Brock and Misty expected a lot of things as they burst outside the house. Seeing an unconscious Nidoking, Arcanine and Blastoise was not on that list.

Gary Oak looked flabbergasted, Ash frustrated and Pikachu a bit sheepish on top of the large pile of Gary's defeated pokemon.

"What happened?" Misty asked Ash, who still was visibly tense.

"Gary and I had a little discussion about my life choices when his pokemon decided startle Pikachu."

The little mouse had the decency to blush and cha a small apology to the fallen opponents.

An apology Gary Oak wasn't ready to accept. "They startled… your little overpowered monster knocked out three of my best pokemon in an instant!"

Misty and Brock began to get an inkling about the real strength of Ash and his pokemon. Gary might have been out of the active battling scene, but the pokemon scientist had never really stopped training.

Getting manhandled in seconds with a three to one advantage showed the immeasurable gap that had grown over the years.

"I'm sorry Gary, but why are you letting them run around our house unsupervised?"

"They were searching for your sorry ass!" Gary pointed angrily at his battered fire pokemon. "Arcanine has followed your scent here. Is that the thanks I get for worrying about you?"

"You did?" The hard edge in Ash's voice vanished. "The first words out of your mouth you used to call me an idiot."

Echoing laughter rang through the front yard, until Gary welled up with tears. "Of course I called you an idiot. Becoming a pokemon master was both our dreams and I tapped out, leaving the responsibility of achieving that goal solely on your reckless shoulders."

The laughter subdues, the tears stayed.

"I should have known that you were the only person dumb enough to try the impossible and becoming miserable after achieving it.

In an instant, Ash had closed the distant to his childhood friend and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Don't you dare feel guilty about doing the smart thing! All of this was my fault and mine alone!"

Nobody said a word as Ash and Gary stared each other down. Seconds turned to minutes without change in their silent mental struggle, until their frowns turned to smiles.

"I need a drink. Care to join me, Ketchum?"

"Try to stop me, Oak!" Ash took out a golden credit card. "We use this baby after getting your pokemon to the Center. All inclusive care package on my expense."

"Look at Mr. Big Shot Moneybags over here." Gary waved Misty and Brock over to join them. "Are your pockets deep enough for them too?"

"You don't have to pay for us," Misty said with a frown but Ash waved it off.

"Nonsense, Misty. I made more money than any person could spend on their own. Being champion had to be good for something."

She saw a glimmer of the old Ash and the genuine happiness made it impossible to argue without feeling like a spoilsport.

Hopefully she could hold her liquor better than at the bachelorette party of her oldest sister last year.

Two hours later and after a few wardrobe purchases, the four humans and Pikachu stood in front of the newest and only club of Pallet Town.

"The humble Caterpie?" Misty plucked at the spaghetti strap of her brand new black slip dress and risked a glance at her matching open toed platform heels.

The nicest outfit she ever got to wear.

Ash had made good on his word and spend a lot of money on a suitable clothes for everybody. Especially on Misty, if her rough estimates were correct.

Flanked by three sharp dressed young men, the usually frugal girl felt like a celebrity. They all looked like a million bucks in their buttoned up shirts, designer pants and formal dress shoes.

Even Pikachu looked dashing with the tiny black bowtie around his neck that he proudly adjusted every few minutes.

"How are they getting customers in a small town like Pallet?"

Gary shrugged. "People from all over the region travel here. The theme appeals to the people."

"What would that be?" Ash showed his identification to the receptionist, who went wide-eyed and took his hand to shake it.

"Mr. Ketchum, It is such an honour to have you as our patron. We will respect your privacy and hope you enjoy the evening in our establishment. Don't hesitate to speak up if any of the exhibits aren't accurate!"

"Exhibits?" Ash asked, but Gary was already pushing him inside the big club area. "What is this place?"

Although hesitant, Ash had allowed Gary to move him until his eyes fell on the first visible thing and became an immovable object.

A life sized portrait of himself as a child stared back at him. He recognized the moment the photograph had been taken from the green pajamas and the very grumpy Pikachu in the arms of his past self.

His first day as pokemon trainer.

"Wow, takes you back doesn't it Ash? I was a real douchebag to you back then."

He ignored Gary's comment. Wherever Ash looked, he saw pieces of his journey; Framed newspaper articles, photographs of battles, a few replicas of trophies and badges under glass displays.

He read the small plaque under the entrance portrait.

"Humble beginnings of Pallet's most successful son. Greatness can grow from the smallest of things."

"Pi…" Pikachu vocalized what Ash thought. Utter amazement about the shrine to their travels.

Misty linked arms with the shellshocked trainer and made sure that the equally shocked pokemon didn't fall off Ash's shoulders on the way to the bar.

The little mouse landed on the counter with a thud and Brock pushed a bowl of peanuts toward him on which he started to munch on absentmindedly. Ash sat down in the same manner on an empty barstool, his friends taking seats beside him.

Misty got the seat on his right and Gary on the left. Brock sat on the stool after Misty, already busy scoping out the place for a potential love interest.

"Gin Tonic with a lot more gin than tonic please, and throw in a cheri berry for good measure." Ash said to the barkeep in a manner as if he had done it thousands of times in the past.

Considering his past three years, Misty figured that might be a sad possibility.

She looked at the cocktail menu and felt a bit lost. The girl wasn't very experienced with alcohol beyond sugary beer drinks and new years eve toasts.

"Misty how do you feel about sex on the beach?"

Gary and Brock almost choked on their freshly served drinks. A microsecond later, Ash was pulled towards Misty by his shirt collar, now staring into the blazing eyes of a very angry and very red-faced woman.

"I'm not one of your drooling fangirls! Don't think a nice dress and an invitation will get you anywhere with me, Ketchum!"

A shaky finger pointed at her menu card. "Vodka, peach schnapps and three types of juices."

A quick glance identified the drink on the menu and she let go. It was hard even looking at him after causing a scene. "Just order the cocktail..."

He did and she liked it to his great relief, chugging the whole glass after a first sip and ordering the next one immediately. The buzz would hopefully numb the feeling of embarrassment and every alleviation from it was welcome at this point.

"Alcohol isn't the best remedy for bad feelings. I speak from experience."

She took a deep gulp to spite him. "Any other vices I should know of?"

"I tried smoking to calm my nerves but it didn't do anything for me and Pikachu hates the smell."

"Kachu!" Pikachu agreed, cheeks full of snacks and lapping from a glass of beer.

"Who gave you that? You know how you get when you're drunk!"

"Pi Pikapi!"

"Fine… but not a word to mom."

"Chaaa *burp* chuu!"

Gary leaned into their conversation. "Your not much of a role model."

"I made my pokemon beat up other pokemon for a living. Not many wholesome values for kids in that, don't you think?"

Three pairs of eyes watched the bitter young man swirl around liquid in his glass.

"You really are done with the pokemon battling, aren't you?" Gary asked with breathy voice.

Ash nodded and finished his drink, not trusting his mouth to do the right thing. He startled from a sudden warmth on his back. Misty moved her hand in small circles, eyes fixated on her glass.

"You will find something new. Ash Ketchum always lands on his feet."

"For the foreseeable future I'm your man for everything."

"Everything?" Gary leaned back to look at Misty and wiggled his eyebrows without Ash noticing. "Aren't you a lucky girl?"

"Yeah, the luckiest…" the sound of grinding teeth rang through the room.

"I'm just glad she still wants me around."

"Ash…"

Gary punched him in the kidney. "Bad Ash, none of that moody crap tonight! Barkeep, another round!"

One round turned to several and the inhibitions fell in relation to the rising level of alcohol. Brock had actually hit it off with somebody, a nurse Joy fresh from medical school and without much contact to her family to be warned about him.

Gary met two of his old cheerleaders, who were still as infatuated with him as when he was ten years old. Once he realized the implications, the young researcher excused himself for the night and fled the scene.

Which left Misty and Ash.

"Arceus, your body is soft like a pillow. By my authority as Ash Ketchum, I hereby declare Misty Waterflower to be softest who ever was and ever will be."

"Your lap isn't so uncomfortable either. Very squeezable. "

"Really?"

"Yeah, usually I'm all about muscle. Stone-hard Packs all the way!"

"I have six of those!"

"Really? Let me see!"

The two were completely wasted, barely coherent and very grabby with each other since Misty had changed her seat with Ash's lap and he had his arms around the giggling girl's midriff.

"Pi pi Pikapi kachu kachu Pikachupi!"

Pikachu didn't fare much better, lying face down on the counter with a snack bowl on his head while humming random melodies.

"Excuse me Mr. Ketchum? We are closing for tonight and have to ask you to leave. You and your girlfriend are welcome to come back any time."

Ash and Mist froze in their activity, him lifting his shirt and her poking his toned stomach. They looked around and realized everybody else had gone home.

"Already?" Misty slurred heavily with a pout. "But I'm having so much fun!"

Ash had the immeasurable desire to cuddle and coddle this unfairly cute creature on his lap, but settled for a quick nuzzle on the back of her head. "We can continue elsewhere."

"I lost my shoes…" She lifted her bare feet and wiggled them for demonstration purposes.

"Then I will carry you and ensure the safety of your cute little toes."

Misty grinned and let herself be put on his back, her arms wrapped around him. Through the mental fog of his inebriation, Ash realized how intimate they had been tonight. He could already feel sobering up and the usual stings of doubt poking through the cosy blanket of his buzz.

Ash Ketchum would have given an arm and a leg to be with Misty like this forever. Alas, he should be thankful for every moment and decided to cherish her presence more this time around.

"Piiiiii…" Pikachu lifted his arm weakly and Ash put him on his right shoulder like a wet towel. The groggy pokemon had just enough strength to nestle against the neck of his trainer and lick him in appreciation.

The cold night air did it's part to clear their head a bit as Ash walked with his two piggybacked riders through the empty streets of Pallet.

"Where to milady and milord?"

"Somewhere fun."

"Cha…"

Opportunity for entertainment was naturally sparse at three in the morning, so Ash said out loud the first thing that came to mind.

"We could check if some of my pokemon are at Professor Oak's place."

"Why wouldn't they be?" She held on tighter and rubbed her bare soles against his pants to get warm.

Ash shuddered from the pleasant tingles all over his body. "All of my pokemon can go wherever and do whatever they want. It's only fair after what they've done for me. "

"Aren't you scared of them getting caught?"

"By whom?" He crossed the street with their new destination in mind. "Team Rocket? Every single one of my pokemon could defeat anything and everyone out there."

"You really think that you are unbeatable, don't you?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Ash. You obviously hate it."

A comfortable silence fell over them until they reached the residence of the Oak family.

They didn't want to wake up Professor Oak and entered through a small gap in the fence further back. In the meadow, Misty had the need to feel the soft grass under her feet and Ash tossed his expensive shoes and socks in solidarity.

Under the light of a full moon they wandered around with Misty carrying the snoring Pikachu, seeing a multitude of pokemon but none of them belonged to Ash. The young man had guessed this would be the case and yet Misty wasn't fooled by his nonchalant attitude about it.

Ash missed them all very much.

Their little stroll ended at a little cliff, overlooking the quiet ocean.

"A beautiful night, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. I missed this."

"Me too."

"Thank you for letting me back in your life, Misty."

"You were never not, Ash."

It was the perfect storybook moment All they had to do was close in and do what both felt was right.

"Is that black dot on the moon getting bigger?"

*GROOOAAARR*

If the world would ever let them get this far.

"Get back Misty." Ash looked deathly serious. "He wants me."

"What is that?"

"An old friend." he said wistfully. "And he sounds pissed."

With the force of a crashing meteor, the shadow landed in front of Ash under an earth shattering boom. Enormous wings spanned to their maximum and the pokemon illuminated itself through igniting a massive flame on its tail.

Ash's Charizard had arrived.

"Hello buddy," Ash cleared his throat. "I guess you heard the news."

Charizard blew black smoke out of his nose and turned his eyes to slits.

"I know you must be disappointed in me. Your trainer was too weak to continue being a champion, a goal you all fought to accomplish for me."

A low grumble came from the large pokemon.

"I would understand if you don't want to be the pokemon of a weakling."

Charizard pounced.

"Ash!" Mist screamed as the large maw of the behemoth closed around Ash's head.

She had to run. She had to get help.

She needed to know why Pikachu wasn't doing anything!

Sudden laughter rang through the night as Ash, still not headless for some reason, tried to pry himself out of the iron grip while Charizard gave him the mother of all wet-willies.

Finally satisfied, the pokemon released him, almost dripping with saliva. They started at each other and came to an immediate understanding.

"You didn't abandon me at my weakest. I will stand by you the same, my trainer."

"Pi…" Pikachu rolled with his eyes. Charizard could be such a drama queen sometimes.

"I guess that means you will stick around?" Ash asked and smiled when Charizard nodded. "Misty, I think we found our ticket to Cerulean City!"

"What?" She asked as he climbed on Charizard and held out his hand. "Right now?"

"Why not? Charizard is the fastest flyer I know. We could be there before dawn!"

There was that smile again. Her hand moved to take his, although Misty could think of a dozen reasons against it. When confronted with this damn smile, she couldn't help herself but play along with whatever harebrained idea of the man behind it.

It has always been like that.

And it felt good to experience it again.

So, Misty Waterflower, age twenty, sat behind Ash Ketchum and Pikachu to fly for two hours on a Charizard through a cloudless starry sky towards Cerulean City.

And she didn't regret a single moment.