Conclusion of The Flame Burns Deep

Foreword: I'm so sorry this took so long to get up! I was very busy, and I had problems with my computer, plus, the end is the hardest part to write (in my opinion)! Please forgive me! Heh, nothing else to say without giving anything away… Cya at the end!

Conclusion of The Flame Burns Deep

Chapter Ten: Power of the Phoenix

She didn't know how long she had been asleep when she awoke to the sound of crackling flames.

Groggily, she thought, 'oh no, not this again….' Yet, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she realized that the sound was very weak and the scent of smoke faint. The fire was either very small or far off in the distance. Just to be sure though, she glanced around at the now soot-free environment. Her eyes were immediately directed to a sheer, rocky cliff sticking distinctly out from the blue horizon. Before the fire, the tall looming trees had obscured it completely, but now they were nothing but charred stumps, hardly tall enough to hide a Pikachu behind. On the very tip, just in her range of sight, a tiny orange glow could be seen. She shook her head sadly; she knew the other half of the Phoenix Legend, too, though she had always heard that a Phoenix would live for about 500 years before it incinerated itself. This one had only been around for a little while; still somehow she knew this was indeed the funeral fire for her newfound friend.

Her fire-induced nap had worked wonders. She was still pretty hungry and thirsty, but the aches seemed dull and insignificant now instead of stabbing sharp. She suddenly noticed in a panic that she had lost her grip on Ash. She didn't know it, but deep in her mind, she had the odd idea that somehow his survival depended on her keeping close to him. She went to embrace him, but pulled away when she realized his previously cold body was now smoldering hot! She drew back in a mixture of surprise and fear.

'Hmmm…? That's weird….' She thought, the full realization of what she had just felt not fully sunken in yet. Thinking perhaps all of the trauma she had been through over the last few days might be causing her to imagine things, she reached out towards him again. The moment her hand reached his skin, she knew immediately that it had definitely not been her imagination. His skin was so incredibly hot she had to jerk back her hand to prevent it from getting burned from the splintering heat. It was almost as if he was on fire. Gently blowing on her slightly scorched finger, she remembered her weird, seemingly impossible hunch from earlier. Her eyes flicked from the burning Phoenix to Ash's still body a few uncertain times, feeling something at least distantly related to hope rise up in her. Maybe…just maybe….

*****

The distant flame sputtered indecisively. Once, twice, three times it did that, almost as if it were trying to make a decision.

Even from afar, Misty could see it do that. For hours she had sat there, waiting, hoping it would go out. She didn't even know why. But every time it would flicker, she would put all of her concentration into it, and just ask it, ask it to go out. Ask it to die. Yet also every time it would bounce back, stronger than ever, mindless of her hopeful pleas.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She still had only the faintest idea of why exactly she wanted the flame to go out, but now she had it dead set in her mind that it had to go out, and soon. That was the only way.

She sighed slightly as it again wavered, then regained itself.

She felt that she had to do something.

Taking a deep, quivery breath, she mustered up her strength and courage, and began to slowly try to stand up. But she had barely gotten into a kneeling position when her legs buckled hopelessly beneath her, and she crumpled back down to the ground. She gritted her teeth in frustration; she couldn't do this alone. She put her hands securely on the still sleeping Tauros and tried to push herself up using her arms to support herself, but her arms, too, gave in quickly and she found herself on the ground again. Glancing around desperately for something to hold onto, Misty realized for the first time that, besides Tauros, all the pokemon were in their pokeballs.

'They must've let themselves in,' she contemplated, but then was strangely grateful that they had. 'I hafta do this myself,' she told herself stubbornly as a burst of brief, trivial energy caused by her sudden determination engulfed her. Putting all of her newfound strength into her legs to try to keep them from collapsing under her, this time she managed to get into a full standing position.

She felt triumph course through her temporarily, but it was suddenly shattered as her already shaking legs turned limp on her and she fell down into the dirt, hard. But the pain of the impact was nothing compared to the bitter feeling of defeat. Eyes on the flame, which was waving exultantly high above her in the gentle breeze, a thin tear began to trickle down her face. Down her face it slid hesitantly, stopping finally at the tip of her chin. Then it fell, only to burst on the ground below, too small to even leave a dark spot in the dry, crumbling dirt.

As she watched the tiny tear disappear, she thought, overcome by helplessness, 'What horribly perfect symbolism.'

And then, unbeknownst to herself, she began to speak. She wasn't talking to anyone really, just thinking out loud.

"What does it all mean?" She pouted, " It doesn't make sense. Is this how it's supposed to end? After all this…this is how you're gonna let it end, Ho-oh?" She surprised herself saying that name. She had never even heard it before. "What a pathetic life story I have." She said bitterly. "I was born. I ran away from home because I was sick of getting pushed around by my valley girl sisters. I fall in love with a boy I caught fishing. And now, I'm dying for him, because a flame won't go out." She gave a tart laugh that ended as a sob. "I guess life isn't as merciful as they make it seem. When you're young, life seems so simple, like a storybook. But as you grow up, life loses that magical quality. That's just the way things are. You begin to realize there is no way to be perfectly happy; life just won't allow it. I had one wish…one simple wish. But people like that can't exist. Is that what you're trying to tell me Ho-oh? That I can't be truly happy?"

And then it hit her. She understood.

"I can't ever reach my one goal, because then what is there left to reach for? If you achieve your ultimate destiny, your dream comes true…then there's no reason left to live. The purpose of life is to reach for your dreams. But if you reach them, then what is there left? What is your motivation? At least if you never do achieve it you can know you died trying."

Then something else struck her, too. "And Ash had to die…because he was getting too good. It was miraculous enough you didn't kill him for the simple fact he loved life, and always looked on the bright side, no matter what. For the fact that he never lost that fascination with everything that most only have when they're little. But if he did become a pokemon master…that's pushing the rules of life, because that's all he ever wanted, isn't it?" Misty had had almost no idea what she was saying, up until the next thing she said.

"You know…I don't even care anymore. My ultimate destiny was to be with Ash. That's all I wanted. But it doesn't matter to me anymore. In fact nothing matters to me anymore. Yeah, my life would be perfect if I so much as knew beyond doubt Ash loved me back, but if it means that much for me to not achieve my ultimate destiny, then I don't care…just as long as Ash gets to live. If you don't want me and Ash to be together, then bring him back, and kill me now."

Misty fell silent. She couldn't say anymore. She didn't dare say anymore. She didn't have any clue what to expect, but as her gaze swept onto the flame, she watched in fascination and wonder as the flame slowly, but surely sputtered into nothing. And right before it disappeared, a joking, almost frustrated voice said in her head:

"Huh? I was only trying to help…I wasn't trying to make any point (though that was a beautiful speech….), but whatever (I can't believe these are gonna be my last words) …goodbye, and have a good life…you two."

Misty double blinked in misunderstanding five times before she realized what Ho-oh was saying. Overcome with conflicting emotions, she gave a faint wave, then whispered under her breath, "Thank you Ho-oh…and goodbye."

And somehow, she knew it heard her.

As she took a moment to close her eyes and let it sink in, she felt lucky…luckier than she had ever felt in her life. But then she reminded herself, it wasn't luck…it was destiny. In a little while, Ash would wake up, and life would resume as normal. Well, almost normal…there would be a few changes, for the better.

*****

Misty was staring so intently at Ash's face, she happened to notice the tiny twitch of his eyes, the first sign of life she had seen from him for over a day. Her eyes almost filled with tears of joy, but she held them in, wondering lightheartedly how many tears she had left. Hopefully she watched him as his eyes first tightened, then slowly opened to reveal those memorable, beloved deep brown eyes. She could tell immediately that his eyes were very unfocused, but the spark of recognition in them proved beyond doubt that he indeed could see her. Sniffling once, Misty swiped once awkwardly at her eyes, more to ward off the tears than to take them away, but kept her distance for the moment.

She was surprised when he promptly began to sit up, despite a look of major nausea in his clearing eyes, but she was even more surprised when he succeeded.

He looked very much like he might drift out of consciousness at any moment, but he managed to remain sitting up. Eyebrows tilting uncertainly, he asked her shakily, an edge of inquisitiveness rising in his voice, "Wha-what happened, Misty?"

But Misty could not answer him due to the now oh-so-familiar feeling that she was gonna cry, so she just slowly tenderly wrapped her arms around him, and silently buried her face in his shoulder as tears of the most wonderful, fulfilling happiness in the whole world began to drip down her face. At first Ash stiffened up at feeling Misty hug him like that, but before long he too relaxed and hugged her gently back.

'This,' Misty decided, ' is the happiest moment of my life.'

But even the happiest moments have to end, for even through her tear-blurred eyes she saw it when Ash winced slightly. She pulled back from the embrace gingerly, and looked in concern into Ash's eyes. She really didn't want to break the dramatic silence, and she felt this one of the least romantic things she could say to the one she loved when he had been revived by the mythical Phoenix, but she also felt it a necessary question to ask, "Ash, are you okay?"

Ash seemed kind of confused, she could see it in his eyes swirled in with the pain, but he answered tiredly after a small pause. "I-I think so. My ribs hurt a little, and I have a terrible headache, but otherwise, I feel okay…I think. What happened?"

Misty's concern increased after he said that, though, and she speedily answered his question. "We can catch up on everything later, I think you need to rest right now. Do you think you can walk? It's almost sunset, even though that seems weird to me because I slept most of the day, I guess."

Ash cocked his head. "I'm pretty sure I can walk, but not far, and not fast." He then glanced around him and asked, "Why are our pokeballs all scattered around? And why is Tauros out here sleeping? And where'd all the soot from the fire go? And, Pikachu…he didn't come back, did he?" Ash's eyes filled with tears.

Misty brightened knowing Ash at least remembered that much. "Oh! Ash, Pikachu did come back! I'll explain the rest later, when we find some where to stay for the night. Something tells me we're too far away from our campsite to go back there now."

Ash perked up at hearing his best friend was okay, then asked, excitement creeping into his voice, "Where is he now?"

"Pikachu? I'm pretty sure he's in his pokeball. Here!" Misty handed Ash the pokeball that he had always kept for Pikachu.

Ash looked at the pokeball in his gloved hands; perplexed by the fact Pikachu had gone in there. Pikachu had always hated pokeballs. Even in a crisis, Pikachu had refused to go into them, in spite of the fact that it would insure his survival. He shrugged, pressed the button on the pokeball to enlarge it, and threw it up into the air calling "Pikachu, go!" while he did so.

And Pikachu popped out of the pokeball, covering his ears as tears seeped out of his red-rimmed eyes. "Piii…." he squeaked, closing his eyes tightly as if fearing some horrific sight.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled enthusiastically, scooping the tense pokemon into his arms for a tight hug. At hearing Ash's voice (though faintly due to the fact he still had his paws over his slender ears) Pikachu let go of his ears and opened his eyes, his expression turning from scared and sorrowful to gleeful and thankful in mere seconds.

"Pi!? Pikaaa! Chaaa!" He squealed, pressing his head against Ash's chest. He then looked up at Ash, eyes glittering with unexpected happiness.

"Pi pika pikachu chu pi chu Pikachupi pika pika pikachu!" (Translation: "I didn't think I'd ever see you or Misty alive again!") He cried before leaping over to Misty for a reunion of the same kind.

"Misty, what's he talking about?" Ash asked, puzzled at why Pikachu didn't think he'd ever see them alive again.

Misty sighed. "It's all part of the long story Ash, I'll tell you later."

"Okay," Ash nodded, mentally trying to push his piquing curiosity out of his mind. As a distraction, Ash began picking up his pokeballs, and Misty followed his example picking up her own and placing them back into her backpack. He recalled Tauros unexpectedly, which ended up with a disgruntled Misty falling back into the dirt.

Ash sweatdropped. "Sorry Misty."

Misty was glaring at him at first, but then her glower turned into a friendly smile. "'S okay, Ash."

With a trivial struggle, Misty managed to pull herself back up into a sitting position. She felt quite a bit stronger then than she had before Ash's revival.

"I guess we better get going now Ash, it's getting pretty dark."

"Yeah," Ash said, then added as an after note, "are you sure you're okay? It seemed like you were kind of struggling to get up."

Misty shook her head, "don't worry about me, Ash, I'm the one who's supposed to be worrying about you, not the other way around."

"Okay…if you insist. C'mon, let's go."

Misty was again amazed as Ash pulled himself reasonably easily to his feet. He swayed a bit, but after that little dizzy spell, he appeared fine.

Trying to appear as healthy as she wanted to believe she was, Misty placed her hands firmly on the ground and took a deep breath before placing her feet steadily on the ground and beginning to struggle to stand. But her legs were still far too shaky to stand without any support, so she just sat back in the soil looking up at Ash and wondering how she was going to get up. But she didn't have to wonder about it for long.

Ash held out his hand and she gratefully took it, and with Ash's help she managed to stand. All the blood rushed to her head, making her feel very dizzy and spots filled her vision, but that feeling disappeared after the initial shock of standing up for the first time in over 24 hours. She was still very weak, and she almost fell again, but Ash sweetly put his arm around her waist and let her lean on him.

Misty blushed a little when he did that, but managed to whisper quietly, "thanks Ash."

Ash tilted his head, accidentally resting it on Misty's, and asked seriously, "thanks for what?"

Misty batted at him, affectionately scolding. "For helping me up, genius."

"Oh, that." Ash blushed lightly too; "you're welcome. Do you think you can walk on your own now that you're up?"

Misty wanted didn't want Ash to worry about her, but she knew she couldn't so she simply answered unsteadily, "no."

Ash was faintly astonished to hear this from Misty, the headstrong pokemon trainer who didn't ever ask for help, but he simply nodded as he thought of something to say about that. "Okay, well…um…I guess we can just stay like this, then, but don't squeeze my ribs, they hurt really badly."

"Okay. Let's get going now." Misty felt a twinge of sympathy at hearing that Ash too was in pain.

Pikachu jumped onto his trainer's unused shoulder, and they were off. Misty found she could walk quite well with Ash's help, and deep down she wondered if her sudden change of difficulty in walking was indeed caused by Ash helping her out physically, or if it was the mental strength caused by the fact he was alive, close, and apparently worried about her.

She put her head on his shoulder tentatively as she leaned into his supporting embrace more, closing her eyes as she made a note to herself not to ever forget how it felt. She didn't even notice when Ash stopped walking in an almost questioning fashion and was staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he said, totally uncharacteristically serious, "I missed you, too, ya know."

Misty pulled back a little, mystification clearly written all over her face and asked, surprise just as evident in her voice as it was in her eyes, "what do you mean Ash? You were dead." Misty put extra emphasis on the word dead, trying to get it through his head that he hadn't just been on vacation.

Ash replied strongly, almost harsh enough to be contradicting her last comment, "I may have been, but I have a story to tell you, too."

Misty lowered her gaze and said quietly, "It's getting so dark, let's find a place to stay."

Ash silently started to walk, as did Misty, and that familiar silence settled in. Pikachu obviously didn't like the quiet, as he began to mumble something incoherent under his breath. Then his black-tipped ears shot up quickly, and he declared while leaping excitedly off of Ash's shoulder "Pikapi, Pikachupi, pika pika pikachu!"

"A cave?" Asked Ash, following Pikachu with his eyes until the little pokemon reached a huge vine-entangled rock and started pointing at it eagerly. Ash glanced around him, just now realizing how far they had gotten from the place where Charizard had attacked him. Misty was clinging to him gently; she hadn't said anything since the line about how late it was getting. She looked pretty sleepy, but when she realized he was looking at her, she looked back up at him and smiled warmly.

He broke the gaze to look back over to Pikachu, who was now busily trying to show him where the entrance was. "All right Pikachu, we're coming," he called to the little creature, who was extremely happy he had found shelter.

The cave was pretty large, about the size of an average room, and was etched into the face of a rock that was large enough to be called a cliff. Pikachu scampered into it, followed closely by Ash, who was gently leading Misty, as she was falling asleep. He set her down so she was sitting in the hard dirt, her back against the wall farthest from the entrance, then sat down next to her, his eyes scanning his surroundings. Pikachu settled himself on Ash's lap, and yawned loudly before closing his eyes and immediately falling asleep.

Ash gave a small chuckle at seeing his pokemon friend falling asleep so quickly, then said quietly so he wouldn't wake Misty, "So that's why you were so excited about finding this cave."

Pikachu opened one brown eye and studied Ash hazily, murmuring a faint "chuuu…" under his breath before dozing off again. Ash couldn't help but smile. Pikachu seemed so content, even more so than usual.

Misty peacefully sleeping, her head still on his shoulder and arms loosely draped around his waist, Pikachu dozing curled up in his lap like an some sort of odd-looking cat, Ash was as satisfied as he felt he could possibly be. It all felt so incredibly like a normal night, even though he had never once experienced one like it.

A blast of chilling cold air drifted into the cave, and Ash shivered despite the extra warmth from Misty and Pikachu. The floor was even colder than the air, so there was no escape from it. And Ash couldn't make a fire without the matches in his backpack. They would have to return to their campsite tomorrow.

Ash stroked Pikachu distractedly as he stared out into the distance, seemingly deep in thought.

'I feel so…confused. Not only about one thing either, about everything.' Ash thought innocently, 'Well, I guess I'm a little tired, maybe I should go to sleep. I can talk to Misty in the morning. She seems sorta hesitant to talk to me, like she doesn't have the words to say what she wants to say…oh well, at least I know some of the story, even though I'm not quite sure of any of it.' Ash closed his eyes, scooting even closer to Misty. His last thought before he fell asleep was 'The only thing I'm sure of now is that my best friend is definitely in love with me.'

Through the ivy covering the entrance to the cave, a pair of clear, emotional azure eyes watched on, blinking rapidly to ward off approaching expressive tears. It turned around; flicking its long tail as it did so, and darted off into the sky as something like victory coursed through its body. It may not have done it by itself, but succeeding with help was far sweeter than failing without it, especially in this case.

Chapter Eleven: All Along

Even through the mask of confusing sleepiness, Pikachu cocked his ears when he heard a faded, joyful squeak sound outside. His curiosity overcoming his fear of waking up Ash and Misty, he got up, putting as little weight on his small paws as pokemon-ly possible, stretched, gave a big yawn, and scuttled hurriedly outside. Body tiredly quivering, ears erect and twitching, he glanced around him until he spotted a minuscule white dot racing quickly out of sight. Then, for some reason unknown to him, he smiled and gave it a little thumbs-up, right before it disappeared into the deep blue sky. Feeling oddly like he accomplished something with that simple gesture, he dashed back into the cave, curled back up in Ash's lap, and fell back into a peaceful, satisfied slumber.

*****

In the darkest hour, Misty awoke to the slow pattering of rain against the roof of the cave. The sound was amplified many times over because of the cave's hollowness. Her eyes nervously flitted about the interior of the cave. Her dream had been brief, but deeply meaningful in a way she could not explain.

In it, a bright light was fluctuating at the end of a tunnel. She saw the light, beaming in a silent promise ahead of her while she stood alone in the dark shaft. The dim blackness of the tunnel had a pulse of its own, but it seemed hollow and demanding, whilst the light seemed to dance, in a both energetic and happy way, and a passive, serene, peaceful way. The two light energies seemed to intertwine, offering her safety and happiness for all of eternity, and the black energy seemed to want to take everything from her. She knew deep down she wanted to get to the light, to know that she would always be happy, yet, the cold, grasping fingers of the darkness held her steadfast. It had a passion of its own, cold and mysterious as it was, and though she wanted to get to the light, she had the odd feeling that something would happen when she tried to reach it, therefore it would be easier to stay there, alone in the dark, waiting, waiting for something fateful to happen….

Misty sat bolt upright, her heart thudding rapidly in her chest and pounding in her ears. She snuggled up close to Ash, but was bewildered when he still felt far away. She tried to shake the feeling off, but was still feeling helplessly alone when her feeble attempts to push the mental feeling out of her mind faltered and faded. Then, the dream began to flash in her mind, and the meaning of it was suddenly clear. She bit her lip in fear as she felt her palms break out in a sweat. She needed to stop putting the dreaded thing off. No more excuses.

It was pitch back in the cave because of the shadows and darkness outside intermingled, and Misty could barely see anything. But the fear escalating in her chest had nothing to do with that. She sighed heavily. It was now or never.

"Ash?" She whispered, her voice soft and shy. She shook him ever so gently. "Ash, please wake up, it's really important."

Ash opened his eyes the tiniest crack and mumbled emotionlessly, "not now, Pikachu, it's too late."

Misty seemed undaunted by his sleepy remark. "No Ash, it's me, Misty. Please wake up, I-I really need to talk to you."

Ash apparently woke up at that, since he pulled back from the hug and began to rub his eyes. Then he said, ten times more clearly then his last statement, "Okay, shoot."

Misty opened her mouth, but wasn't surprised when nothing came out except an inaudible squeak. It didn't feel right just blurting it out. So instead, she started to talk along the same lines, or at least something that could definitely lead to her final admittance. "Ash, we've traveled together for a really long time, right?"

Ash answered the extremely simple question quickly "yeah, what is it, two or three years now?"

Misty chose her words carefully; she didn't want to say anything that might ruin it when 'The Big Moment' came. She dropped her gaze to the floor as Ash rearranged his sitting position so his back was against hers. "Well, I'll be honest with you. When we first met, I know you remember, at Rhapsody Falls, I never in a million years thought we could ever be good friends."

Ash nodded subconsciously, emitting a hushed "mmm-hmm"

"At first you were just another pokemon-master-wannabe average annoying kid. I only followed you because I was lonely. I only wanted some company, that's all. And I needed an excuse, a cover-up, so when you wrecked my bike, I saw the opportunity. I never liked being alone, so I figured I could just follow you until I worked up the courage to go back home. I figured, maybe I'd stay a few days, at most"

Ash opened his mouth to say something about that, but Misty beat him there. "But things didn't go as I planned. Once I started traveling with you, I saw something in you…just a little spark at first but…now…." Misty silenced herself there. There was far more to tell. She pointlessly cleared her throat. "Anyway, I just couldn't leave. I had never exactly had a true friend; my stupid sisters somewhat ruined it for me. So…I…just…" At this point, Misty kind of broke down. "I dunno," she said, frustrated almost to the verge of tears. Her voice was all choked up, and, while it had been soft and shy from the beginning, it was now so strangled Misty couldn't seem to talk anymore. "I just don't know." She managed to cry out almost inaudibly, before silent tears of encumbrance and silent hope that just didn't seem to be so hopeful anymore. But the worst part was she didn't know why.

Ash turned around, just slightly and looked at the scared and crying Misty through the corner of his eye. Then he said, surprising himself, "you don't have to say it. I heard you the first time."

Misty's tear flow ceased when she heard that, and again she was baffled at Ash's behavior. What did he mean the first time?

Ash could pick up on her confusion, and he said a bit uncertainly, "I guess I should tell you the whole story. I remember everything pretty well, up until Charizard collided with me. For a while, it was all black. But then, I felt like I had woken up in a dream. Like I was in two places at once, because I could feel you hugging me, just a little bit, but I also felt so cold, and faraway. Everything was blurry and faded, and wavering in a strange pattern. Like I was looking at you and my body and the pokemon from underwater. But at the same time, I was looking through my own eyes, the two views kind of overlapped. It was all vague, but I saw this bleak, detached light surrounding you, especially when you cried, then your body would become more solid looking and I would feel a strong power coursing in between us. It made me feel less faraway and faint. I lost all feeling of time, dimension, and space; you seemed both close and distant at the same time. It seemed ragged, and random. One second I would be confused and dizzy, the next seeing everything with enhanced clarity. I don't know how long I was like that, maybe a fleeting few seconds, maybe days. At first I was just confused, but the confusion turned to fear, the feeling of wanting nothing but to escape. I don't know when it was, I get the feeling it was close to the end, though, that you said those three powerful words, 'I love you.' I saw that in almost real-life simplicity. Those words released me, into a dream in which emotions didn't seem to exist."

Misty thought Ash was done, but he continued on.

"The dream was confusing, but I couldn't feel that at the moment. It was short, and I don't know what it could possibly mean. I was on this cliff for a second, then the next moment I was falling. Then, a large bird appeared under me, and caught me just before I hit the ground. Then I woke up." Ash looked at Misty, not at all expecting she'd know what it all meant, but when he looked into her eyes, still wet with tears, he saw nearly full understanding. Then Misty piped up, her voice strong now; "I know what it meant."

Slowly, unsurely, she began to tell her side of the long story, trying to explain her emotions the best she could. She broke down crying during much of it, but didn't stop nevertheless.

Ash gawked at her in awe of the incredible story, and was so touched at the fact she almost died solely because he was gone, his eyes were gleaming with fresh tears.

"Awww…Mist'" He murmured quietly, blushing bright red. Misty was smiling shyly, and Ash's eyes bugged out when she turned around, leaned forward and….

"Pikapi? Pikachupi?" Pikachu queried slyly, a wide grin spreading over his face as his eyes took on a mischievous twinkle. His eyes flicked from Ash to Misty a few times hopefully, and then he began giggling uncontrollably as their faces turned so bright red he could see it in the dark cave.

"P-Pikachu!" Ash stuttered weakly, as his eyes widened comically in surprise. Unable to explain the events of the last few minutes to his beloved electric mouse, he lowered his hat over his face, and said a little too fast to be believable, "'Night everyone!"

Pikachu fell out of Ash's lap in laughter. Misty scowled at Ash, then decided to join in on the fun and gave Ash a quick peck on the cheek.

"Goodnight, my love!" For the sake of the joke, she tried to say that last line seriously, but when she felt Ash flinch, it came out filled to capacity with giggles.

Ash shot her an embarrassed glance, then defended himself by saying "C'mon guys, I didn't mean it!"

But his defense turned on him. Misty beamed at him, asking him teasingly "Then what did you mean, Ash?"

"I meant that, oh, do I have to say it? I mean look at Pikachu, he already knows!"

Pikachu stopped snickering and perked his ears at the mention of his name, and then he hopped onto Ash's shoulder and declared "Pika pikachu pik ka, Pikapi! (Translation; "I've known from the beginning, Ash!)"

Pikachu then leapt back down into Ash's lap and quietly began to snore again.

Ash and Misty both stared fondly at the now sleeping pokémon for a few minutes before turning back to each other.

"Now where were we?" Misty asked innocently, her large aqua eyes flashing lightly.

Ash shrugged. "I dunno."

"Oh well, I think we covered everything. I guess we really should go to sleep." Misty pulled Ash into a hug and closed her eyes, but before she drifted off to sleep, she said softly to Ash, "I guess this was all just meant to be."

"Yeah," Ash agreed, nearly asleep himself.

Outside, the rain pattered quietly on, as if nothing had ever happened at all.

End Notes (sorta)

Heh, okay, I cannot STAND the end of this thing! Please no flames for unoriginal ending, ya see, I planned this out TWO YEARS AGO! You know, before it was unoriginal. But hey, I suppose I could make up for it in the epilogue (probably not, but I can dream)! That'll be up when ever I get to writing it. Heh, this is weird…very, very weird… this was the first major thing I ever started writing, and now it's kind of sort of over, and now I decided I don't like it, and I decided it sucks, and I can't wait to post something ORIGINAL! Don't worry, I'm writing more stuff with far more original plots ^0^ So be happy everyone! Should I totally re-do this ending? Pretty please review!