A/N: I am so sorry. There is definitely no excuse for me to not posting for at least a month. But lucky for me I got an excuse. My excuse is that I have been busy. Not just little busy but busy, busy. I have been really, really busy lately. With end of school year tests, projects, and everything going on, I haven't had anytime to post or write at all. So I'm soo sorry for not posting earlier. Oh yeah… and probably when you were all opening this fic you noticed I changed the title… a little. And if not… it's all good. I added a girl's hope to it cause well… I don't know why… or… maybe I do? Ahh! I'm confusing myself…

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

Reviewer's responses:

Joy-girl::: I don't know… but I'm glad to know that you're curious. I was wondering if any one would ask me that question and somebody did. Hmm… thanks for the review.

Labannya::: You're probably back by now…. yeah. Any ways how was the mystic tower in London? Or am I thinking about Big Ben… is it Big Bend or Big Ben in London? I'm only asking cause there's a Big Bend… I think… National Park here in Texas. And ever since I heard of the one in Texas I'll never been able to tell them apart. Actually I went it was pretty. There was tons of rock formation and stuff, and it was anything but hot… I went during the summer. It was a really long drive… but I got to see a whole herd of buffalo glazing! ^. ~ Err… Ash trapped in a prison? I said that, really? Err… uh oh!… Yeah… flashback… no not in this chapter maybe in the next. Thanks for the review.

Crystalstorm21::: Wow! You didn't think it was Ash? You actually guessed that it was going to be Jessie or James? Wow! What do you have ESP? Hmm… sorry that this chapter took so long. Thanks for the review.

Ash and Misty forever::: Err… sorry… yeah… don't worry. At this time I'm not planning on having Ash with another girl. I know that after the last few chapters my coupling been off and all. But you're speaking to a 100% true blue AAML fan and that Ash and Misty. ^. ^ I know I'm been disappointing a lot of people lately. But you'll understand when… I mean the day that this fic is done. Sorry, for making you angry, that's actually a really good idea about Ash returning for Jessie and James's wedding… but… oops I can't say anymore, or I'll give away too much. Well… thanks for the review.

Amber::: Yeah! I did think it was funny. Sorry I disappointed you. Well… thanks for the review.

Etherelemental::: Oh! You like the Japanese names being used better? Oh! I only used them when they speak formally to each other mainly because I don't know every person that ever been on the show, movie, or special's Japanese name. Oh! You want this fic to move faster. Right. Yeah, I know I'm not really getting anywhere at this time am I. Uh… yeah, I know. Conflicts after conflicts, but uh… they all somehow tie in together at the end. That's why I kind of have to have all these mini conflicts everywhere. Uh… the distress part is explained in this chapter… being back old conflicts… see they do somehow tie together at the end. Oh… right. I knew I had it messed up somehow on the game thing. Uh… I kind of did explain a type of wedding in the underground. Remember? Haruka and Brock's, and I haven't got a clue which chapter that was in, either. Uh… yeah… stars. Honeymoon… err… right… I haven't really thought about honeymoon places, but the underground is basically like a modeled of the above ground. It has rivers, oceans and stuff. All that it doesn't have is a view of the sky, and there are mountains to some extent. Right… legendaries… are they affected or not? Err… I can't tell you right now. Well… thanks for the review.

ZetaBee::: You did? I'm sorry. That's another person that I've disappointed. Yeah… I had a meaning this fic would be too stretched out. My plot keeps getting diverted to a semi plot… which you could call a side story… not it wouldn't since I need these small scenes for the later chapters. Trust me. 'Kay? Thanks for the review.

Kit Kat::: Sorry… at least it wasn't a huge… life threatening… killer cliffhanger right? Yep! James has changed over the years. Basically everyone has. Bigger… chapters… right… that means no more good cliffhangers. Waaa! Any ways… I'll see in maybe the next chapter. Well… thanks for the review.

Overlord::: You know how much I was tempted to do that? I was so about to erase it… so it would have been a cliffhanger… but I decided to be nice. Whoa! I saved a lot of people! Maybe the president will be me an award. Just kidding. ^. ^ Thanks for the review.

Nightswift::: You like? Me too. I thought that would be a change for James asking Jessie that. Oh… you already found the cheat? Oh well… Uh Ash… right? Uh, I don't know. I'm still thinking. Uh… I wish I could email you the ending to this fic, but I'm not sure how it's going to end. I'm stuck at this cross road, either go one way or the other. Well… thanks for the review.

SulliMike23::: Gary? What did Gary do? You surprised that James asked Jessie to marry him? Oh! Well… thanks for the review.

Shockwave::: Summary? I don't remember my original summary right this moment. Oops! Uh… right… make plot go faster. I am going faster. I just need all this added detail to make the ending… which I'm not sure about… work. Somehow they all get tied back together. How? I haven't got a clue. Right… re-edit? I don't know if I'll have time, but I'll try when I'm done with the whole thing. Kill Ash? Whoa! That's a first? Thanks for the review.

Chapter 23

A small eep of surprise left Misty's mouth. "Oh my god! Really!" She beamed as she grabbed Jessie's hands. "I'm so happy for you!"

Jessie immediately turned away. Confused. Misty let go of Jessie's hands and looked at the woman in front of her. There was something wrong. She didn't look at all happy. "Jessie. What's wrong?"

"I… I…"

"Yeah?"

"I… I don't think I can marry him," muttered Jessie.

"Waa!" Misty gasped not expecting a reply like the one she had just received. She always thought that Jessie and James were perfect for one another. They both had common goals and interested, and they didn't seem to mind being in each other's presence. Over the year's time that she had spent in Cerulean Gym, she would sometimes wonder what became of Jessie and James. She remembered the fluent phone calls she received for him. It was always during the middle of night in Houen, around eight in Cerulean. He would always keep her on track of his adventures, gym victories, and captures. He had explained to her Jessie and James's mysterious disappearance, which had started with their Arbok and Weezing. She herself would sometimes lay awake at night and wonder what Jessie and James were doing. When the wind blew its hardest in Cerulean Gym, her mind would wonder. Had they finally saw the error of their ways and decided to quit Team Rocket. Had they decided to finally get hitched? There were so many other questions that ran though her head on nights like those. Now, finally, James had popped the question, and Jessie was… well… confused. "Why?"

"I… I don't know," muttered Jessie simply. She looked down not daring to meet Misty's expression.

"Don't know?" Misty gasped. "How can you not know? It's not that hard. It's all a matter of do you love him or not?"

Jessie blinked a couple of time as if taking in Misty's comment before she scoffed then stood up. "I knew this was a bad idea, coming and confiding in you."

"Then why?"

"Err?"

"Why did you?" asked Misty. She stood up as if challenging Jessie.

"'Cause I thought… well…"

"You thought my situation was the same as yours huh? You…" Misty looked away biting into her lip. "You think that I don't care for him, don't you? You think that's the reason why we aren't married don't you? It's because I don't love him enough huh?"

"Well… yeah. If you cared about him enough, why haven't you ever tried looking for him? Huh?"

"Our situations are completely different Jessie!" shouted Misty trying her best to avoid a direct answer. "You don't know if you should marry James. And I… I…"

"And you don't know if you should go look for him. Same or not the same? It's all a matter of love or not? Right?"

"No!" Misty bit her lip further tasting in the fresh scent of blood. She raised her fist and clenched it tightly. She tried to hold it back. She knew she couldn't punch Jessie. She wasn't afraid that Jessie would beat her up. Oh sure, maybe eight years ago she could, but not anymore. With the lessons that Bruno and Sabrina taught her she could easily beat her up. But she couldn't, she wouldn't. She couldn't beat a human on their side up. Even if she was the general, it didn't give her permission to murder someone. Her strips could be removed for a couple of months, and she had to go into battle. She wasn't a chicken or anything. But she hated to be out there on the battlefield. At the beginning when the troops were limited. She had to go out there and battle. She would return to the base and throw up everything, and she would be haunted with nightmares for weeks. No, she couldn't punch Jessie out.

Jessie watched the action. She saw the physical temptation leaking through the woman before hers veins. She noticed for the first time since arriving just what a kind of a person Misty was reduced down too. She was no longer that loud mouth brat. She had once known. She was a wounded Growlithe. Her heart had been ripped out so many times and stepped on that it wasn't funny anymore. From her eyes Jessie knew that Misty had been from hell and back. She herself had taken this exact same route once before. It was long before she joined Team Rocket. It was even before she joined the Bike Gang. Her whole childhood had been one hell ride. She was pushed from one orphanage to another. With the type of blood that ran though her body, it was obvious that had it happened.

But Jessie wanted to tempt her. She wanted to see just how far she could push Misty before she reached her breaking point. She knew the turmoil Misty faced, but she just couldn't help but push it in her favor. She knew the right choice of words. James himself had said those exact same words many years to her. She didn't want to admit it, but it had helped her rebuild her life. Jessie knew that not all of it was true, but a lot applied to her even if she didn't want to believe it.

"That's right, Kasumi. Punch me. It still doesn't change the facts. Nobody has ever stood up to you. Tell you right in your face, that well… Kasumi! The world doesn't revolve around you, girl. You think you're the only one hurting. You think that this is all about you, don't you? That you're the only one that's ever lost somebody. You, losing your love. You aren't the only one that's lost Ash Ketchum. So did Brock, Misty, Gary, and all you're other twerpy friends…" Jessie stopped. Saying so much had taken so much energy out of her. She looked down at Misty. No longer did she have to look down that far down. The Misty before her had grown. This wasn't the girl that blasted her off in her youth. She wasn't that high spirited and free willed girl anymore. She had changed just like herself. She realized it now, seeing the look in Misty's eyes. That this wasn't the Misty that she once knew. The Misty, the twerp's friend who she used to insult and got insults back from. It was just like the expression an eye for an eye. She stole something. They would steal it back. It was an endless cycle that would never end.

Misty unclenched her fist. Her angrier had left her, leaving nothing but despair. She clasped in her chair and streaks of tears fell from her eyes. She tried to hold them back. She sniffed back her tears trying to keep them from falling. She didn't want Jessie to see her weakness. Using her left hand, she wiped the tears away and looked at Jessie. She looked at the woman. What she had said to her made a lot of sense. It contained a lot of words that everyone around her had tried to tell her only she wouldn't take them and beside all that it took a lot of courage to say. But Jessie was wrong she had heard those words before. She had heard before that the world doesn't revolve around her. When she was young, she used to believe that it did. Her childhood before she was left an orphan was so perfect. Both her parents were famous water Pokémon trainers. It was like living in a child's fantasy. Only for her it wasn't a fantasy. It was real. She was a star in more ways then one. She was looked up upon. Her parents were rich. She could get anything she wished. Her life was perfect, and she didn't mind her dear sisters. She used to think that the world did revolve around her. But after her father's tragic murder, things changed. She saw the world in a new way, a way where things don't always go your way. That's when she finally understood that there was a boundary between fantasy and reality. That the good times had to end just like a fairy tale. A small smile appeared on her face. "Thank you."

"Huh?"

"I haven't heard those words in such a long time. I guess my curiosity and persuasion has gotten the better of me again." Misty lightly let out a faint chuckle. "You're right, Jess. Our situations are the same, but not totally."

"Huh?"

"They will be the same if you don't say yes to James's proposal. You do love him don't you?"

"Yeah… of course."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I… I feel like there's someone else out there. You remember how I lost my memory right?"

"Yeah, and Prof. Oak's pills bought them back," said Misty simply.

"I guess. Well, so I thought. When James proposal, a side that I thought I had forgotten resurfaced. I saw the image, no… an outline of a young boy. He was so stunning, so handsome, and so gallant. I don't know what happened, Misty. When James popped the question, I knew just what to say. I was so happy that he finally asked. I was just about the say yes, when well, I couldn't. I was captured by the sweetness of that boy. That boy in the back of my memories."

"And you love this mystery boy?" asked Misty.

"Yeah… I guess."

"Jessie. Listen, in love there are no guesses. This boy," said Misty. She reached behind her and picked up a flashlight that was inside a drawer. She pushed the switch, and a light shone on the wall. "Is like this light."

"Huh?"

"Yes, like this light. He's only an image, only an uncertain memory. Memories and images are intangible. You can't love a memory a way you can love a living person. A person who you can spend the rest of your life with, like this light. I can cover it up." She passed her hand over the light, and the light immediately disappeared. "This light disappears and reappears by way of simply covering it up, just like a memory. You can't feel it, and you can't feel it loving you back. Just like a beam of light, you can never feel it. But James, he loves you with all his heart, and you love him back. James is like this flashback. You can feel it. You know it's real. But with a memory and one especially like the one that you have. Nothing is really certain. Just like light. You can never be certain when it'll be covered up and when it won't.

"Huh?"

"Don't ask. I don't get it either."

"Huh?"

"Oh, he told me this."

"Err?"

Misty sighed before rolling her eyes. "Okay, to put it in simpler terms. It means don't let chances of true happiness pass you by."

"Oh!" Jessie nodded before going totally silent. She looked away from Misty and simply crossed her arms tightly. Misty stared the older woman for a few seconds before turning around. She placed the flashlight away before turning around. She sat there facing Jessie. A small giggle escape from her lips. She had never expected to be in a position like this. Never in her life had she imagined herself giving advice to Jessie. Times sure do change huh?

"Misty," muttered Jessie. She looked up to see Misty still sitting there not moving a muscle.

"Yeah, Jessie," said Misty softy.

"My answer is yes…"

Misty blinked before revealing a simple smile. Jessie nodded understanding Misty's response and got up. The older woman left her seat where she had found and walked to the door. She reached for the doorknob and turned it. "Jessie."

"Hmm?" asked Jessie turning around.

"'Night," muttered Misty simply. Jessie nodded before opening the door and walking out. She left with higher spirits than those that she had come in with.

A/N: Yes, yes I know you are all going to snap at me for ending another chapter like this. Not only did I not post for so long but this chapter was shorter than usual. Sorry about that, but I'm planing on making the graduation part be either one or two chapters since I thinking of adding in an flashback with it. I haven't exactly made up my mind yet on that. Oh and you all won't mind a Christmas-y chapter in June right? I didn't exactly plan this fic out right when I started posting it. When I wrote the first chapter, I was planning on posting a chapter once every two to three weeks. Well… that's all I have to say. Hopefully chapter 24 will be out in a week or so. Please review… I LOVE reviews.