Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Mr. Satoshi and the other people. I own only my Gameboy and the plot.
Warnings and further notes:
This fic may contain spoilers for the anime. I credit everything I know about the anime to Serebii dot Net and my Japanese friends.
The characters will not act as they do on TV, because they are all 16, 17 ish in this story, with minor character Crystal being 13/14.
The ship is strictly Ash/Misty, although other ships, Gary/Misty for one, do make appearances, as well as those mentioned in passing (I had Whitney/Brawly in Chapter One). While I respect your ship choices, I cannot change mine, because that'll undo the whole foundation of this story.
A/N: Well, told you chapter three would be faster. I'm glad that people are still reading this, although somewhat sad that I lost most my old readers (to new readers: I love you guys all, no need to worry about that).
Realized I forgot Pikachu in the second chapter. Pshew, silly me. I revised it in my original draft, but forgot to in this one. I'll upload that one once the fic is more stable, so I won't kill my templates.
Enjoy, my lovelies!
-Reacquainting-The party was not over till well into the afternoon, when finally Koga and Janine declared that prolonged celebrations were not good for their ninja trainings, and became the first two to leave the merry company.
Following their examples, the guests slowly began to disperse. The neighborhood kids ran merrily off, their laughs echoing down the streets, while the older ones—trainers, parents, and neighbors—said goodbye, shook Ash's hand one last time, and left as well.
Brock and Misty, however, were invited to stay for supper. After exchanging a look, they agreed. "There won't be any challenger coming, anytime today," Brock said.
Supper took longer than usual. Misty had the vague feeling that Delia was trying to keep her and Brock there, to rekindle old times, almost. She kept on making excuses to look at the popcorn and leaving the kitchen, and looked somewhat disappointed when they did not strike out a conversation in her absence.
"You could stay for the night, if you want," Mrs. Ketchum offered as Brock and Misty, having finished the awkward supper, began donning their jackets. "It's not as if you've never stayed over before."
Misty hesitated. On the one hand, it was a long way to Cerulean City. On the other, it was awkward to try to relive the old times, when so many months had passed by. Besides, she didn't know what Ash was thinking, and she didn't want to intrude.
"It's a long way back, you know," Delia tried again.
"I don't know," Misty said. "Brock…you decide."
Brock finally settled the matter. "Well, Ash, up to you," he said, and even though he sounded nonchalant, Misty could tell that he was nervous.
"Stay," Ash said, his arms around Pikachu, who hadn't willingly parted from Ash's arms all day. "We have a lot of catching up to do."
"We sure do," Misty said. "The only problem is, where to start?"
"I'll be going, then," Delia Ketchum said brightly, ascending the steps to her room. "Don't get too wild down there."
When his mother was gone, Ash pointed to the chairs around the kitchen table. "Let's all take a seat. How about we start with Brock?"
---
Gary kicked a stone as he headed back toward his house, listening the excited chatters of the people around him.
"Isn't he the coolest? Pallet Town finally has its own champion!"
"Delia must be so proud. If only he were my son!"
"He's the coolest trainer!"
"I want to be just like him!"
"He is so cute!"
Strong. Powerful. Maybe. Maybe Ash was no longer the idiot he used to play with. Cute. Never. Gary shook his head. He wanted to shout that Ash was not cute, that Ash never had a cheerleading squad just for him, that Ash was not the one dating Misty. But he didn't, because that was childish, and he didn't want to admit any of it.
Besides, Ash always got everything.
And Gary wasn't blind. He saw how Misty looked at him. Adoring eyes. It disgusted him. Not that he particularly liked Misty; he liked her because she was spirited and she was strong, and he saw her as an equal and not a sniveling fangirl. But just because he didn't love her didn't mean that he wouldn't feel jealous, that his girlfriend would rather be with a former pipsqueak than him.
But you shouldn't feel inferior. You are Ash's rival. You are his equal.
After all, he was a gym leader. He wasn't a pushover himself.
"It's so neat, isn't it?" the girl named Crystal popped up beside him. "It must be awesome to know someone so strong!"
"Sure," Gary said nonchalantly. "Sure," he said again, more convincingly, but Crystal had already bounded away with her Quilava.
---
Misty couldn't sleep. There were times in the past when her back would be so happy to touch a bed that she would doze off immediately, but not anymore. Three years; for three years, she had slept in her room at her gym, and her body had gotten used to the silky feel of her sheets, that the rougher counterpart at the Ketchum guest room kept her awake.
And she didn't want to sleep. She wanted to think about, well, Ash. Who else could she think about, after that long talk at the table?
Long, true, but so artificial.
None of them bothered to say anything worth saying.
It wasn't enough that she heard about Brock's five girlfriends and his gym escapades. She visited and called Brock often enough to know about his Joys and Jennys and Lisettes and Tammys and how he was rejected by all of them. As for gyms, well, gym leaders usually knew about each other pretty well. Besides, she'd even watched some of his battles with his challengers and siblings.
Of course, Misty did no better herself. Once she found Ash's dark eyes looking at her, she began to stutter and went on a prolonged praise of her Gyarados and new Vaporeon. She did not bother to mention that she'd burned candles for Ash when Brock and her managed back from Mount Silver. She talked more about the new clothes she had than the tears she shed for him; more about challengers like Crystal than the many letters she'd written, but had no chance to send out.
And Ash.
He was the most superficial of them all. Maybe he had the most to tell. Maybe she needed to hear about how he'd made it through the avalanche, got saved by the Old Champion, beat him, and stayed to train. Maybe.
But she wanted to know what he thought after he kissed her. Why he didn't want to come back. If he thought about her, or anyone, at all. If he cared that she was dating Gary. If he remembered all the fun they had. If he remembered all the promises they kept.
If he still cared about anything, after he fulfilled his dream.
Like her.
Dammit, Misty. You're not fourteen anymore. You aren't lovesick! Misty swung her legs over the bed and sat up. Brock was happily snoring away on his top bunk, but Misty had had enough. She wanted to get some fresh air. She needed to clear her head.
Misty threw on a windbreaker over her oversized nightshirt, and padded down to the door, combing her unruly red hair with her fingers as she did so. It wasn't very late yet, it appeared. She could still see the crescent of the moon.
She opened the door.
And paused, because someone was standing on the front porch, overlooking the small garden his mother kept.
"Ash?" Misty called softly.
He turned around slowly, and she couldn't see his expression under the dimness of the night. "You can't fall asleep either?" he said lightly.
"Nope," Misty answered. "I guess you can't either."
Ash shrugged. Misty noted, with a pang, how different he was. Maybe to everybody else, he acted like the same kid who disappeared three years ago, but to her, not at all. It was hard not to notice how reserved and distant he was.
He was not the ten-year-old boy she'd befriended so long ago, not anymore. Misty wasn't one who was averse to changes, but she did feel somewhat sad.
And then she felt selfish for even regretting that Ash had grown up and reached his potential—at least, almost.
"Um, any particular reason?" Misty said nervously, closing the door gently behind her.
"Thinking about stuff, I guess," Ash said. "It feels so different, being back here."
Misty waited.
When Ash didn't offer anything else, she tried again. "How's Pikachu getting along with Raichu?" she asked, referring to the two Pokemon Ash did not keep in Pokeballs.
"Okay enough, I guess. Fought over the bed, and who gets to nuzzle my feet, but both of them are sleeping under it." Ash sighed. "I almost forgot how possessive Pikachu is."
But I am too.
Misty closed her eyes and breathed the night air. Ash did not move, standing still as a statue. "Well," she said, when it was obvious that conversation had died, "I guess I'll be going back to bed. Got a full day at the Gym tomorrow, what with all the trainers you attracted over here."
Ash laughed.
"Goodnight—"
"Wait." Ash's hand fell lightly on her shoulder. "Let's not go yet. Keep me company a while more. It'd be a while before I can get away from the interviewers tomorrow, and I'd rather spend tonight with someone…you know."
"I do?"
"You want to take a walk around Pallet? Haven't been here for so long."
Misty nodded. "Sure," she said.
The walk was silent at first. There wasn't much to see, during the night, except for the sparse streetlamps that gave everything an orange hue. After five minutes or so, Misty was feeling sleepy. The cool night did help to calm her down, she supposed. She stifled a yawn as Ash went down toward the Oaks' house, when he suddenly stopped.
"That's Gary's house," Ash said.
"Yes," Misty said, for lack of a better thing to say.
"You go there often?"
"I usually stay at Cerulean," Misty answered. "He comes and visit. As do Brock," she added hastily.
Ash took a deep breath. It took him a deal of effort to get the next words out.
"Did you miss me?"
Misty was taken aback. "Ex-excuse me?" she stammered.
"Forget it. Never mind." Ash began walking again, but much faster than before.
"Why?"
Ash shrugged. "Sentimentality, I suppose," he said, not turning back.
"Of course I missed you," Misty said. "I…you are my best friend, Ash. How could I not?"
Ash paused in the middle of the road. "Are you angry at me, for never sending you word that I'm, well, where I was?"
Misty smiled despite herself. "No, Ash, I can never be mad at you," she said, and that was true. If she did not strangle him for destroying her bike, that meant something. "But…I think I was unsettled, you know, that Crystal knew about you before me."
"Both trainers I defeated before her are of Johto, as is she," Ash said. "It's not as if…I were deliberately keeping it from you."
"I know," Misty assured him. "And I'm not mad. Ash…"
"It's late," he said abruptly. "Let's go rest. We both of us have a big day tomorrow."
Misty blinked, but tried not to show how hurt she was. What did I say wrong? She wondered furiously, as she followed Ash back to the house. Just before she went inside her room, however, he said—well, whispered, "I missed you too."
She had an urge to turn, to see if she'd actually heard or imagined it, but didn't.
Misty went inside the room quickly, and fell asleep.
- - -
In the morning, Gary Oak came over to walk Misty back to her Gym.
From the window, Ash watched as the two of them walked down, slowly disappearing from view. His eyes never left their hands, joined together so naturally.
When they had disappeared completely, he turned, and began down the stairs.
"Mom, I'm awake now."
-
A/N: Even though it's been so long, this chapter has been here since…a long time, growing in my head. It wasn't supposed to be quite this…well, obvious that Ash and Misty like each other, but hey, I restrained the so-called fluff.
I think tensions between Ash and Gary should commence, no? (grins wickedly) Should be fun.
Anyway, please review! They keep me up and smiling, you know!
Thanks to the reviewers of the chapter one:
dbzgtfan2004—don't worry, it's staying Ash/Misty.
Hakajin—I thought at the Ketchum's backyard would be more to Ash's liking, and banquet hall is too hard for me to write (P). Lisa is the trainer from the third movie who has a Pokegear. I didn't explain who she was because Brock and Misty were both familiar with the girl. (She won't be making an appearance, so don't worry if you don't know her.)
taiki-kun—aww, I'm sorry, but I can't. Gary/Misty will ruin the plot.
Ocean Flower—how sweet! Thank you!
SunLight—yup, sorry about that, Sunny.
Kittona—you're absolutely right. I did forget Pikachu in chapter two. However, while Pikachu did not want to leave Ash, he shoved him to Misty and ran off, and before anyone could do anything, there was the avalanche, and they haven't heard from Ash since.
anabell—nope. Here it is!
--MR