Koniichiwa minna-san. It is I, Soraoathkeeper. Sorry for the delay...I finally found out what I wanted to do with this, and school wasn't helping. Oh well. Please, enjoy!

-Hi Misty. I missed you. Can you come on my journey now?-

Ash? What's he doing here? Isn't he on his journey with Brock? He missed me? For reals? He wants me to come back on his journey? With him?

Arggh, my head's spinning. Why does he always do this to me? Just when I think I've got him pinned down, he does something like this and I get confused all over again.

I guess I must look like I saw a ghost or something because he's looking at me weirdly. I have to break the silence somehow...

-Umm...hi Ash. What are you doing here?-

We're standing so close that I can almost feel his breath as he sighs.

-I told you already. I missed you. Are your sisters back?-

Well, that clears up any misconception about what he said the first time.

-Umm...n-no. They're not back yet. So um...do you want to come in?-

He nods and I step aside so that he can come in. What am I going to say to him? He...he missed me too?

We walk into the house part of the gym, and I lead the way to my room. When we get there, I sit on my bed as he looks around. Finally, he sits down next to me, bouncing a little on the bed.

-Sooo...did you catch any new Pokemon?-

He blinks. Apparently he's taken aback at this question because it takes a minute before he answers.

-Yeah, a few. I got a Tallow! And a Corphish! I even found a Treecko!-

I smile. His enthusiasm obviously hasn't gone away.

-That's great! You're one step closer to your goal!-

If only I could help him take the next step...

-Yeah, well, I am going to be the next Pokemon Master...-

I sigh. His ego obviously hasn't either.

-Of course you are Ash. Who else could be so alluring about it?-

He looks confused. I smirk inwardly. Yep, same old Ash. Oh, how I've missed you so.

-Umm...sure. What does alluring mean?-

I shake my head.

-Nothing Ash, just nothing.-

His face changes to a look of annoyance.

-What does it mean?-

He's getting insistent. Hmm. Maybe I can have a little fun with him. It has been lonely, with no one to argue with.

-I'm just saying that you can only be the Pokemon Master. You're the only one who can charm them into losing.-

Uh oh. He's mad.

-Am not!-

But it's worth it.

-Am too!-

He's worth it.

-Am not!-

And suddenly, without warning, he grabs a pillow and bonks me over the head with it. I'm shocked for a moment, but grin and take the other one.

Feathers are flying everywhere, and I know that I'm going to have to clean it all up later, but I don't care. I haven't had this much fun since he left. We both flop down on my bed, smiling at each other and laughing. It feels so good to be with him again...

Gradually, our laughter dies down and we both stare at the ceiling. There's silence now, but this is the good type of silence, the comfortable kind. I look at him. There are white feathers in his hair, and I'm itching to pull them out, but I restrain myself. I probably look the same.

-Misty?-

I snap out of my trance and quickly look away, hiding my blush. Did I actually just want to touch him?

-Yeah?-

He glances at me teasingly.

-Do you really think I'm charming?-

Oh, if only I could tell him. But I can tell by the tone of his voice that he's just teasing me.

-You wish!-

I wish.

-Uh huh, right Misty. You know you do!-

We continue to banter like this back and forth until we lapse into that comfortable silence again. But this time, we end up facing each other. He stares at me for a moment, and then reaches out. He touches my hair, and then draws it back, a white feather in his hand.

-Heh...you, um, had a feather in your hair...-

He trails off, smiling nervously. He's probably thinking that I'm going to pound him into the ground with my trusty mallet...which, by the way, I still have. But not this time.

-Thanks...-

He looks surprised, but then content. I reach up into his hair, drawing a few more feathers. He's smiling happily now, and so am I. His hair is so soft...

Suddenly, he grins evilly.

-I bet I can get more feathers than you!-

I take his bait, mirroring his expression.

-Can not!-

-Can too!-

-Wanna bet?-

-You did already!-

-Fine! On your mark...get set...go!-

And we are off, in a whirlwind of feathers.

Yeah, sorry for making this so short, but there WILL be more chapters. Like...three. Next will be Ash's thoughts in this chapter...

So...I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and everyone who read this story so far. That includes: phox455, A Pikachu Pal, Slayergirl1362, Ghost, Nightling, ash and misty4life, Gen. O'Neill and J.C. the Wabbit. Thanks to all! Oh, and ash and misty4life, yeah, I did think that it was sorta sudden, but it would leave a good ending part, and I think that he would say something like that too, especially after so many years of not seeing her. Ah well. Domo arigato gozaimasu minna-san!