A/N: Note to self… never make promises you can't keep.
I am so sorry this took so long… I promised spring break… and my spring break came and gone three weeks ago. School and other stuff came up… especially Biology. Sometimes I swear… my biology teacher wants to kill us sometimes… in the last three weeks we have had three major projects due… one after the other and a field study that is nearly impossible… fifteen bugs and insects… and a ton of other things. Oh and then science and math competition… creamed the other teams in science came in third in math and made 60 dollars. Oh… and we'll reading A Tale of Two Cities… which no body in my class really gets… half the people are failing English right now… and we just had a test on the it. Now it's the Phantom of the Opera. Pretty good actually and our school made the nationals. So happy. Any ways… here's the next chapter.
Disclaimer: You guys should know it by now… I don't own Pokémon.
Reviewer's Comments:
Go Goggleheads::: Ahh me too… definitely a Ash and Misty fan. Too bad so left though and got replaced by annoying kid with glasses (genius) and his older sister who some how got overly good at Pokémon battles. Thanks for your review.
MoonTearGirl::: Eep… you don't need a recap this soon right? Cause I kind of forgot what I written at some parts… eep. Bad I know. Thanks for the review.
Gladdecease::: I know. Magma not magmar… don't have a clue why I wrote magmar, but now I'm too lazy to go back and change them all. Yeah I know… but I think I mentioned why I keep Haruka and not May. Cause Gary and his sister thing… guess like how I spell Honen(sp?) Houen and not Honen. Heck don't even know how to spell it the English way. I kind of learned it the Japanese way first so I stick with Japanese. Thanks for the review. Hope I didn't sound rude… if I did. Gomen.
Nightswift::: Err… don't have a clue why I wrote that… yes… yes I know. PG13. Don't know why I added that… didn't mean for it to get… uh… taken the wrong way. So sorry that took so long. So much homework and not enough sleep. Thanks for the review.
Deja Know I Been Looking For Vu::: Yeah… I know. I should post faster… but school. Hate it. Yeah… I don't use them that much now cause… well… they're not talking formally… but later now… I'm going to use them a lot, but if I add any new ones. I'll put the translations at the bottom (Japanese to English). Err… Lugia and Ho-Oh… they're… err… really important. -.-;; Yeah… sorry that's all I can say. Thanks for the review.
Crystalstorm21::: No problems. Mean it's only fair since I took so long to post. Thanks for the review.
Labannya::: Guess you'll find out this chapter hmm. Yeah… well this chapter is a lot about uh… 'alking too. Not much action… physically but mentally. A lot… yeah… Ash has matured… that's one point I try to get through and keep throughout this whole fic… yet there's still… uh… places where… the innocence and childish side of him… since lives on. You'll see what I mean. Yeah… they did love each other before they separated… though the other didn't fully know till so time after. Thanks for the review.
GoldamonX::: Whoa! Thanks for the comment and the review.
GogetaJr::: Whoa! So happy this makes you feel like that. Yes… the good old days. Don't we all wish we could go back to those days? Thanks for the review.
Overlord::: Thanks and I'll try to make each chapter better. Thanks for the review.
Fyreblazen::: Uh… no telling if you're right or wrong. Thanks for the review.
Moonteargirl::: I'm so touched. Really… I did? I need expected I did. I wish, but I swear. My teachers have all gone down the deep end. So much stuff and not enough time. They wish to kill us. I'm serious. Thanks for the review.
The Crystal Wyvern::: Yeah I know. The last line… hopefully this chapter won't be taken too seriously or I might have to be thinking about moving this fic to a 'r' rating. Thanks for the review.
Uriel Martin::: Err… great idea. Can't say if you're close or not. Don't want to spoil the ending and stuff… but all will be explained soon… probably five to ten more chapters max… maybe less. Great idea… but I kind of want to keep this as original as possible. Thanks for the review.
Etherelemental::: Oh they will appear soon… I think any ways. Uh… what Ash said… uh… it won't make sense now and if I try explain it to you know… it'll ruin everything. Coughhintcough. Yes, it's very big of a deal. I'll try posting faster… but… with school and finals just a month away… I don't know… but I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the review.
SulliMike23::: Uh… calm down… calm down… this chapter… will hopefully calm you down some. Thanks for the review.
Ash and Misty Forever::: Thanks. Really you already figured out the past stories… wow! I must have give away too many hints. Oops. Didn't really mean to. Yeah I know. I hate running too. It's really, really annoying. That's why I take dance instead… no more running… yet I have to walk home a lot. It's a drag. Thanks for the review.
Chapter 33
"Fine… Pikachu. You win… again." A small sigh left Ash's lips as he gave Pikachu a deep death stare before continuing the rest of his thought. But only for a little while and you get to explain this to Lugia.
"Pikachu!" chirped the Pokémon happily. A smile appeared on Misty's face as she brushed her hand through Pikachu's forehead before looking up. A new light shone on her face.
"So… that means you'll join?"
"Temporary membership?" suggested Ash. A small sweat drop was forming upon his forehead.
Misty nodded… a sigh left her lips. "For you and only you… because…"
"Because why?" asked Ash. For once since this argument had started Ash showed that innocence and sly side of himself once again and for Misty. She cherished that look upon his face immediately responding with the pet name that he despised.
"Because I love you, that's why Ashy boy." She stepped forward and planted a kiss on his cheeks then turned for the long walk back to the city.
As dense as ever, it took the young man a while to discover what Misty had just called him. "HEY!! Why I….!!!" shouted Ash.
A small giggle escaped from Misty's rosy cheeks as she turned around… still smiling and teasing. "Why you what?" asked Misty. A look of pure delight shone though as she turned around. Pikachu in her arms as she turned and flashed a look of pure innocence. She winked at him once before pulling down her bottom eyelid and blew a raspberry at him.
"Hey! Wait till I get my hands on you!" Ash shouted as he chased after Misty.
Time spun for Misty as she heard Ash's footsteps snapping branches with his feet. This scene before her was too… too much for her. It was just like before… when they were younger. She would tease him then they would start chasing each other… till one of them gave up or Brock or someone stopped them. It seemed so long ago, now. In those days nothing matter… when traveling and battling was life… when life evolved around seeing new places… meeting new people… and getting stronger. Days when all they had to care about was who would get the wood for the fire that night. Who would set up the tent… who would do with laundry… who would wash the dishes… who would groom the Pokémon. Now, now life was so much more complicated… more emotional. Actually now… it depended if you woke up the next day… that was your first success of the day… is to find that they have been no casualties the night before.
Now life was more of a cycle now… and if anyone broke that cycle… all would be lost. Ironically enough…now… after so many years, here, they were doing it again. As if time had gone astray and was letting them turn back the hands of the clock and be… be carefree once more. Be one with the artificial environment that seemed too real to be fake anymore. And that scared Misty… she never expected the day they had came here… that they would find this artificial environment real… that seeing human made power was as normal as the sun casting over them… that the trees… the grass… the mountains… everything wasn't just artificial… sometimes even an illusion made real in their minds. That's what most of the landscape was… one big illusion made by the psychics.
She didn't know how long they had ran… or when they had finally stopped. But now… now it didn't matter any more. Together as one they sat. Arms around another… his breath… his soft yet course skin upon her own. The coldness of the air mattered no anymore… the other's body was all they needed to keep the other warm. They lay as one under a willow tree. A small lake surrounded them both. A lily pad in her hair, still dripping with the lake water.
Drip. Drip.
The clear spring water fell into her face… her hair was wet. Ash had managed to catch up to her. She couldn't believe how fast he could run now. Before sure he was fast… but… but now he ran like the wind. She stopped by the lake to catch her breath before continuing when Ash somehow managed to catch her unexpectedly around the waist. She ended up screaming and losing her footing. Causing them both to tumble into the pond before them. The murky water covered them from head to foot.
It took minutes before Misty could drag Ash and Pikachu out of the water. The two had become overly fascinated by the pond and especially the fact that she was oblivious to the fact that Ash still possessed a small centimeter of innocence and childish antics were still buried within his heavy heart and mind. When she had grabbed him by the collar of his leather jacket, he had taken a swish at her with a hand full of water. Which resulted in an all out water fight pitting lover against lover. It wasn't till Misty had started choking on the lake water that they knew they had to stop. Both were covered from head to toe in mud.
Now her head was situated within his chest…gently he rocked her… humming a familiar melody.
"The song of Lugia." Misty knew that melody. She knew all to well haven nearly lost him that day because of the selfish actions of a greedy collector who wanted the three legendary titans and water god to himself.
"Hmm," he muttered. He continued humming as he took in the sweet flowery smell of his love. Stopping now and then to lightly nimble on the corner of her ear or give her a string of kiss down her neck. The young woman groaned in delight. She loved his scent and his touch. It enlightened so much within her.
"Ash," she moaned.
"Hmm."
"I love you."
"And I you." He eyes burned with fire… with pleasure. He ran his muscular arm through her shoulder blades and below as she took his arm within her own. She fingered with his strong wrist… discovering just then how much he had tanned over the years… how much more muscle he had gained. And the distinctive scars that ran upon his arms. Some looked so deep… some old… some new… most would never disappear with time… Misty pitied him… knowing that these painful reminders would go with him to his grave. So many memories… all etched in his skin. So many battle wounds inflicted his skin.
Deep down she knew she wanted to know so badly how he got all those wounds. How he got these wounds… separately… she longed for him to tell her… so she could share these years of pain with him… but deep down… she knew she couldn't. All she could so know was be there for them… pray that he wouldn't go completely cold… completely broken.
She also wanted so badly to have been them to hold his hand during the nights that his wounds pained him in his sleep… disabling and cutting short his slumber. Causing him nightmares… paining him in all hours of the night… of day. But she knew now it was too late. All that she could now was be there for him… she didn't know enough about the last years to help… to relate.
He sighed once more. Sensing the depression sinking into her love, Misty turned. Her head arched as she turned to look at her love. His eyes… the big, shining amber orbs had lost its innocence… its beauty. Instead it was replaced with that of faraway look.
His mind wondered away from the tranquillity. He hated when this happened. When he couldn't help but wonder… wonder if what he's doing is wrong. If she was right… if they were all right. He couldn't help but wonder what would have happened had his curiosity hadn't taken over that day so long ago. What would his life have been like now? Would so much sadness have been prevented? So much depression… so much blood shed… so much hate that filled the atmosphere had happen? What if he had listened? What if he had heed their warnings? Would this have happened? Or would his life have been like it once was? Could he still be out there traveling… helping people… challenging gyms and competing in tournaments? Could his childhood dream of becoming a Pokémon Master have already come true? Would he be seated in that high and mighty chair… being mobbed by reporters day in and day out? Would he and Misty have already been married? Would they already have children by now? Oh how he wondered. He couldn't help… but wonder and seeing Misty again… she in his arms… everything seemed right… yet… yet it wasn't right. A small chuckle left his lips. In return he received a peculiar glaze from Misty.
"What's so funny?" snapped Misty. She hated being left out of his little world… and now he was laughing at her.
"Nothing…" The laughter died out of his voice… being once again replaced by sadness and confusion. "I guess I can't help but wonder sometimes."
"You… you wonder?"
"Misty," whined Ash a hint of childhood lingered in his voice before disappearing once again. "I'm serious. You know… this… this that we have. This tranquillity… the chase… the insulting of each other… I guess. I guess I can't help but wonder how many years we have lost together. I guess…. I guess seeing you again… seeing… no… feeling… touching one another again. It just… it just gets one thinking. What… what if this had never happened. Had I been able to compete in the Houen League? What would our life be like now? Do you ever wonder sometimes Mist? Had we not been apart for so long? What our relationship would be like today? You ever wonder… Mist?"
"Hmm." Misty chuckled… hearing the thoughts that Ash had running through his mind. "Hmm… yes Ash. Yes… I wonder all the time what our life would have been like had this never happened. How much time in our life… we lost together."
"How… how you coup?"
"I… I didn't. No… I never did. Hakura… Brock… they use to think I had gone crazy. That it wasn't good that I was always so depressed. But now… now I guess… it doesn't really matter anymore. Now we're together again and there's nothing that can separate us again… right?"
"Yeah," muttered Ash. Still he stayed cold and depressed. There wasn't feeling in his voice. None at all as he stayed close to Misty's side. A small splash sounded before them directing their attention away. The calm and tranquil atmosphere was broken before them, alerting them both.
"Pika," muttered the Pokémon sheepishly as it yet another rock fell into the water. A ripple of water was created before the rock sunk to the bottom. Ash and Misty immediately pulled apart. "I'll go check if the clothes are dry," said Ash.
"Err… okay." A streak of red washed over Misty's face as the two of them finally realized the place and situation they were in. A piece of cotton touched Misty's bare skin… she looked down and found it to be her clothes. She turned and found Ash taking his own clothes off the tree. She couldn't help but stare… looking and admiring his beautiful body… how much muscle he had gained over the years. How much taller is was now… Ash turned finding Misty staring at him. She saw and the two shared a mutual look of embarrassment… wondering how they could get so caught up in being together that all else was forgotten. Bundling his clothes into a ball Ash left Misty at the tree for her privacy as he took a bush.
A flush loomed upon her face as she redressed in her meeting outfit. A long skirt and a tight yellow blouse with a thunderbolt patch on the elbow. She tied her red tie around her neck before pulling out a compatible mirror and brush. She pulled her fiery red hair back into a bun before sticking in the two chopsticks that held it fast.
Finding that Ash still had not returned yet, she walked to the waterbed and ran her hands through it. Dripping her hand into the water she repeated the process… splashing the water higher and higher each time. Still Ash did not return. She sighed as she watched Pikachu laying quiet a few meters away. It was curled in a ball… probably fast asleep.
Minutes rolled by then half an hour but still Ash did not return. The young woman let out an annoyed sigh as she pulled her wrinkled hand from the pond. Drying her hand with a handkerchief she left her spot. She knew that nobody could possibly take this long to dress… especially a guy like Ash. She walked to the spot where he was said to be changing. Looking around she finally spot him… but… but the scene before her eyes wasn't one that she had been expecting.
No… not at all.
A/N: Not going to promise when the next chapter is going to be out… so how about soon… hopefully before May is over… sad I know. So how was this chapter… boring… pointless… indifferent… good… bad… care to share your views? Please review… cause I care what my readers think… so I can improve… like should I speed the pace up a bit… get to the big relevance soon… or… go like the pace I'm going at… any way it'll end with the same number of chapters… scary I know… but true.