Disclaimer: The song "I Don't Want To Be" and respective lyrics is copyright to Gavin Degraw. I don't own Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri does. The rest of this fic is original material written by me. Copyright 2005.
Chapter 1 - InvisibleAges:
Ash – 18
Misty – 18
OoOoOoO
Misty
She looked up, gazing upon the purest, most perfect shade of blue that she had ever seen adorn the sky. Days like these were a rare occurrence, even in a small, quaint town such as Pallet, where she was staying at the Ketchum residence for holiday break. It almost felt as if she could reach out and touch that blissful sky…It seemed so much closer than it had ever been, she felt as if the sky, her dreams had become slightly closer every day that she had the friendship, the companionship of Ash.
Ash…he had changed. Not in a bad way, naturally. Never could he change in a way that she would dislike. He had just….Misty couldn't place a finger on what it was about him. She had always been one to observe, to take in detail. And watching Ash being well, Ash…
Flashback
It was Misty's first night in the wilderness as part of the trio she formed with her new friends Ash and Brock. She was the final one awake, and was curious to learn about her new friends. Taking a quick glance at Brock, she noticed the young man curled up in his sleeping bag, muttering something about Nurse joys. Disinterested, she turned her attention to the youngest of the three of them, Ash. He was only slightly her junior, but this did not phase her in the least. He lay still for the most part, moving around slightly every so often. She could see his face clearly, it was a young, boyish face…so innocent and peaceful……
End Flashback
He still had that boyish look to him, but only on his face. He had gotten taller, and a little more handsome…But what really endeared Ash to her was the fact that he was just so damn…loyal. He protected both his friends and his pokemon with an unwavering fierceness which never ceased to amaze her. He was so determined; for the most part, Ash was rash, and always steamed ahead without thinking. But occasionally, she was amazed at the insight that came from him. It was a rare thoughtfulness that she had, just like she did him, come to cherish.
Ash had seemed to find his identity in a way that was suprising to her, he seemed to gradually ease into it, and it suited him to perfection. She often wondered about what his secret to this was, as she had found it a struggle to find a sense of belonging. Yet he had found it, and she could not figure it out.
I don't have to be anyone other
Than the birth of two souls in one
Part of where I'm going, is knowing where
I'm coming from…
Ash
From not too afar, he watched her, unbeknownst. He was always content with watching her, always. She fascinated him in a way that he knew not. A way which did not make sense to him, in the slightest. Misty just seemed to fill him with an unwavering curiosity, and endless incessant questions and ponderings.
Ash was still the cheeky, loveable, rash boy that he had been when he first met her – just a little taller, and older. Wiser? Maybe. He had gained more insight over the past eight years; he was still quite dense, but there were times when deep thoughts crossed his mind, something that he did not even speak of to his human friends – only Pikachu.
Misty
That evening, she pondered over and over, the question of what it would take to make him notice her. It was if she was invisible to him, just another girl meandering her way through the pokemon world without direction. Just the loyal, redheaded friend, who always tagged along. No real direction, no real plans; she was perfectly content with spending time near, and around him.
Perhaps…perhaps it was time to take action. Form a plan of attack. At this rate, Ash would never even notice her…it had already been eight years! Unwillingly she wondered how much longer these unrequited feelings would fill her heart.
Tomorrow was when she would begin. From tomorrow, she was going to make Ash see her in a new light. She was going to make him realize that she could be whatever he wanted her to be.
OoOoOoOThe next day…
Misty stepped out of the salon, her hair gleaming in the morning sun. The shade still surprised her, she could not believe that she had been daring enough, bold enough, to go through with it. Like, seriously. Yet she was pleased with the effect, and eagerly awaited Ash's reaction – she hoped it would be a positive one.
Stepping through the front door of the quaint home, she was greeted by a silence, which was not a common occurrence here. Mr Mime was asleep on the lounge, but aside from that, the house appeared to be deserted.
She started preparing herself an early lunch, taking the ingredients out which she needed. Bread, butter, tomato….no cheese? "How annoying.." She muttered, tapping her foot impatiently as she rummaged through the contents of the fridge to search for it. Finally locating the aforementioned cheese at the back of the fridge, she froze as she heard a voice in the distance. "Come on Pikachu, let's head inside. I'm starved!"
Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. He was back…all of a sudden, nerves consumed her, and she stood there, her feet frozen to the wooden floor.
"Hello, anyone home? Mis-"
Ash
Ok, let's back up a sec. Last time I saw her, Misty was definitely NOT a brunette. Why on earth would she dye her hair! Why?
"Misty…What on earth made you do" gestures at hair colour "that"!
Misty seemed to blush slightly. "I…thought it was time for a change…that's all.." Her voice trailed off into oblivion.
Ash felt his ears start to go red, as if on cue. "Oh…okay…um, it looks nice, I guess.."
What the heck was she thinking? In actual truth it did look nice, but he much preferred the auburn-haired girl he knew to the brunette that now stood in the kitchen.
Misty
"It looks nice, I guess.."?
Nice? NICE?
"I guess"?
Time to move on to plan b, she thought.
OoOoOoOThankyou to all readers and reviewers. I really appreciate you taking the time to read this. Next chapter will be up soon, hopefully.
SE