finally!" Ash said as they entered the limits of the swamp side town. "We have finally arrived in Pastoria City!"
"Pika!" His best friend said as he hopped off of Ash's shoulder.
"Last one to the Pokémon Center has no ketchup with dinner tonight!" Ash said as he and his partner Pokémon bolted off.
"Ash, wait for us!" Dawn said as she raised her hand, but Brock grabbed it.
"Let him go; he is excited to see who will be facing off against Wake," the Pewter native told the girl with a Piplup in her arms.
After running for a solid two minutes, Ash and Pikachu neared the Pokémon Center. "Almost there!" Ash said. "Get ready to have a bland meal tonight, Pika…"
Too late, as Pikachu used his Quick Attack to get ahead of his best friend. "Pika, Pika pi!" the yellow mouse taunted as if he meant, "I won, Ash!"
"You cheated!" Ash said as he picked up his buddy of five years and gave him a noogie.
"Pika!" Pikachu said as he unleashed a Thunderbolt attack on his master as if to tell him to stop it. A 10,000-volt bolt is not a pleasant thing to endure, but when you were shocked as many times as Ash Ketchum, you got used to it.
"Okay," Ash said, "I will stop." The trainer who was as burnt as his namesake got up and walked into the Pokémon Center to get some more information about the upcoming battle.
"Good evening, and welcome to the Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy told the trainer from Pallet Town. "How may we help you?"
"I would like to have my Pokémon healed," Ash said, "and do you have any knowledge on who Crasher Wake will be facing on Sunday?"
"So you are here for the exhibition match?" Nurse Joy asked.
"I am," Ash said, "and afterward I was hoping to earn the badge for myself so I can take part in the Sinnoh League!" He showed the three badges that he'd got from Roark, Gardenia, and Maylene so far.
Nurse Joy smiled when she saw Ash's three badges, "Well, I wish you luck against Wake whenever you get the chance to battle him," she said. "Anyways, you wanted information on the exhibition match?"
"Yes," Ash said. "I haven't received much information from the last center I went to."
"Well, the trainer who Crasher Wake will battle on Sunday is…" Nurse Joy said.
"Please be Misty," Ash thought, "please be Misty…"
"Misteria Kasumi Waterflower," Joy finished.
"Misty?!" Ash asked as he gasped, a look of surprise on his face. He then smiled widely. "Alright!"
"She just arrived earlier today," Joy said.
"Can you call her out so I can see her?" Ash asked.
"Unfortunately she looked pretty tired when she arrived, so she needs some rest. But the battle is not for two days, so you will have plenty of time to see her tomorrow," Joy replied.
"Okay then," Ash said, a bit of disappointment on his face. "Do you have a room for three available for me and my friends?"
"Of course," Joy said as she handed Ash a room key. "Your room is towards the end of the hall, Ash."
"Thanks," Ash said before he gave descriptions of his friends so she knew what they looked like. Nurse Joy nodded as Ash headed for his room, smiling. He thought about the fun he and Misty would have before her battle with Crasher Wake. He blushed, as maybe he would finally get a chance to reveal his feelings for her. At age 10, when she fished him out of the river, he was so oblivious to love. But now that he was older, he understood it a bit more, but still acted dense because he did not want to be with anyone else.
Five-thirty in the morning came to the Sinnoh region the following day. It was too early for most people to wake up, but Ash Ketchum was already out of bed and dressed. He was excited to see Misty after they were apart for many months and to catch up with her as well. He was so excited that he had problems staying asleep for most of the night and decided to spend the rest of the time waiting for her in the lobby of the Pokémon Center. He trod towards the door, careful not to wake up his friends. However, the creaking of the door caught the ears of one of his friends as his ears perked up.
"Pika?" Pikachu asked, confused as to what was going on. He then saw his master already dressed. "Pika pi?"
Ash turned around and whispered, "Yes, Pikachu?" He'd already woken up one of his friends, and he didn't want to wake up the other two.
"Pikachu, Pikapi!" Pikachu said as he pointed his tail at the clock next to Ash's bed. The clock read "5:35" in bright, blocky red letters.
"I know it is early, Pikachu," Ash said, "It's just I cannot sleep. I cannot wait to meet up with Misty again." He then made his way to the lobby of the Pokémon Center, Pikachu following him.
"Pikachu Pikapi?" Pikachu asked, concerned about how Ash would be able to stay awake until Misty was up and out of her room to meet with him.
"Don't worry about it, Pikachu," Ash said as they headed into the lobby, "I will just grab a thing of caffeine so I can stay…" He then saw a sign by the Pokémon Center Cafe that stated their hours. "Open from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM." He then looked at the clock, with the big hand pointing to the eight and the little hand in between the five and the six. "I'll take that statement back."
"Pikachu, pika pi," Pikachu said, as if he meant to say "Don't worry, Ash, I will keep you up."
"Thanks, bud," Ash said as he yawned.
Pikachu sighed at the first yawn Ash gave, as it told him it would be an effort to keep him awake long enough to meet Misty Waterflower again.
Several minutes passed as Ash struggled to keep his eyes open, as he DEFINITELY wasn't a morning person, as anyone who met him in the first hours of his journeys would attest to. Every time Ash tried to get some shut-eye, Pikachu would deliver a Thundershock attack to keep him awake. Pikachu was getting tired from shocking Ash over and over, but unlike Ash, he had something to keep himself awake: ketchup packets he stole from the Pokémon Center Cafe yesterday. The clock ticked on and on, and at 6:25, Ash was about to fall asleep yet again when he heard footsteps down the hall.
"Pika?" Pikachu said as he looked up to see who could be coming down the hall. He smiled and gave Ash a jolt. "Pikachu, pika pi!"
"Ugh…" Ash said, "what is it, Pikachu?" He then looked to see what Pikachu saw and saw that a girl his age was walking into the lobby of the Pokémon Center. The girl had red hair and green eyes. Ash recognized her immediately. "Misty?!" he asked.
"Ash?!" The girl asked as she went up to the boy from Pallet Town. "What are you doing here?!"
"I am here for the gym challenge," Ash said. "When I heard that you would be here for a special exhibition match with Crasher Wake, my friends and I made a beeline here!"
Misty smiled at the enthusiasm Ash was showing for finally being able to see her again after several months of being apart. "That's great to hear, Ash. How many badges have you earned so far?"
Ash smiled as he pulled out his badge case. "Three," he said before opening up the case and showing three badges. "The Coal Badge from Roark in Oreburgh City, the Forest Badge from Gardenia in Eterna City, and the Cobble Badge from Maylene in Veilstone City."
"That's great, Ash," Misty said. "You are making great progress so far!"
Ash smiled before asking Misty a question. "How has running the gym been so far, Misty?"
"It has been a handful," Misty said. "Trainers have been coming in every day and I have dealt with them pretty easily, even when I hold back from my full potential."
"I bet it has been," Ash said, "Who is watching over the gym while you are here?"
"My sisters," Misty said, "and before you ask, they are much more competent in battle than the last time you saw them. And I had Tracey help out too to make sure they don't just hand gym badges out."
"Why didn't you do that the last time we were together?" Ash asked Misty.
"I just didn't think about it the last time, Ash," Misty admitted before she realized something. "Hey Ash, your voice sounds different since the last time we met. What's up with that?"
"Puberty, I think," Ash said. "I think it has happened to you too, Mist."
Misty chuckled and nodded in agreement. "I think so too Ash," she said as she sat down next to him. They continued to discuss what they were up to between their brief reunion during Ash's battle frontier campaign and now until Brock and Dawn came into the Pokémon Center's lobby.
"Hey, Ash!" Dawn said as she went up to her friend, "I see you've met someone new!"
Ash nodded. "Dawn, meet my longtime friend Misty Waterflower!"
Misty smiled and offered her hand to the Twinleaf Town native, which the coordinator took. "You look familiar, Misty."
"From where?" The gym leader asked, interested in what the Sinnohan had to say.
"Ash showed me a fishing lure he had that looked a lot like you," Dawn said to Misty.
"It was a gift from me," she said as she smiled. "Nice meeting you, Dawn."
"So, Misty," Brock said, "since the battle is not until tomorrow, what do you plan on doing today?"
Misty thought about it for a while before suggesting that they tour the city together.
"That sounds like a great idea, Misty!" Ash said.
"Yeah!" his companions said in agreement. They got ready for the day before heading out of the Pokémon Center.
{Line Break}
Ash, Misty, Brock, Dawn, and their Pokémon were now standing in front of the Great Marsh, an area with plenty of rare Pokémon found in the Sinnoh Region. It also served as this region's equivalent to Kanto's Safari Zone, so trainers could pay a small fee to catch as many Pokémon as they could.
"Remember when you caught THIRTY Tauros in our home region's Safari Zone?" Misty asked Ash as they headed inside the building.
Ash chuckled at his bad timing in Kanto that few people knew of. "Yeah," Ash said.
"And you have only used a single one of them for battles," Misty added.
"But the battle it was in was an important one," Ash smiled as he thought back to his battle with Drake in the Orange League.
"Hello there!" the man behind the counter said. "Welcome to the Great Marsh! Are you here to take part in our Safari Game?"
"Yes, we are," Ash said. "We decided to check out the sights of Pastoria before her battle with Wake."
Misty smiled as she nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I want to see what kind of Pokémon live in Sinnoh's swampy area, especially water types."
"You will find plenty of Water-types here," the employee said as he handed our heroes their Safari Balls. "Grass and Bug types like this area too."
The moment the employee said "Bug-types," Misty froze in place and hugged Ash tightly. Ash sighed. "Still haven't gotten over your entomophobia, Mist?"
"I haven't…" Misty said as she hid behind Ash.
"Don't worry, I will protect you if we encounter any," Ash said as they split up the Pokéballs evenly. Easier said than done, as there were 30 balls and four of them, which left two more. Ash and Misty ended up with the extra balls because they were the main characters of this story as they headed into the Great Marsh.
"So Ash," Misty said as she looked at a map of the Great Marsh, "where do you think we should go first?"
"How about we take that tram over to Area 3?" Ash suggested as he pointed to a tram that offered service to the back of the park.
"That sounds like a good idea, Ash!" she said as they hopped onto the tram. It zoomed through the Great Marsh, Misty looking on as she saw many Pokémon both familiar and unfamiliar to her. As it was going by so fast, she didn't seem to catch that many of the Pokémon she saw that were of her least favorite type. Eventually, they arrived at their destination.
"Ladies first," Ash said as he allowed Misty to get off of the tram before him.
Misty smiled as she got off the tram and the two trainers headed into the swampy area. "I wonder what kinds of Pokémon live here," Misty said as she saw a Pokémon skating on the murky waters of the Great Marsh. It noticed the trainers and skated towards them.
Ash scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex, not because he didn't know the Pokémon, but to show Misty the Pokémon. "Surskit," Ash's Pokédex said, "the Pond Skater Pokémon. It appears to be skating on water, and uses a sweet scent to attract prey."
"Woah…" Misty said as she looked at the Pokémon.
"This Pokémon is of the water and bug types," the Pokédex said, which made Misty freeze.
"What types?"
"Water and bug," Ash said, repeating what his Pokédex told the Cerulean City gym leader.
This caused Misty to shiver slightly, as even though Surskit was her absolute favorite Pokémon type, it was also her absolute LEAST favorite Pokémon type as well. "B…" she stuttered, "B… BUG?!"
Ash sighed and nodded, exasperated. "Yeah," he said, "and it looks like you still have not gotten over your fear of Bug-types, right?"
Misty nodded, too scared to talk as the Surskit looked up at her and rubbed its head across her leg.
"I think Surskit would be the perfect way for you to help you get over your entomophobia, Misty," Ash said to the water-type gym leader.
"Are you sure about that, Ash?" Misty asked the boy from Pallet Town.
"Yeah," Ash said, "Even though it is a bug, your least favorite kind of Pokémon, it is also your favorite type of Pokémon, which I think would make a great entry into a pool of Pokémon you are afraid to interact with." He then looked at Surskit. "Plus, I think he likes you."
Misty looked back at the water/bug Pokémon and gave a slight smile. "I guess you are right, Ash," she said as she tossed one of her Safari Balls at the Pokémon. It was absorbed into the ball before it fell to the ground. It then shook. Once. Twice. Thrice. The ball then clicked to signal that the Pokémon had been caught.
"Alright!" Misty said as she picked up the Pokéball containing her newest capture. "I got a Surskit!" She then sent out her new Pokémon as it looked up at her.
"Surskit?" Surskit asked the trainer as it looked up at her.
"Hey there," Misty said as she took a knee so she could be as close to the level Surskit was as possible. "I am your new trainer. I hope you can help me out, and I will help you out in return."
Surskit liked what Misty told it and smiled. "Sursk!"
Misty chuckled before returning Surskit to its ball and suggesting that she and Ash go and reunite with the others.
"Okay then." And with that, they headed out of the area, unwittingly holding hands.
One sleep later, the day had finally arrived for Misty Waterflower, the reason she was here in the Sinnoh region in the first place. It was her much-hyped battle against the gym leader of Pastoria City, Crasher Wake. The whole place was sold out, but the fan who was most excited to see her was seated in the best seat in the house: the box with a view right above the visitor's side of the battlefield.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to this special WPLA Exhibition Match!" a voice announced over the intercom, to the chorus of 25 thousand plus cheering voices, Ash's being the loudest. "On the blue side is the visiting trainer! All the way from Cerulean City in the Kanto Region, a trainer in a family predominantly made up of show women, the tomboyish mermaid, and one of the most powerful gym leaders; give it up for Misty Waterflower!"
"WOO HOO!" Ash cheered as Misty walked out of the tunnel leading to the battlefield and onto it, waving to all of her fans who had made the trip to Pastoria to cheer her on. "GOOD LUCK OUT THERE MISTY!"
"And on the red side of the battlefield," the announcer continued, "is the trainer who has agreed to host this match! He is a strong water trainer like Misty is and has a passion for battle! Give it up for your Pastoria City Gym Leader, the Maximum Mask, CRASHER WAKE!"
Wake came running into the battle area, hamming it up as he usually did. "HELLO, MY GLORIOUS FANS!"
"Wake! Wake! Wake!" the crowd, which mostly consisted of people from Pastoria City, cheered. Of course, they would be rooting for their gym leader.
As the local gym leader made his way to his side of the battlefield, the referee explained the rules. "This exhibition battle will be a three-on-three battle between the visitor, Misty Waterflower, and the Pastoria Gym Leader, Crasher Wake. Neither trainer will be allowed to switch unless their Pokémon have fainted, and whoever knocks out all of his or her opponent's Pokémon will be considered the winner! Miss Waterflower, you get the first move."
"Alright then!" Misty said as she sent out her first Pokémon. "Misty chooses Starmie!" She sent out the purple star-shaped Pokémon, who spun around as it was sent out. The ruby in the center dazzled in the light as the audience watched on.
"Quagsire!" Wake said. "I choose you!" He sent out the water and ground Pokémon native to the Johto Region.
"Quag!" Quagsire cried out as the battle began. Misty told Starmie to start the battle off with a Psychic attack to hold Quagsire in place. Starmie unleashed purple energy from its core as Crasher Wake told Quagsire to use Ice Beam to intercept the attack to protect himself. Quagsire did so and the resulting collision of attacks resulted in a huge explosion. Starmie jumped into the water to dodge the explosion and propelled itself closer to Quagsire. Misty then ordered Starmie to use a close-ranged Hydro Pump. The Star Shape Pokémon did so and hit Quagsire in the face, causing him to fall off of his platform and into the pool below. Quagsire used Mugshot on Starmie's gem, but Starmie quickly got it off and used Ice Beam to freeze Quagsire in a block of ice. Misty ordered Starmie to deliver the finishing blow, which the water and psychic Pokémon did, spinning super fast and breaking Quagsire out, KO'ing him in the process.
"Quagsire is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Crasher Wake, please send out your next Pokémon." The luchador gym leader returned the Water Fish Pokemon and sent out a Pokémon that Misty had never seen before: Floatzel, the Sea Weasel Pokémon. It gave out its cry before Crasher Wake told him to use Aqua Jet. Floatzel jetted itself across the pool of water and towards Starmie before slapping it with its two tails. It then threw Starmie into the air before chomping down on it with Crush. The water and psychic Pokémon fell to the Dark-type attack for the KO!
"You did great, Starmie," Misty said as she returned one of her stronger Pokémon. "Now Politoed, I choose you!" She sent out the frog Pokémon, who clapped while saying its name. He hopped onto one of the platforms as the battle resumed. She demanded that Politoed use Belly Drum. The frog did so, increasing its attack stat at the cost of its health. Crasher Wake Told Floatzel to use Ice fang to keep Politoed in its place. Politoed used Bounce just in time to dodge the attack. He then came crashing back down and hit Floatzel, paralyzing the Sea Weasel Pokémon. Crasher Wake's signature Pokémon used Bite in retaliation for the status condition, and the two Pokémon rolled around one on top of the other until they both started to get exhausted. Floatzel used one last attack before collapsing: Double Slap. The damage dealt by Floatzel was just enough to take Politoed down with his opponent for the double KO!
"Both Pokémon are unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Misty, Wake, please send out your third and final Pokémon!"
"Okay," Misty said, "great work out there, Politoed." She returned the Frog Pokémon before pulling out the Pokéball that contained one of her strongest Pokémon. "Misty chooses Gyarados!"
"I also choose Gyarados!" Crasher Wake said before he too sent out his atrocious Sea Serpent Pokemon. The two Pokémon looked at each other and gave out an audible roar.
"Alright!" Ash shouted from his seat. "Come On, Misty, you can do this!" He was pumped by the Gyarados mirror match that was about to unfold, as was pretty much everyone else in the stadium. Ash was sure that Misty would win, as he heard that she had become super close to her Gyarados after being afraid of it for so long. Maybe bugs would work out the same way later on…
Both dragonesque Pokémon started the battle by setting up using Dragon Dance. It not only removed the lowered attack from their Intimidate abilities but increased their speed stats as well. They then charged at one another at the command of their trainers. They spun around one another as they used Waterfall on one another in hopes of making each other flinch. Unfortunately for them, both remained focused as they fell back down into the water. They swam in circles as they lunged forward and used Crunch in hopes of dealing even more damage to their opponent. They then used Outrage, causing water to splash out of the pool and onto the audience.
"Alright!" Ash said as he got splashed by the water, not minding at all. After all, he was sitting in a splash zone.
"My hair!" Dawn, who was sitting alongside Ash, cried. She liked keeping her hair presentable, so having it wet and drooping over her eyes was bad for her.
"Relax and enjoy the battle," Ash said as he continued to watch. The two Gyarados continued firing attacks at one another. Ice Fang. Bounce. Aqua Tail. Thunderbolt. Dragon Rage. Frustration. They were using every move in their arsenals in order to knock out the other one, as the trainers stared at one another, both hoping that they would be the Pokémon to win the battle.
"Gyarados!" Both Misty and Crasher Wake shouted. "Finish your foe off with a Hyper Beam attack!" Both of the Pokémon locked eyes with one another before focusing energy into their mouths. After what seemed like an eternity, but was only a minute, both Pokémon fired. The Hyper Beams collided and caused a massive explosion, knocking both of the water and flying Pokémon back. It was coming down to a staring contest between the two Pokémon...the whole gym was tense as they watched on…and Crasher Wake's Gyarados closed his eyes and collapsed into the water!
"Crasher Wake's Gyarados is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "So that means the visitor, Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City, is the victor of this exhibition match!"
Despite the gym leader losing the battle, everyone in the stadium cheered. Both Misty and Crasher Wake gave the people in the audience a battle that they would never forget. And the person who was thrilled the most by the battle was none other than Ash Ketchum.
"That was an amazing show you had out there, Misty," Ash said as the two of them and their friends left the gym and made their way back to the Pokémon Center.
"Thanks," Misty said with a smile as she blushed, "but it was my Pokémon who did all of the hard work."
"Still," Ash said as he looked at her. He smiled at her as they entered the Pokémon Center so that they could rest up. "Oh, Misty?" Ash said as she handed her Pokéballs to Nurse Joy.
"Yeah, Ash?" Misty asked. "What is it?"
Ash blushed as he stuttered, "I was… wondering if you could join me on my journey again…"
"I would love to," Misty said, bringing the hopes of Ash up, only to bring them right back down, "but you know that I have a gym to run back in Cerulean City."
Ash sighed. "Your sisters are such a pain for forcing you to stay in the gym all the time," the boy from Pallet Town said to his friend from Cerulean City.
"They are," Misty said in agreement, "but they gave me until the battle with Wake and no more."
"I guess they have a point," Ash said.
"How about this," Misty said, "I will convince my sisters that once you are done competing in the Sinnoh League, whether you win it all or lose in the most heartbreaking way you can imagine, I will be able to travel with you once again. To any region you want, whether it is a region we have been to before, or a new region completely."
Ash gasped at Misty's offer. "You mean it?" he asked.
Misty smiled and nodded. "I mean it, Ash. Very much."
"Okay then," Ash said as they got Misty ready to leave the Sinnoh region so she could get back home to her job at the Cerulean City gym. As they helped her pack her bag, Ash thought about all of the times they had to leave one another. After Ash's defeat at the hands of Harrison in the Silver Conference. After the events at the Mirage Kingdom where she released her baby Togetic. During his second trip through the Kanto region to take on the battle frontier. During all of those moments, he wanted to tell her something important, but it slipped his mind every single time. He was not going to let it happen to him again. The boy from Pallet Town ran up to Misty, got close to her face, and gave her a kiss on the lips: both of their first kisses.
Dawn and Brock were shocked by the move that Ash made. "Why did you get a kiss before I did?!" the casanova wannabe asked, surprised that his best friend managed to find a girlfriend before he ever did despite being several years younger.
"I knew this would happen," Dawn said, happy for the boy she saw as a brother figure. "I know people want us together, but I personally saw Ash as more of a friend. I personally prefer Kenny, anyways," she thought to herself.
Ash's current travel companions were not the only ones shocked that the boy would be the first one to make a move. Misty herself was shocked that Ash kissed him. "Why did you do that, Ash?" she asked the boy she traveled with for two and a half years.
"To mark the promise that we made," Ash said, "but not only that, it was to tell you that I love you, Misty Waterflower."
Misty blushed when Ash said those words. She had a crush on the boy as well, and happy tears developed in her eyes. "Ash, I love you as well!" She then kissed him as they embraced. After hugging for a full minute, they broke the hug.
"Well, it looks like it is time for you to go," Ash said as he looked at the clock. They were all packed up, and the bus to the airport was going to stop by in ten minutes.
"Yeah," Misty said as she sighed. "I promise that we will see one another again once you win the Sinnoh League and I get out of that gym! And then we will have our first date." The group then left the room without another word and checked Misty out of the Pokémon Center. Ash, Brock, and Dawn would be staying a few days more so Ash himself could win Crasher Wake's badge, but for once, he was not concerned with rushing through the gym challenge. He could only think about the relationship that he developed further with Misty, and how it would grow even more after Sinnoh.
"Misty," Ash thought to himself, "thank you for this great Sinnoh Reunion…"
In the following months, Misty would continue her duties at the Cerulean City Gym. She blasted through her opponents to the point where Charles Goodshow asked her to tone it down so that the trainers could have a chance to win a badge from her. She also trained Daisy, Lily, and Violet to be better trainers, and gained their trust to watch after the gym when she decided to leave once again to travel alongside Ash Ketchum.
Speaking of Ash, he and his friends continued their travels across the Sinnoh Region, winning more gym badges and contests while dealing with the evil deeds of villains like Team Rocket, Cyrus, and Hunter J. Ash ended up making it all the way to the semifinals of the Lily of the Valley Conference, beating his bitter rival Paul, but ending up losing to Tobias and his team of legendary Pokémon. After the journey was done, Brock decided to become a Pokémon doctor while Dawn decided to pursue a magazine deal, leaving Ash alone once again.
But his time alone would not last long, because as promised, Misty handed the reins to the Cerulean City gym back to her sisters after Ash was done with the Sinnoh League, and she rejoined Ash on his quest to become a Pokémon Master. They traveled through the regions of Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar, and beyond as Ash continued his journey. During the time they had together, the love between them only grew stronger and stronger, and it would be reasonable to expect wedding bells in their future.
And that is it for my Pokeshipping Week 2021 Special story, a part of the 151 Pokeshipping Stories, everyone! I got the idea for this story from a request from one of the kind people who left a review on the original version of this story, so thank you. Every review, wether to give me an idea, tell me your opinions on the story, or just offer some constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. This is my biggest story to date, so thank you to all who have supported it. Be sure to favorite and follow to make sure you know when the next one comes out. I will see you all next time, and as always, Dare to Pokeship!