Disclaimer: Don't own 'em

A/N: Was this story in need for a little revision or what? I decided to split all 5,113 words in to two chapters instead of this just being a one-shot fic. This story wasn't half bad. Maybe there'll be another chapter…?

READ AND REVIEW,

Kasagi Onaso

Changing Identity

Blonde Streaks

Misty sat in a chair in the local pokèmon center as Ash healed his pokèmon. He was jumping up and down, for he had just won the title of Pokèmon Master. Being eighteen, he could hardly contain his excitement and joy. Misty sighed and sunk deeper into the fluffy chair. She didn't know how to tell him what she felt and she was frustrated. She had promised herself (as well as Togepi,) that she would tell him after he won the title. That's how confident she had been that he would win. She had been with him through beginning to end and she had watched him grow as well as his pokèmon's power and strength. But she was confident about it then. Now that he had become Master, she wasn't so sure anymore. They had been through some pretty rough times and she wasn't sure how he felt about her.

After a year in Johto, just before coming to Kanto, Richie had joined their group. After three weeks (!!!) he had found out her secret. She thought about the night he told her he knew. She was still trying to find out how he would have found out so fast. She had been travelling with Ash for three years and he still showed no sign of knowing. She had tried not to be obvious about it. But the emotions just built up and she lashed out in anger at him every time. Well, there were some times when she thought that maybe he…?

She shook her head in distraught. There was no way that he could ever feel the same way. She sighed and got up when she saw the two approaching boys, gibbering about the last match and how exciting it had been. She followed a few paces behind them, deep in thought. She wondered if Richie knew about her promise to tell him tonight.

The party.

Of course. Why hadn't she thought of that? There is a party tonight, celebrating the new Master. She frowned. He'll probably be real busy. She didn't see how…?

"Mist?" Ash's hand flew up and down in front of her face. "You there?" She nodded quickly and told herself mentally not to blush.

"Yeah. Sorry." He grinned.

"Let's get ready for that party!" Richie smiled.

"Yeah! Par-tay!" She rolled her eyes and walked past the two boys, Richie nudging her as she passed him. She decided not to take too much notice.

About a hour later, Misty was in her room (Ash and Richie shared one, and each night she could hear them up late talking about pokèmon and things like that,) doing the final touches. For someone, being seventeen and three-quarters, she knew a lot about make-up. Her sisters back home are obsessed with it. She was wearing a sleek black dress, the dress coming to only mid-thigh. She set the thin straps on her shoulders, and whisked her orange hair up into a messy bun. Setting in the clips, she put on her last coat of lip-gloss, stepped into her high-heeled black shoes, tied a silver sash around her waist, and took a deep breath. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She rummaged around in her bag.

"Hey Mist. Are you ready?"

"Sure Ash. Just let me zipper this…" She turned around and smiled. "There we go." He had not combed his hair, meaning it was still in its spiky state, but he made her heart jump.

"Richie's already down there." He offered her his arm. "Shall we?" She smiled and took it.

"We shall."

*

They entered the room and were taken back by the many flashing lights and tables of food. Not to mention the people crowed into the tiny room itself.

"Wow." He looked around.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. Hey," he said and scratched the back of his head. "Would you like to dance?"

"Sure," she replied, trying to keep the happiness out of her voice. He took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. She almost screamed in joy when the next song was announced as a slow song. She felt his arms go around her waist and hers go around his neck. After a minute, she leaned her head onto his chest and his grip on her tightened.

After the dance, the lights came on.

"We would like to thank you all for coming. This party was held to celebrate the dawn of a new Master. A Master of all pokèmon. Collected all the badges. Completed every task. And eventually beat every one of our elite. We present to you—Ash Ketchum!" She clapped loudly with the rest and watched as Ash went to shake each elite's hand and finally receive the badge and trophy.

After the ceremony, Misty went to go look for Ash, but she found him no where. Where could he be? She looked around the room for his familiar wild hair but found him nowhere, as usual. She walked past the door and heard a small giggle. Before she could check it out, Richie came up behind her.

"Oh, God Richie! Don't do that!" He rolled his eyes.

"Sor-ry. Have you seen Ash?"

"No. Why do you ask?" He nudged her.

"I saw you two dancing earlier." She blushed a deep crimson.

"Like that matters."

"I think it does. To you." She turned from him in a huff. He sighed. "Oh, Misty. Poor, poor Misty. You're too stubborn. Maybe I should—"

"Don't you dare!"

"Eh-hm." They both turned to see Ash. He beckoned them from the noisy room. Next to him was beautiful girl that Misty had never seen before. She had long brown hair, bright green-blue eyes, and a full smile. "Um, I would like you two to meet Julie. She was my girlfriend from Pallet." Julie locked arms with Ash.

"And still is."

"Right," he said, nodding. Immediately, she felt Richie's eyes on her, not sure how she was going to react. I'll surprise him, she though.

"Well, nice to meet you. I'm Misty." Richie coughed.

"Nice to meet you. And you are…?"

"Richie," he said, taking her hand. As she walked past Julie, Misty heard her whisper something to her.

"He's mine now." Narrowing her eyes, Misty walked forward.

"I mean, what does he see in her?" Richie shrugged.

"Well, she is beautiful and nice."

"But what she said—?" He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Calm down. I bet she thought that you were his old girlfriend or something. There's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Misty."

She lay in bed and Julie's haunting face and words clouded her dreams, turning them into reckless nightmares, and causing her night to be filled with tossing and turning.

When she got up, the first thing she remembered was that she didn't have a chance now. I'm sorry Togepi. I just can't tell him now. He'll laugh in my face. I'm sorry. She cried out as hot tears pierced her cheeks, leaving the mark of forgotten and loneliness. She wiped them away with frustration and fury. A girl with her background shouldn't cry over petty things such as heartbreak. She snorted. How could she not cry when her heart felt like it was being torn in two and then shredded into itty-bitty pieces? She remembered her sister's words of 'advice'. A man is not worth crying over.

A man is not worth loving unless you know he loves you back—and he's not cheating on you by going to various bars and facilities picking up women on the way.

She smiled and frowned. It was hard to tell which. But then one saying was implanted in her mind from the moment she heard it.

Never give up.

It was amazing how three words could keep one girl's life together in a state of crisis. But that only happened when she listened to them. Sometimes, she heard them in her head, but did not heed them a single word or action in response. When she walked out into the main entrance of her room, she was shocked to find Richie on her couch.

"What the…Richie!" He sat up with a start.

"Huh?"

"What are you doing in my room?" He shook his head.

"No, it's nine. I promise." She rolled her eyes and, walking over to him, shook his shoulders.

"Richie," she said, saying the syllables very slowly. "What are you doing in my room?"

"They did it. They kicked me out. So that Julie could use my bed. But I'm betting money she didn't need it." Misty closed her eyes briefly.

"Please don't say things like that. Come on. Up!" He got up and she closed her eyes again. "Why the hell didn't you bring any pants?" He shrugged.

"I dunno."

"How did you get in here, anyway?"

"Remember when you gave us your extra key in case we needed it? I think this is one of those desperate times. Oh, look. A birdie." He stumbled after a hat. "A very ugly birdie." Misty shook her head.

"Richie. Are you drunk?"

"Capital idea Watson," he said, slurring the words.

"Oh, God. You mean they didn't check you for a card?"

"Nope. God, Misty. Why are you keeping an ostrich in your room?" He ran into the hat rack. "Oh. Sorry Mr. Ostrich." Misty gaped at him in disbelief.

"I am going to KILL Ash."

"Is that a snake? It's a zoo in here!"

"No, Richie, that is a foot warmer. Come on."

"What are you talking about? That is a SNAKE. A SNAKE I TELL YOU!" he yelled.

"Shut up! We're going to get in trouble. Now, what do you say we go outside?"

"FALSE!" he shouted. "FALSEFALSEFALSE!" Misty growled and stormed out the door.

"Ash Ketchum! OPEN THIS DOOR!" Ash came to the door, yawning.

"What's up Mist—?" She shoved past him and sat on the couch in the main entrance.

"Why did you kick Richie out?"

"Well Julie needed a place to sleep so—?"

"So you kicked Richie out. I see. Well did you know that I woke up this morning to find him ON MY COUCH DRUNK AS A DOORKNOB?!" Ash looked bewildered.

"No. Where is he now?"

"In my room shouting 'false' over and over. He thought a hat was a bird, a hat rack was an ostrich, and a FOOT WARMER WAS A SNAKE!"

"God. Stop yelling," Ash said, a note of irritation in his voice.

"No. I won't. There are a couple of things I would like to say to you." He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"I would like to say something to you too."

"I mean, how could you do that to him," she said, ignoring that last comment. "He's your best friend."

"Well she's my girlfriend."

"Oh, and a girlfriend from when you were ten and you suddenly re-met her SIX YEARS LATER is more important then a friend who you've known for over five years?" He set his jaw.

"Yes." She softened her voice in disbelief.

"You're kidding right?"

"No I'm not."

"I can't believe you. What happened to you? I-I-I thought I knew you. What happened Ash?" When he didn't answer, she sighed. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" He smiled, but this was not a friendly smile. This was a cold, un-welcoming smile.

"Oh just that I think you need to find a new group to bother." She blinked.

"W-what?" For a moment, upon hearing the shock in her voice, his heart cried for him to stop. But he didn't.

"You heard me."

"So this is it," she said, her voice wavering. "You get a new girl and you throw me out. Just like that?" When she put it that way, he became defensive. Her tearful voice through him off. When he didn't answer, she narrowed her eyes and let a single crystal tear slip from the corner of her eye. "This is it, isn't it? I can't believe it." He walked over to his dresser and pulled out a fistful of money. He walked up to her and handed it to her.

"This should pay you back for your bike."

Now that you're leaving, you had better tell him.

She sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye. Smiling, she looked away from him.

"I guess then," she said softly. "It was a waste to try and love you." Not waiting to look into his face, into his eyes, she walked out the door and into her room.

"FALSE MONKEY!" Richie was jumping up and down, dancing with the hat rack.

"I'll miss you, Richie," she said as she passed.

"Ninety-nine," he said stupidly.

After packing the little things she had, she headed toward the front to hand in her key.

"Misty!" Ash was calling her. Let him call. It's not going to do any good. She ran out of the hotel and into the sun. Into the light.

After walking a ways down the road, she passed a hair salon. Dye your hair today! A sign was screaming this in neon letters. Suddenly, Misty had an idea. She walked into the hair salon.

She walked into the Salon and went to a lady streaking a woman's hair.

"Um excuse me . . ."

"Hello hun. What can I do for a lady such as yerself?"

"Um, I would like some… Blond streaks, please."

"Alright. A red-haired blondie comin' up."

In a few hours, Misty walked out of the shop with dazzling streaks in her orange hair.

"Now for the eyes… Um-m-m-m… How about green? Dark green." She led herself into a contact shop. "Hello."

"Hello miss."

"I would like the most natural looking contact you have."

"All right miss, but it's going to cost a lot of money." She slapped the money Ash had given to her on the counter.

"Bring it on," she said, softly.

Surprisingly, she had quite a lot of money left. I guess, she thought, with my blonde streaks he thought I was some kind of broke punk. She shrugged and stopped at the first hotel she saw. Not quite the best quality, but it was okay.

"Name?" Misty froze. NAME???

"Uh…" She smiled. "Jana Flower."

On her way out the next day, she saw a girl, not much older then her, with purple streaks in her brown hair. She was trying to calm down an Oddish. Oh, no. I have to get new pokèmon. Grass would be perfect since water's bad against it. Misty walked up to the girl.

"Um hi. My name's Jana and I was wondering where you got that Oddish." The girl looked up with a tight frown on her face but it broke into a smile when she saw Misty's streaks.

"Oh-h-h-h. You a grass girl?"

"You bet." The girl immediately stood up.

"My kind of girl. The name's Odeshi. That's not my real name, but I am known around this area as the Oddish girl, since my team's mostly Oddish."

"Oh."

"Hey! I love your streaks." Misty smiled and fingered her hair.

"Thanks."

"So-o-o-o you want to catch grass pokèmon?"

"Yeah."

"I'll show you the best place. You can catch Oddish, Bellsprout, Caterpie, and even a Bulbasaur if you're lucky."

Bugs. Ugh.

But that was another thing she needed to control. From now on, she would think bugs were okay instead of really gross.

"Great!"

So the two girls walked out of the hotel, giggling and talking. Misty saw a sudden movement in the shadows and turned just in time to see a glint of long hair…

Hey, hey! Here's the first chapter to a supposedly one-shot fic…heehee ::sweatdrops:: Anyway! This was one of the first AAMRNs I wrote (it's not the first but I am SO not publishing that it's so bad) way back when so hey, be kind. At least now it's revised! R&R~!

~ Kasagi Onaso