Chapter 1: Misty
It was a bright sunny day, the Pidgy were chirping, the Tailow were cawing, and everyone was happy.
Everyone, that is, except Ash Ketchem.
"C'mon Ash. Cheer up." Brock told his young friend.
"Yeah Ash. You're ruining the mood." May complained.
"What's wrong Ash?" Max asked.
"I'm not sure." Ash lied. "I guess I just need some time alone." He admitted truthfully.
"Pika Pika?"(Do you want me to stay with you?)
"Nah. I think you should go with the others" Ash told his yellow Pokemon, "Maybe of you give Brock a good shock, he'll leave Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy alone."
"Pikachu" (Ok!) Pikachu said while giving Brock an evil smirk.
"Hehehe." Brock laughed nervously. "If you say so Ash. We'll be at the Pokemon Center."
"Thanks you guys."
With that, they parted ways.
0000
A few minutes later, Ash was sitting on the steps of a building new a hotel thinking of what was bothering him. He knew exactly what it was.
It was a certain red-headed water pokemon gym leader whose bike he had damaged four years ago. Truthfully, he had intended to pay her back but kept putting it off as he fell more and more in love with her. By the time she took care of him and Tracey when they were sick due to Stun Spore, he decided that he'll give her the bike as a wedding present. He had done a good job hiding his disappointment when the Nurse Joy had given her bike back. He then promised Misty that they'll meet again.
"We have to" Ash said to himself, "I swore to her." He added as he wrapped his hand around the Promise Ring he got her which was in his pocket.
"Togi?" (Huh?)
Ash looked up at the sound of the familiar chirp of a Togepi. Sure enough, he saw two people in weird looking robes leading a girl and her Togepi into the hotel.
"Misty?" Ash said to himself as he ran to the hotel.
Just then, the hotel roof opened and a blimp rose from it with a tow line hanging down. Ash quickly realized that Misty was in that blimp and was being kidnapped. Without really thinking, Ash grabbed the tow rope before it got too high and climbed into the blimp.
0000
The blimp ride was a little bumpy for Ash. However, as soon as the blimp landed, he looked out of the hole in which he climbed in. He saw that they landed in a town with a large castle in the middle. He looked down and saw Misty talking to her kidnappers.
"Now you better tell me who you are right now." She demanded of them.
"Ha Ha Ha." They laughed
"Prepare for trouble,"
"And make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation,"
"To unite all peoples of our nation,"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love,"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie,"
"James,"
"Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender or prepare for a fight."
"Meowth! Dat's right!"
"Waaaabuffet"
"TEAM ROCKET? What are you doing here?"
"None of your business Twerpette. Now, you'll give us what we want." Jessie told Misty.
"NEVER."
Just then a man showed up behind Team Rocket.
"I thought I told you to get a Togepi. Not a bratty girl."
"She just came with the package." James told the man.
"Very well." The man said before turning his attention to Misty. "Hand over the Togepi."
"Togepi? NEVER IN A MILLION BILLION YEARS!" She yelled at the man.
"Very well. I'll have to take it from you by force. Ninjask! Shedninja!"
Just as the two Ninjask and one Shedninja popped up from behind the man, Ash shook his head at how freaked out Misty was. He quietly climbed down and hid himself behind a nearby bush.
'Some things never change.' He thought to himself as he let loose his Torkoal. (A/N: I know he doesn't get Torkoal until later, but it was the only way to get the story to work out right)
"Shhh." Ash told his Torkoal as it started breathing smoke. He then whispered a plan to his Pokemon.
"Torkoal" (Ok.)
"AAAAGGGGHHHHH!" Misty screamed as the three bugs headed in for the attack.
"Now." Ash whispered to his fire pokemon.
0000
Misty's POV
This is really not my day. First, Team Rocket kidnaps me, some guy wants the only thing I have left of Ash, and now he's sicking bugs on me. What's worse is that I'm in Hoenn and I haven't seen Ash yet.
End Misty's POV
0000
Just then a Torkoal jumped in front of Misty and used Flamethrower on the three bugs. Then it used smokescreen covering Team Rocket, the evil man, and Misty.
As Misty coughed, she faintly heard a "Torkoal Return." She opened her burning eyes a little to see a red flash as the pokemon was recalled by its trainer. Just then, she felt someone grab Togepi. Just as she started to panic, the person put a handkerchief over her mouth and nose and led her out of the smoke before it cleared.
When Misty and the person who rescued her were safely out of the way, she took the handkerchief from her face and looked at it.
'It can't be' she thought to herself.
"Togeprriii." (Daddy!)
Togepi had recovered from the smoke and decided to look at the person who was holding it. It was instant recognition.
"Sorry about the smoke." Ash said as Misty stared at the handkerchief. "It was the only way I can think of to get you away from them."
Misty slowly turned her head to see if what her heart was telling her was correct. Sure enough, she saw a familiar figure. The clothes and hat were different, but she knew that messy jet black hair and those chocolate brown eyes anywhere. It was a face she could recognize even if she was blind. The face of the boy she pulled from the river four years ago.
"Ash?" She whispered not wanting to hope.
"Hi Misty." Ash said feeling more cheerful than he had in weeks. "Great to see you."
Misty only stared.
"What?"
"Is it really you?"
"Yes." Ash said feeling almost the exact same feeling she was feeling. "I can hardly believe you're here, myself." He admitted.
Ash and Misty stared at each other. They had both dreamed of meeting again, but they didn't dare hope it would ever happen so not to be disappointed.
"So, how are thinks at the gym?" Ash said breaking the ice.
"Busy." She said. "My sisters are so generous, they let me do all the work." She added sarcastically.
Ash laughed
"You know." He said seriously, "We better get out of here."
"How?"
"I guess we can carefully walk around." He suggested. "Maybe someone will know what's going on."
0000
Sure enough, the two "lovebirds" found the princess in her garden. She was nice enough to invite them to the castle when they explained about the man wanting Togepi.
"I'm really sorry about Hanson." Princess Sarah apologized. "I was afraid he would try to steal a Togepi so he can steal the throne from my family."
"Yes. I will do something immediately." Her father, the King, stated. "You kids are welcome to stay here for a while if you like."
"Thank you your Majesty." Ash and Misty said.
0000
"Ash?"
"Yeah Misty?"
"Where's Pikachu?"
"Pikachu is with May, Max, and Brock. I gave Pikachu permission to shock Brock everytime he flirts."
Ash and Misty were walking in the garden. The king had locked up Hanson and Team Rocket, so they were able to catch up in peace. Ash had told Misty about his new Pokemon, new friends, and battles.
"Poor Brock." Misty said. "He'll be burnt to a crisp when we get back."
"So are you going to go back to traveling?" Ash asked.
"I really really really want to," she started, "but my sisters won't allow it. Even with my parents back."
"Can't your parents take over?"
"Nah. They retired from the gym leader business." Misty sighed.
"Maybe I should just go back with you." Ash said. "I've been a real mess without you."
"No Ash. Don't give up on your dream because of me."
"At least take this."
He pulled out a golden ring with a diamond from his pocket.
"Ash? Is that a promise ring?"
"Yes. Please take it so that I'll know for sure we'd be together again someday."
"Alright."
0000
As the two trainers walked back into the castle, Princess Sarah saw Misty's new ring.
"Oh. Are you two engaged?"
Both Ash and Misty blushed as they shook their head.
"No. It's only a promise ring." Ash explained. "It represents the promise we made to each other that we'll see each other again after we go our separate ways."
"Oh. I just thought… Never mind." She said as she went back to reading her book.
"What are you reading?" Misty asked.
"Romeo and Juliet. By William Shakespeare."
"Oh. I've seen the play." Misty stated. "It's so romantic."
"So have I." Ash commented earning him a glance from Misty. "What?"
"YOU? YOU'VE SEEN ROMEO AND JULIET?"
"Yeah. When your mother's into romantic things, you kind of can't help but to see it."
"I find it interesting how they are only 13." Sarah remarked.
'13?' Ash and Misty both thought
"How can you tell?"
"Act I scene iii."
"Oh yeah. When Juilet, her mother, and the nurse are talking about marriage?" Ash clarified.
"I wouldn't think you would be interested."
"I enjoyed the sword fights."
"Whatever." Misty sighed as she turned back to Sarah. "Is that why you thought we were engaged?"
"Yes." Sarah admitted.
"Not a bad idea." Ash said to himself accidentally out loud.
"What?"
"Did I say that out loud?"
"Yes."
"Dang it." He said wincing.
"What did you mean?" Misty wanted to know.
"Can we talk in private?" Ash asked Misty.
"Sure." She said dragging him outside leaving Togepi with Sarah.
0000
At the water fountain in the garden,
"What did you mean by 'not a bad idea'?"
"I was kind of hoping we wouldn't talk about this until we were older and at the place where we met." Ash admitted.
'What are you DOING?' he thought to himself 'now's your chance.'
"Do you want to get married?" Misty asked half hoping.
'Please say yes' she thought to herself.
"Well I do, I mean, but…"
"You love me?"
"Of course."
Misty threw her onto Ash knocking both of them into the fountain. Neither person had to worry about getting the water in their mouths because they were blocked with the other in a VERY passionate kiss.
"I take it that you feel the same." Ash stated as they pulled themselves from the fountain.
"Yeah."
"Since when?"
"Since your Caterpie evolved into Metapod. You?"
"It's come on so gradually." Ash admitted. "But, I realized it at Maiden's Peak."
"So. DO you want to elope?"
"WHAT? We're only 14!"
"I'm 15. And Romeo and Juliet were 13 when they eloped."
"Romeo and Juliet were fictional characters." Ash remarked. "And look what happened to them."
"They only died because they came from rival families and Juliet's father had her betrothed to another guy and didn't tell her until after she married Romeo."
Ash thought for a moment.
"If you REALLY want to. I don't want to force you to do something you don't want to do."
That earned him another dunk in the fountain as her mouth covered his in an even MORE passionate kiss.
0000
"What happened to you two?" Sarah asked as Ash and Misty came in dripping wet.
"Let's just say we decided to take your advice." Misty said.
"Huh?"
"The Promise Ring is an engagement ring now." Ash admitted.
"CONGRATULATIONS! When's the wedding?"
Ash and Misty looked at each other.
"We don't know yet." They admitted.
"Brock would have a heart-attack if I called the Pokemon Center." Ash said.
"Yeah. I could just see it now." She said staring off into space.
Ash, deciding to be funny, mimicked what he thought the situation would be.
"Hello? Hi Brock. Ash? Where Are you? I'm in the Mirage Kingdom. Guess what! What? Misty and I are eloping. WHAT?"
Misty and Ash laughed at that role play.
"That sounds about right." Misty commented
"Aren't elopements when you get married without the knowledge of parents or guardians?" Sarah asked.
Misty and Ash looked at each other.
"That's right."
"Let's at least inform our parents. Mom would have a bigger heart attack than what Brock will have. We can leave everyone else in the dark."
"I guess. I know your mom likes me, but what about your dad?
"I KNOW Dad will like you." Ash comforted Misty. "It's YOUR parents I'm just a little nervous about."
Misty then slapped her head. "Of COURSE! I am so STUPID!"
"No your not."
"Thanks. I just remembered my Dad's best friend from his training days."
"What does he have to do with this?"
"His name is Daniel KETCHEM!"
"Oh my gosh. That's my DAD'S Name."
"I also remember my mom telling me that I was almost betrothed to his son, but the mothers stopped it."
"I think our moms are going to get some "I told you so's" Ash said
"Yeah."
0000
After calling the parents to get consent, (Misty's dad did say "I told you so" to her mom), Sarah introduced them to the priest. Long Story short, they eloped and well, you'll find out what happens in later chapters.
After they went back to the town where Ash left the gang, Ash and Misty said Goodbye. Misty had to beat him up to get him to go back to training.
After she left in the blimp (after many looonnng kisses goodbye), Brock, May, Max, and Pikachu came up to Ash.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Brock yelled at him.
"Just hanging out." Ash answered