Here is Chapter 9! Thank you so much everyone for reviewing I really appreciate and I think I answer to EVERY single one of you (when I could, there's still ann. who doesn't leave their email…) Well I don't have anything else to say but this: ENJOY! Loll

Chapter 9

Misty had woken up early, she had ate and she went to look for May but she either was still sleeping, which was unusual of her, or out because she wasn't answering the door. She didn't bother look for any of the 3 guys:

Richie had left without an "aurevoir", just with a letter she wasn't allowed to read before the match between Ash and Gary end and she was sure that Ash and Gary were both training for their battle. They were so determined to win and she had guess that Pr. Oak speech only made them more eager to win.

She had thought of seeing Tracey and Brock but last time Ash asked them to help him training so now she was alone and bored. The matches will only begin in the afternoon; she had to think of something before falling asleep bored and miss it. She was walking in the Oak mansion corridors, deep into thought, she didn't notice the person waving at her.

"Misty!" someone cried, that made her jumped startled. She tried to locate where the voice came from and found the unexpected presence of Delia Ketchum.

"Hi Miss Ketchup…or should I say Oak" she smiled maliciously to her. She and Ash's mother had always been close, Delia was a great confident and was also counting on her to watch over Ash during their travels; she preferred him to have a feminine presence with him, not that Brock wasn't responsible enough but still the way he acted around pretty girls wasn't quite encouraging… Misty grinned as her comment made Delia blush.

"So what's going on between you and my son?"

"What do you mean?" said Misty confused

"Ash was very worried, he asked me to explain him something that happened that hurt him quite a lot, but yesterday he was very happy and only you had this effect on him before. I think that he really loves you…"

"Oh…"

"But I also learn that you and my future grandson had "something" going on…"

"I'm sorry but…" try to explain herself, wondering how the heck Delia knew all that

"No need to apologize, I consider you like a family follow your heart no need to compromise your happiness for Ash's I wouldn't want you to be sad"

"Thanks a lot Delia, I feel pretty bad about breaking someone's heart though…"

Delia smiled to her understanding

"You know, I once went through that, in fact it was with Ash's father…" Misty looked surprised and intrigued at Delia; Neither her or Ash were talking about him "I had to chose between 2 men" she continued not minding Misty's expression "I chose Ash's father because I knew his mother and him for a long time we were long timed friends and I didn't want to break that and I also thought that I really loved him, had a crush on him for years. I realized that he wasn't the one for me awhile after but it was too late I was already pregnant and about to marry him. I was really desperate and I explained everything to his mother, she told me that I shouldn't have followed my head but my heart and that I could still change my mind and I did. Unfortunately Ash's father took it really bad and walk away, I never saw him since. Trying to save our friendship I lost it, not only it but my chance of true happiness…"

Misty felt bad for Delia and she saw it so she quickly added smiling "But luckily Ash has been a gift to me! Don't worry about me, im fine and I really love Pr. Oak, just don't make the same mistake than me that would really sadden me"

"Don't worry I won't" to these words Miss Ketchum smiled

"Any idea of who will be the lucky one?" Delia asked her

"The winner of today's match, they know it and that way they'll put all their strength and will to prove me they love me more"

"Wish, that pokemon battles were as popular than now at my time, all this would have been a lot easier!" the two of them laughed

They spoke again for the rest of the morning and ate together. Neither Ash nor Gary was at sight. She didn't even see May and guessed that she was still helping Gary like the day before. Time passed by quickly and it was almost time for the so waited battle, Ash and Gary finally appeared to her.

She hadn't had time to say some words to them. Delia left her to go with Pr. Oak as her new duty of fiancé. She was alone again, that's what she thought when a hand patted her back.

"C'mon Misty, I saved us some seat in the first row!" it was May

"Hey May! Where have you been?"

"Helping a "friend" of yours training, anyways let's go!"

When they arrived the battle was about to start and the audience was already cheering, in fact Gary's cheerleaders were already cheering:

"Watch out everyone Gary's here

With him with us victory's near

Gary, Gary he's the best

Nothing more, nothing less!

Everybody stand clear!
Let's shout, let's cheer!

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
hate to beat you, but he must

Gary, Gary he's the one!

Show this loser how it's done!

Go on and fight then win tonight! YEAH!"

(Thanks midnight-mist for your help it's less work for me hehe ;)

Misty sighed again because of the noising girls while May giggle at how stupid they looked and how weak this chant was. The tension was high on the field and they hadn't released their pokemon yet but were holding their pokeball tight. Misty and May took their seat and both Ash and Gary saw them since they were at the first row.

"Hey Misty, watch me win for you!" said a confident Ash "I'll do everything to win!"

Misty was sure that Gary was going to make a comeback but instead he looked thoughtful and unsure.

"C'mon Gary let's go let the one who loves Misty more win!" said Ash at Gary's expression. The audience was waiting for action and they didn't like Gary's lack of spirit. His matches were always fabulous and they were afraid that because of that this battle could be less paltating.

Gary finally opened his mouth to announce something, he seemed sorry but sure.

"I know it may be hard for me to say that but I-I… Iforfeit!" he finished his sentence quickly shameful.

Everyone was shocked especially May and Misty.

"Gary, we have trained hours for this match, you can't just give up!" screamed May

"Yeah, show us what you're made of" challenged Ash

"No, my decision is taken" he said firmly, everyone could see he wasn't doing it heartedly. It was so evident than even Ash noticed.

"Why?" he asked

"For her" Gary replied

"I don't understand" said a still shocked, confused and angry Ash

"It's easy to try and win for her, we both wanted to win from the start Ash! How could we pretend that one of us won for Misty and only her? It could be for our pride or the prizes gramps added. I'm losing for her and only her, forfeiting is way harder than winning, I was looking really forward for this match and gramps' new invention is really awesome…but anyway like I said my decision's taken and my pokemon don't need to fight a battle that I want to lose, that'll be unfair to them…" he turned around and looked directly in Misty's eyes "I love you Misty Waterflower and this ain't no game"

The audience who had been angry, quickly calmed down what Gary had just done was taking a lot of will power; who the hell would forfeit in semi finals? They all applauded, touched by this action and also by the declaration made for someone dear to Gary's heart, even though not all of them knew who. But it was all another story for Gary's cheerleaders who were crying and screaming loudly; not only Gary had forfeit but he clearly said himself that he loved another girl (they didn't want to believe he rumors or thought that Gary was playing another girl). Ash was silent and his cap was hiding, with his shadow, his face. Gary was leaving the field when he was knocked down by a wrist.

Everyone gasped and the cheerleaders were about to have a heart attack. Gary however didn't fight back, he touched his hurt cheek and stare back at Ash. He had understood.

"And don't even think of making her cry or you'll get more of them" Ash said who was now holding his hand to help Gary get up, smiling.

"Don't worry about it Ash, it won't happen I promise I'll do everything in my power for that" Gary smiled back

Gary got up and Ash and he shook hands. Everybody was relieved, they didn't quite understand what happened but it was better than a fight. Only some close friends who knew all about the conflict like Brock, Tracey, Max, May, Pr. Oak and Delia understood that Ash was admitting that Gary had beat him even if the battle was a loss on his report card, he just had won more.

End of chapter 9, the last chapter is coming up next soon, maybe next week. I know it's almost already over and Hey! I updated quickly…it's because this weekend I'm going on a basketball tournament (an outside one) so I wont have the time to write anything. I still have worked to do with Safari Love but hey the end of this fic is a start… LOLL well Friday before leaving I'll update the second chapter of Egg-O War (just need to check back some little things and answer some reviews maybe) and that'll be it for the following 5 days! Thanks a lot to have stick with me all this time, don't worry it's almost over! Hehe (when I think that Mr. Lonely is a "sequel" if I can call it that that makes me sad sniffles sometimes I think I'm too cruel…

C ya!

Michelicious (it's midnight by the way you guys can't say im working hard for ya!)