The Game of Love
Romance/Drama-PG13
Summary:
"Holding on isn't what makes one strong... sometimes its letting go." Ash has reached the point in his life where it comes to his own happiness with the one he loves or her happiness with another. AAMRN. =)

A/N: Hey, everyone.  I know I haven't been here for a while but 8 weeks of summer vacation without a computer, starting high school, and a serious case of writer's block can do that to you, lol ;)  This is my second muti-chaptered story I'll be posting on here.  I have been working on it for quite a while and I hope everyone like it.  Sorry if the first chapter sounds a little choppy and short but I originally had chapters 1 and 2 combined but I thought it would be too long so I broke it up.  Please enjoy =)

Ash/Misty-24.Brock-26.


--
Chapter 1

"No one can tell you what love is, you will feel it when you feel nothing else."

--
A particularly strong gust of wind blew throughout the city of Cerulean, rusting the trees, blowing papers taped to windows on shops, and causing pedestrians to hold onto their hats and pull their coats tighter around them. It was an obvious sign of evidence that the pleasantly warm summer which had been taking place had come to an end to make way for the autumn that was rapidly approaching.

The city was very alert at this specific time. The interlude between seasons caused a sudden switch of relaxation and busy life for the civilians. The summer was the time where each resident took time off from work or classes and spent most of their days sleeping or tanning. But then when the fall came the chaos was unavoidable. The school year began and the holiday from work ended, creating a sharp contrast from their easy lives which had been occurring just weeks before and making everything much more hectic in the process. This time was one of great stress for those who it involved but for the onlookers who were not directly affected it actually a great source of amusement.

This was exactly the case for Grand Master Ash Ketchum who snickered as he witnessed a young girl carrying an armload of school supplies across the street while her mother berated her. He leaned back on the metal railing which surrounded the outdoor cafe that he was waiting in front of, smoothing a hand through his ebony hair has he did so. Sure, Ash was a part of the whole 'back-to-routine' extravaganza, as he liked to call it. Being the Grand Master, a title which he did acquire at seventeen, was not an easy job. But do to the fact that Ash had worked over the summer, spacing out the time he put into his career, made this whole transformation from summer to fall easier on him considering that he was just following the same thing he did every day despite what season it was.

Ash rolled his eyes as a man, clad in a suit and carrying a briefcase, walked passed him, talking loudly into his cell phone about the 'Newman File' or whatever. He hated people like that, the workaholics who screamed into their phones in the middle of the street creating a perfect image to any onlookers. He had rarely come across any of those serious suit-wearing businessmen back in his hometown of Pallet. People like that were much more common in the city, especially one as urban and busy as Cerulean. Most people would wonder why he chose to work at the League's location in Cerulean of all places when he could have a much more relaxed career at its office in Pallet. Ash knew the reason, although, he would never dare speak it aloud to anyone who asked. Despite the fact that Cerulean could be loud and annoying compared to the calm and content Pallet, he had no choice but to reside here. Because, it was in this very atmosphere that the object of his desire was.

On that note and as if on cue, the object of Ash's desire stepped out of the cab in front of him, much to his dismay and slight amusement, shouting into her cell phone as she distractedly paid the taxi driver.

"Lily! It's honestly not that hard of a thing to do. You look at the menu they offer you and make a decision based on what they give you. Anyone who is not in a coma can do it."

Misty Waterflower moved her bag back up to her shoulder and tried to concentrate on balancing her phone between the crook of her neck and shoulder while she yelled sarcastic remarks at her sister who was acting stupider than usual at the moment. She let another annoyed sigh escape her lips as she listened to her sister's response, oblivious to the fact that Ash was watching her with a glint of amusement as well as enchantment in his eyes.

"I already told you I don't care what you pick, I'll eat anything, it has to be something the guests will like," Misty explained for the millionth time. She waited a moment for Lily to answer and then opened her own mouth to speak. "I don't care if your manicure is chipping! Just pick a meal and call back the caterer, okay? Bye." Misty slammed the cover to her cell phone shut, ending the call. "God," she muttered to herself in frustration. She put her phone in her bag and removed her sunglasses which had been hiding her beautiful eyes. After putting them in there too, she looked up to meet the smirking expression of her best friend of fourteen years.

"Things a little stressful, Myst?" Ash asked with his trademark lopsided grin, adding humor into his plainly obvious question hoping it would result in angering her further.

Ash succeeded in doing so as Misty averted her annoyed expression in his direction, he grinned sheepishly as a result. A loud groan escaped Misty's lips, therefore, ending their silent banter for the moment. "Look, I am so not in the mood for any sarcasm or jokes at the moment so can we please just go and eat?" she asked in a clearly exasperated tone. "Because I'm starving and all I need to calm me down right now is lunch with my best friend in the whole wide world." Despite her last request, a natural sense of childish humor was embedded in Misty's last choice of words. Ash couldn't help snickering at them but one pleading glance from Misty for him to stop wiped that cheesy grin off his face.

"I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. "Maybe after we get a little bit of food into you you'll feel better?" he suggested, displaying a tiny smile. Misty looked up at him gratefully before sighing heavily and resting her head on his shoulder.

"That... would be great," she breathed tiredly as they made their way to the entrance of the cafe.

Ash felt his chest rise up in his throat the minute Misty leaned into him. Although, it was just a moment of brief contact that they had shared much more than in the past, Ash could not avoid her sweet scent that he inhaled when she moved closer to him or her silky hair tickling his face or her soft breaths against his neck. All of those actions seemed to have an effect on him which a Pokemon attack would, leaving him paralyzed and speechless.

This is ridiculous, Ash's mind screamed at him. You're twenty-four years old and you can't even deal with a girl putting her head on your shoulder.

The only difference was this was no ordinary girl.

Even when he first met Misty Ash had held an emotion for her that went beyond close friendship. A simple childhood crush easily formed due to the fact he was in her constant presence and it had to have been expected that she was more than just a friend. It had to have been expected that a liking for her had developed and it was quite obvious that the arguments and insults were just a cover up and more of each of them wanting to get a reaction out of the other. It was not necessarily expected that after years of being attracted to Misty, that Ash would fall in love with her and already be in a position where she would never know and he would never be able to tell her.

Ash sighed longingly as he caught a glimpse of the new reminder of why he could never tell Misty his feelings, other than the fact that it could ruin their friendship. The diamond engagement ring she was wearing stared back at him from its position on her left hand.

And unfortunately, he was not the one who had put it there.
--

A/N: *uncovers eyes* Well, did it suck?  I admit things in the beginning of this fic might not be up to my regular standard of writing.  The reason is that I wrote this story backwards (don't ask me why) and the beginning parts are the first things I've written for a long time.  I promise that the second chapter will be longer and hopefully better than this one.  Think of it as sort of an introduction and please trust me when I say that I'm going to try to make this a little different from the typical 'Misty's getting married-Ash is sad' plot.  Review please =)