Leaving your heart behind
Chapter nine: "Bittersweet shopping"
Disclaimer: I don't own pokémon, ok?
Thank you time:
Shadow Kat: Thank you so much for always reviewing! I hope you find this chapter funny too! ^ ^
NoZoMi aNd HoTaRu: Thank you for reviewing this chapter! Yeah, Misty's date was definitely a disaster and now that Ash has come, things will be a bit more confusing for Misty… Anyway, they won't be together that soon… You just have to be patient and wait a while… ^_~
alexis: Sorry for the slight cliffhanger, but I thought it was the best place to end the chapter, not making it too long… Well, here you have another chapter to entertain you! I just hope you like it!
legolas liker: Hi! Thank you for reviewing! Well, about Togepi… I never saw the Advance Generation episodes, but I know that Misty left her Togepi in Mirage Kingdom to rule or something like that, so I didn't put him in this story… About the pairing… Don't worry, this one will be a Misty/Ash paring, but not that soon… I don't have the whole story planned (just an idea of what's going to happen) so I don't know how long it will be… I guess you just have to wait for now… ^_^
And now, the story…
Oh well… That wasn't definitely what Ash was expecting… After so many years far from Misty, only talking through the few phone calls he could afford to with all his training, he thought he was going to have a warmer welcome… But he was certainly wrong: he saw no tears of happiness nor received a friendly hug from her… Just pure shock and surprise, not a usual display of affection like he wanted to see… So yes, he was a bit disappointed and perhaps hurt in the beginning, but that was quickly forgotten when he saw Misty yelling at her sister…
"I sure missed her… And I just realised how much I missed her now…" he thought sadly, the bittersweet smile lingering in his face.
Her temper, her voice, her eyes, her hair… Why haven't he visited her earlier? He had been so caught up in his training and in his relationship with May, that he had abandoned his friend… Yes, it had been mostly his fault that their friendship was slowly damaged, but somehow he felt that Misty herself had carefully backed away, giving him space that he never asked for… When did that happen? He should have noticed, he should have avoided it… Now he was afraid that Misty might consider him a stranger, that she might not know him or treat him like she used to…
"Sorry Ash, please come in…" Misty apologized nervously.
"I don't want to bother… If you can't go shopping with me, I understand…" Ash replied weakly.
"Oh… Of course I'll go! I just have to put some decent clothes and then we can go… Do you want to wait in the living room?" Misty asked, smiling uncertain.
"No, I'll wait in the car, hoping you won't take long like May does…" he teased, smiling sweetly.
Misty stiffened when he said her name, but quickly replied with a wide, forced smile, trying to break the awkward mood.
"I won't take long, don't worry! But you better be nice to me and buy me some decent dinner after shopping, or you'll have to face my wrath…"
"It's a deal!" Ash answered cheerfully, turning to his car, leaving Misty at the door, observing her childhood friend, her long time love.
"Why did he have to come now? To leave me confused, to re-open past wounds? Now that I finally was recovering and considering a relationship… Why did you have to come and ruin my peaceful live Ash Ketchum??" she thought desperately, with tearful eyes.
Misty went up and the stairs, reached her room and quickly went to her closet, withdrawing a yellow sweater and a simple pair of jeans.
"You just had to come and destabilise my life Ash… It was so hard for me to leave my best friend behind, to keep a safe distance from you, protecting my heart from more pain… Now my feelings are so screwed up, I don't even know what I feel about Gary…" Misty thought, while she put on her clothes.
She then looked herself in the mirror: a defeated, sorrow expression in her face, something that Ash could never see…
"Stupid girl! Lighten up and stop being ridiculous… You've already gone over all of that, and you're not crying again for something you'll never have…" Misty said to herself firmly when she went down the stairs, towards the Gym doors.
So, she managed another painful smile and left the Gym, seeing Ash in his car with a thoughtful expression and a sweet look in his eyes.
"Probably thinking about May…" Misty thought miserably.
"Yes, I really missed Misty… And now I know that I'll never let her move away again… I won't let our friendship die and I won't forget all the treasured moments we've lived together…" Ash thought, while he saw Misty walking towards his car.
"Here you are! I was thinking why were you taking so long…" Ash said teasingly, right after she entered his car.
"Tell me one thing Ash: when is Valentine's Day?" Misty asked evilly.
"Tomorrow…" Ash replied suspiciously.
"And who's the only person that's patient enough to go shopping with you?" Misty continued.
"Humm… You?" Ash answered uncertain.
"That's right… So teasing me is…" she started calmly.
"Really stupid…" Ash finished, smiling.
"You're not so dense after all!" Misty laughed, faking surprise.
"I'm NOT dense at all!" Ash replied vehemently.
"Oh yes you are…" Misty answered grinning, already guessing what would come of this…
"I am not!"
"You are too"
"Am not!"
"Are too"
Ash looked at her angrily for a while, frowning slightly and being quiet for a moment. Then, a childish grin appeared in his face and he laughed willingly, observing a soft smile spreading across Misty's face.
"I'm glad I'm here with you…" Ash said honestly.
"Me too…" Misty admitted, temporarily forgetting her wounded heart.
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"So, what do you think? She'll like this one right?" Ash asked, holding a brown teddy bear with a red heart saying 'I love you'.
"God Ash! That's horrible!" Misty said, eyeing him disapprovingly.
They had finally arrived the shopping center. The trip had been great: they talked about their past adventures, and the uncomfortable atmosphere that had surround them in the beginning soon fade away. Misty's sadness was quickly pushed away by the laughter and the good memories that flooded that car… And now here they were, travelling through millions of corny, extremely pink shops, trying to find the perfect gift for May…
"Tell me: what should I buy her?" Ash asked desperately.
"Ash I hardly know May… How can I guess what's the perfect gift for her?" Misty asked annoyed.
"I don't know… What would you like to receive?" Ash asked curiously.
Misty furrowed an eyebrow, not knowing what to say.
"You would be enough Ash…" she thought to herself mournfully but said instead "I think a box of chocolates and a bouquet would be nice…"
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In Cerulean City Gym the phone was ringing…
"I'll get, I'll get it!" Violet said quickly, picking up the phone.
"I'm sure it's Jake asking for a date…" she thought happily.
"Hello?"
"Can I talk to Misty please?" a male voice said on the phone.
"Humm… Who is this?" Violet asked apprehensively.
"It's her boyfriend, Gary Oak…" he replied smugly.
"Her boyfriend huh? Well, I'm sorry to announce that you're 'girlfriend' went out with another guy…" Violet informed.
"WHAT?? WHAT'S HIS NAME???" Gary asked infuriated.
"Humm… Ash Ketchum I think…" Violet replied uncertain.
"WHAT????? WHERE IS SHE?? TELL ME NOW!!!" Gary demanded.
"In Cerulean City Shopping Center… Now you go there, kick the guy's ass and get off the phone…" she replied impatiently.
"YOU BET!!!" Gary yelled and hung up.
"I hope they have a good time… Because it seems I won't have!" Violet said fuming, while she went to the living room again, waiting for the damn phone to ring.
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"Daisies?" Ash asked, pointing at a bunch of white daisies in the flower store.
"No Ash, roses! Red roses are much more romantic…" Misty said irritated.
"Ok… And how many?" he enquired.
"Well, that depends… I personally prefer only one rose, but you better buy… I don't know, a dozen for May…" she replied, more patiently.
"Ok, a dozen roses… Got them… Now what?" Ash asked again, after he paid the florist.
" Humm… We can go to that store over there, to get the box of chocolates…" Misty replied simply.
"Good idea! I don't know what would happen to me if it weren't you Misty…" Ash thanked genuinely.
"Yeah, yeah, I know that…" Misty said smiling.
They walked slowly, side by side, each one with his own thoughts until Misty noticed a small jeweller's shop.
"Oh it's so beautiful!" Misty said, looking at a necklace with a small heart shaped, silver medallion.
Ash leaned closer and looked at the jewel. It was indeed beautiful: simple but charming at the same time, perfect for a delicate girl, but not for May… He didn't seem to be able to tell why, but it simply wasn't right for May…
"Misty, I'm just going to buy the chocolates, wait a minute ok?" Ash asked kindly.
Misty snapped out of her trance and looked at him surprised.
"Sorry Ash, I got a bit distracted… But I'll go with you!" Misty quickly apologized.
Ash smiled and nodded in agreement.
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After about half an hour searching, Gary finally saw his beloved red head among the hundreds of people in that damn shopping center, but, unfortunately, as he expected, she was accompanied by a brainless boy with raven, ruffled hair…
"That Ketchum is going to pay… Always trying to have what's mine: the title of champion, the attention of my grandfather and now my girlfriend… Or at least, almost-girlfriend…" he said between clenched teeth.
He went slowly towards the small shop where the pair was, and tried to calm down…
"Come on Gary, it's much better to humiliate him… You don't have to torn him into pieces… Humm…Perhaps do both…?" Gary thought wickedly.
He pushed the door abruptly and entered the store with confidence. After seeing Ash and Misty, he drew near, and restraining his anger, he simply tapped Ash's right shoulder…
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"Will this box do?" Ash asked, holding a red, heart shaped box of chocolates.
"Humm… Almost there…" Misty teased, smiling brightly and added "But I think May would prefer chocolate truffles…" Misty said, grabbing a white box, with a red bow around it.
Ash grinned and opened his mouth to speak, before someone interrupted him by tapping his shoulder. He turned around and saw the face of a very calm Gary Oak.
"Hi Gary! Long time, no see…" Ash said cheerfully.
Misty spun around swiftly when she heard his name.
"Gary???" she blurted out surprised.
"What a coincidence… I came here to buy a present for Misty and I find you two…" Gary lied "Genius Gary, just genius…" he said to himself proudly.
"A present for Misty?" Ash asked astonished, looking at Misty, who was blushing madly.
"Yeah… Didn't she tell you? We're dating…" Gary said with a wide smile when he saw Misty hiding her burning face in her hands, mortified.
"Oh my God…" Misty mumbled when she saw the look on Ash's face "This is so embarrassing…"
That's it, finally!
It was a looong chapter…
Anyway, I hope you liked it and review please!
Cosmik