Hi Pokeshippers! I've never written a Pokemon fic, but an idea recently came to mind after watching a couple of episodes from the first few seasons. Soooo I thought I would try my hand at a good ole Pokeshipping one-shot.

Anywhoooo, kudos to anyone who guesses where my inspiration from this fic came from! *Hint - Scranton, Pennsylvania* lol

Hope you enjoy!


Disclaimer: I own nothin' of Pokemon.


The morning had been an entirely too busy one. Trainers had been filing in and out incessantly since the gym doors opened at 8AM. Though she and her Pokemon were drained by mid-day, the distraction had been a welcome one for her. She had had a lot on her mind recently, and it suited her to push it all aside rather than confront it head-on.

However, the morning rush died down and Misty was finally able to give herself a lunch break in the tranquility of her office. It was a change of pace over quickly stuffing her face with whatever she could scrounge up between gym battles. Though the day was a particularly busy one, even a partial tranquil day was a rare one in her near-decade of running the gym on her own.

She spent most of her lunch reflecting on recent happenings and her plans for the next several months. She kept it to planning business matters and nothing more.

Just as she had been finishing up lunch, she received a web call from one of her oldest friends on the large computer that took up most of her desk space.

"Hi Brock, it's good to hear from you."

The pair caught up for a few minutes, before they found themselves chatting idly about updates they had already shared with one another. It was a few repeat updates before the older broached the topic she had been hoping to bury away.

Misty sighed. She didn't want to talk about Ash. It made her stomach hurt.

She had been driving herself into heartache just thinking about him and the hints of a potential relationship with someone else. He had landed in Kanto only a week ago to immediately inform them all that he was considering leaving once again to defend his champion status and skills in a new region.

"But you only just got here," Mrs. Ketchum had chided as she nudged Misty to say something as well.

He was already a Pokemon Master, but none of his accomplishments seemed to satisfy him. Or keep him in one place. In Kanto. She couldn't figure out his restlessness. And she certainly could not stop him.

One visit and one silly argument (for old time's sake) later, she was back in Cerulean City -trying desperately not to think about him.

"I haven't gotten any word back from Mrs. Ketchum, but I bet Ash decided to take on that next challenge in the Peninsula Region. I'm sure," she paused, "he and...and his friends will have a lot of really great adventures out there."

"Hmm." Brock gave her a look.

"I-I mean, why wouldn't they? He's always up for a challenge, new experiences, and you know, he just really cares. So traveling with him...It's just the best. He's an amazing trainer, friend, and adventure partner. You know that."

Brock smiled sadly. "I do know that. And I know that you are an excellent friend too."

Misty smiled.

"You're a great friend too, Brock. I appreciate you calling and I know why you did, but...He's off to the races again, I just know it."

"Well, how do you feel about…never having told him? What stopped you from telling him, Misty? What if he never comes back to Kanto?"

Ash was a born wanderer. Always in search of adventures. Misty knew that. As much as it pained her to admit. Why would he want to stay in boring old Kanto when he had the whole world left to explore? What was there here for him, really?

"If he never comes back again? Well, we'll always be friends. Nothing is going to change that, not distance, not region, not new friends," her voice softened, "not even years apart."

She was sad, of course. Misty just didn't want to admit it out loud. She wanted to be okay.

Her friend sighed from his end of the video call. He ran a hand through his spiky hair and gave her a commiserating look.

"You two just ... never quite got that timing, did you?"

She let out a rueful chuckle, rolled her eyes, and shook her head.

"Well, he kind of shot me down in not so many words and I...sabotaged myself and shot down my opportunities with him," she chewed the inside of her cheek thoughtfully, "I could have visited more when he invited. I could have reached out more instead of hiding here, moping. It took me a long time to admit to myself what I had been feeling all along. Admitting it to him...I just never found the right time - or courage."

Her friend's eyes began to water a bit. She knew he cared so deeply for her and Ash. He was probably about as invested in their could-have-been relationship as she was. But that's all it ever had been and would be. A could-have-been.

She and Ash had been the best of friends. They had traveled for years together without truly breaching the subject. And even years later as young adults and friends who still kept it touch and visited, they just never got around to being anything more than that. And as much as there had been hints from both of wanting more, they were only ever a could-have-been.

It was time to let the fantasy go.

"Are you going to be okay, Misty? I can come out there if you'd like. We can grab ice cream, watch rom coms, cry," he gave her a cheesy grin.

Suddenly she felt a lump in her throat. She looked away, turning to absently scan the comfortable office she sat in. On the small shelves behind her sat trinkets from her travels, even some that Ash had sent throughout the years. Looking at them brought a terrible sinking feeling to the pit of her stomach.

They'd always be friends.

Misty sighed and looked back to the computer screen where her friend sat evidently concerned from the other side of the video call.

"It's alright, Brock. Thank you for offering. Don't drop your plans for me, though," she gave him an earnest smile trying to convince him that all was well, "I'll be fine, really. Look, I've got so much going on here. The gym is undergoing more renovations soon and I need to train my younger Pokemon more and...and I have other friends to catch up with and I can go on dates! And oh, maybe I'll go visit some old friends back in the Orange Isl-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the door to her office burst open. She looked up from the screen to see a tall lean young man with shaggy black hair looking at her, a little flustered.

"Ash."

She said his name breathlessly and glanced back at the call screen to a silent Brock who looked like he was hyperventilating. She thanked whatever spirits out there that had had the good sense to mute himself.

A chat box popped up.. "Tell him!"

Ash, catching her looking at the screen, flushed. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to barge in and interrupt your work day."

She shook her head slightly, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she was seeing him here in her office when she had thought he would be off to the Peninsula Region by now.

"I-it's fine. I...I thought you'd be… your mom said you were planning on leaving."

"I was. But...I couldn't after all. I realized...well, I knew already…," he shook his head causing his shaggy locks to fall across his face.

He cleared his throat, "What I mean is, ar-are you free for dinner tonight?"

Her eyebrows went up slightly and the pit of her stomach went from sick to full of butterfree. "Yes," she said and gulped.

He gave her a lopsided grin, "Good. Then...it's a date."

"It's a date," she confirmed softly.

Seeming to become self conscious of the fact that he had interrupted her, he smiled almost bashfully.

"Ah, I'm sorry again for bursting in. Um, I'll let you get back to it. But Pikachu and I will pick you up tonight."

He nodded awkwardly and gave her a last smile before stepping out of her office and gently shutting the door.

Misty blinked rapidly. She felt her cheeks burn as her vision blurred slightly.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Suddenly, she couldn't even recall what she had been saying just a minute before.

Looking back at the computer, she saw a gaping Brock.

A smile formed on her face, she still felt stunned.

"Oh. My. Zubat." Brock breathed out.

She shook her head again, as though trying to shake the thoughts back into her head.

"I'm sorry, Brock. Wha-what were we talking about?"

She couldn't help the cheesy grin that was threatening to escape the confines of her face.

She had a date with Ash.


Well, I hope you enjoyed! I had a little fun writing this ^_^

If you're an ATLA or AoT fan, I also have a couple of shipping fics in that realm too.