Inspired by the song My Best Friends from the Pikachu Jukebox end credits in the original series.
Pokeshipping theme: Lovers and Best Friends
Til the End
Til the End I will be with you
We will go where our dreams come true
All the times that we have been through
You will always be my best friend
"Ash, I told you this was the wrong way!" Misty snaps at Ash as they trudge across the sandy coastline.
The sun begins to set over the far off horizon streaking the sky with orange and pink.
"I'm telling you, Misty, this is the right way!" Ash barks right back at her.
Misty grumbles as she carries her white high heel sandals in her grip and holds onto her lacy dress so that sand does not stain the light trim. Ash just shakes his head as he leads them on. His gray pants and black dress shoes scrape through the sand.
"They told us 7:00pm sharp," Misty remarks again, "and you insisted that we have a mini adventure."
"I insisted?" Ash asks incredulously. "You are the one who wanted to see the Tirtouga migration!"
"Yes, I said that," Misty emphasizes, "but you're the one who convinced me to go!"
"Mist," Ash says pointedly, "I would have never heard the end of it if we didn't see them!"
"Whatever," Misty rolls her eyes, "I still think the party is at the other end of the beach closer to the hotel."
"Will you please just trust me, Mist?" Ash asks, looking down at her with pleading eyes.
"Fine," she caves at the sight of his best Growlithe eyes.
They continue down the coast. The sight of the sun starting to shine on the water is soothing to the pair. Eventually they slow their hasty pace enough to walk side by side.
"What's that up there?" Misty asks, looking ahead as far up the beach as she can. She can make out some kind of event happening.
"Misty, wait," Ash begins softly, distracting her from the beach ahead, "I have been thinking for a long time about something."
Her attention is now fixed on Ash as he runs his fingers through his hair. She knows very well that this Ash's nervous twitch. She looks ahead again trying to make out the structures on the beach, but he grabs a hold of her hands and gently turns her back towards him.
Misty's eyes lock on his serious gaze. She cocks her head curiously.
"When we were children, I was a fool." He admits sheepishly.
"Tell me something I don't know," she grins back up at him.
"And when we were teenagers," he chuckles, "I was still a fool."
Misty flicks his nose gently, giggling and nodding in agreement. Ash chuckles and smiles down at her.
"But somehow," he continues, rubbing circles on her hand with his thumb, "when I became an adult, I figured it out."
"Arguably, you are still a fool," Misty teases playfully.
"A fool in love," he tells her seriously, a softer smile now gracing his features.
"We have been across the world together and I know we have many more adventures to come. There are so many dreams to reach for, and I want to start today - right now in fact."
By now, Misty is watching Ash in confusion as he pours his heart out. It wasn't common for Ash to give her an open declaration of love.
"When I came back to Kanto I realized that you have been there for me since the beginning," Ash says sweetly, "and I want you here with me till the end."
Ash's right knee drops to the sand and he props himself up with his left. He draws a small, velvety, black box out of his pants pocket.
"Ash…" Misty gasps, completely caught off guard by the man kneeling before her.
"Will you always be my best friend?" Ash asks hopefully.
Misty nods as tears cascade across her cheeks. Ash slips the diamond ring onto her finger. How had their day changed from being lost on the beach to so much more? Ash leaps upward into her arms and swings her in a circle.
"Ash!" Misty squeals as he sets her back on the sand.
Ash kisses her deeply. She responds by caressing his cheek with her fingers.
"Now I do believe we are late," Ash laughs heartily.
He pulls her along the coastline again towards the structure ahead that she noticed earlier.
"Come on," he urges.
"Is that the party?" Misty asks, squinting to see so far away. "I really thought it was back near the hotel."
"Remember how I told you that we were going to a private event for Alola's regional league? Aaaaand that you should wear white to represent Kanto?" Ash asks cheekily.
"Yeah?" Misty says quizzically, "Daisy helped me pick out a dress and you're their champion so I thought..."
"I lied about the party," Ash grins mischieviously, "but I'm glad you wore white."
Misty's eyebrows furrow as the area finally comes into full view.
Along the shoreline there sits a viney archway covered in a multitude of colorful Alolan flowers that perfectly reflect the light of the setting sun. A white tent is set up closer to the grass with tables and food warmers waiting. There is a makeshift hardwood floor with a sound booth set up next to it. Rows of white chairs are set up extending backwards from the archway. Upon the chairs sit many guests - humans and Pokemon alike.
Misty is confused at first, but then she starts to recognize the backs of the guests' heads.
"You didn't," Misty breathes in shock; her eyes widening like saucers.
"But I did," Ash grins, confirming her suspicions.
Misty stares in awe at the set up.
"Meet you down there?" Ash asks, walking backwards towards the chairs. A flawless, bright smile radiates across his entire face.
"What? Where?" Misty asks, still trying to comprehend what's happening.
"Misty," a new, female voice interrupts.
She spins to her left and finds her older sisters standing there next to Misty's good friend Sakura. They are all dressed in matching cerulean blue dresses that flow down to their white, sparkly sandals. All four women have their hair pinned up in curly messy buns.
"I don't believe this," Misty shakes her head.
"You better start to believe!" Daisy laughs as she straightens out Misty's dress.
"You'll need this," Sakura says, wrapping a ball gown skirt around Misty's midsection. Misty simply raises her arms and lets Sakura adjust it.
The skirt puffs out and falls to the sand. It looks as if it belonged on the dress the entire time.
Lily and Violet fix her hair with pins and lace a fresh piece of baby's breath flowers into her loose braid.
At the end of the aisle, Misty can clearly see Ash standing there waiting - now sporting a matching gray suit coat with a red rose pinned to his lapel. On his shoulder sits his trusty Pikachu.
Misty breathes in deeply to try to orient herself. Of all the things she thought would happen today, this was not on the list.
As a quartet of string instruments at the front begin to play, Ash's oldest friends Gary, Ritchie, and Tracey each approach amd smile at Misty before they lead Sakura, Lily, and Violet respectively down the aisle one pair at a time.
Then, Brock approaches her.
"Brock," Misty grins, shaking her head in disbelief. She has no palpable words to share with her old friend.
"He's waiting there for you, Misty." Brock tells her; a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "But I know you've been waiting even longer."
Misty laughs and hiccups as Brock hooks arms with Daisy and walks her down the aisle. There he pats Ash on the back and takes his place to Ash's left. Pikachu jumps from Ash's shoulder to Brocks sharing the responsibility of being Ash's best man and mon.
Misty swallows hard as she looks at the guests filling the small white chairs. There are familiar faces from Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto as well as some of Ash's other friends from his later journeys. She recognizes their mutual friend Casey and her boyfriend Georgio among the group. May and Max, Dawn, Iris and Cilan, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie all sit towards the front. Goh and Chloe are there as well. Ash's many friends from Alola are also taking up a large section. There are professors and breeders and elite trainers and champions that they had met in all their travels all filling in the seats.
Ash's mom is in the front row with Mr. Mime crying happily at the sight of her only son in a handsome suit. There are also Pokemon that sit on chairs and along the outer edges of the aisles. Her own Pokemon team sits on the left and Ash's sit on the right. Her own Gyarados raises its head up from the ocean to see her. She wonders how her team got there since she left them in her hotel room safe in their Pokeballs.
As her Pokemon start to sense her presence, everyone in the crowd starts to stand to face her.
"Might I be of service, Misty?" Professor Oak asks as he approaches. He is dressed to the nines in a dark gray suit. He hands her a beautiful bouquet of local Alolan flora and then extends his arm for her to link.
"This is really happening?" Misty asks him quietly, accepting his invitation.
Her heart flutters in her chest as she realizes this isn't some strange dream. Only Ash - confident, courageous, clever Ash - could pull off this surprise of a lifetime.
"It seems that Ash doesn't go all in just for his Pokemon anymore," Professor Oak grins down at her.
Misty's smile grows tenfold as she walks down the aisle to where Ash awaits.
Hope you enjoyed this sweet little fic! Happy Pokeshipping week! :)
I may make this into a two-shot with another theme from the week.
Love, Alert, Review