DAY 2: Aged-up characters declaring love during the Johto Journeys
"How do I tell a girl if I like her...?"
He looked at his best friend, Misty. They had just arrived in a new town and were now at the hospital after a fight with Team Rocket.
Their hair was a mess and they had scratches all over them. Pikachu was sitting next to Ash, enjoying a bottle of ketchup as if nothing had happened.
"W-why are you asking me?!" Misty exclaimed. "Plus, we don't have time for that! Brock got injured and had to be taken in..."
Her voice broke. She looked down at her lap and bit on her lip, trying to hold the tears back.
"I'm sorry..." Ash fiddled with his thumbs and sighed. "I wanted to ask Brock but he's hurt and normally he would give me an answer, but now he won't since he is, you know, in the hospital and when you get in the hospital then it's only because you get hurt and..."
"Ash."
Misty put her hand on his shoulder, stopping his rambling. She looked at him with a sad smile.
"It's not your fault." Misty whispered. She rubbed his shoulder gently and gave it a little squeeze. "I know you since you were ten. And I know that, even though you are really dumb for a 16 year old, you didn't meant for Brock to get hurt."
"But still!" Ash yelled, startling her and the pokemon and a few other people in the waiting room. He noticed how everyone jumped and quickly lowered his voice. "Still...I told him that I didn't need any help. And when I got to Pikachu...that Seviper of Jessie attacked me and Brock jumped in to help...but...but...he..."
"Ash..."
Tears started to fall from his eyes. "I...I...told him before that I wanted to ask him something important regarding my best friend, but now, he's hurt because of me...like anyone else..."
Misty put her hand on his cheek and turned his face towards her. She glared at him with a stern look.
"Ash, stop. Please, you're not helping anyone this way...look...it's not your fault. You didn't knew that Team Rocket was trying to get Pikachu during that gym battle...and I could've send in Togekiss, but I was frozen on the spot. So if you're going to blame yourself, then you're also blaming me."
"Right..." Ash wiped his tears away and rubbed his nose. "Sorry. I'm just...I'm worried."
Misty nodded. She put her head on his shoulder and stared up at the clock on the wall. Ash took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.
They stayed like that for minutes, waiting...
"How do I tell a guy if I like him?"
Ash blinked at Misty's voice. He got lost in thought while they kept waiting.
Their hands were still intertwined and Misty's head was still on his shoulder.
"Misty..." Ash blushed and he looked down at her.
"Normally I would ask Brock." Misty whispered. "But now I can't. So..." She glanced up at him with a slight smile. "How do I tell?"
Ash scraped his throat and looked forward. "Well...you need to tell him when the timing's right. So, not in a hospital."
Misty chuckled a little. "I guess you're right."
"And, when you tell him, you need to say that his battle skills are better. Otherwise it won't work out."
"Hey!" Misty shot up and gave Ash, who was grinning like an idiot, a slap on his chest. "I'm not going to admit you're a better trainer!"
"So, you're saying it's me?"
"Shut up..." Misty put her hands against his chest and blushed. She moved closer and put her forehead against his chest. "Just...shut up...yes, I like you. So what? Is that funny?"
Ash put his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. "No." He whispered. "It isn't...since I'm..."
"Wooohoooo!"
They both jumped at a loud male's voice.
Ash and Misty parted and turned around. They saw Brock, with his arm in a cast and a smile on his face.
"Brock!" Ash and Misty both exclaimed.
Brock chuckled. "You two really didn't miss me much, did you? I was gone for a few hours and you're just here ki..."
Before he could say any more Misty and Ash both launched forward and hugged him tightly.
"You're alive!" Ash said. "We thought that you were dead!"
"We really did!" Misty said. "And now you show up as if nothing has happened!"
Brock gulped. He petted them both on their backs and said; "I'm not just gonna die. What would you two do without me?"
Ash and Misty pulled away from him. Brock raised his eyebrows at them.
"Really, I know that you two probably confessed, but who else can cook but me?"
The two teens both blushed and their eyes widened.
"He/she asked me how to tell a guy/girl if I like him/her!" Misty and Ash both said at the same time.
"Really?"
"Yes, but I told Ash that he shouldn't ask at a time like this." Misty said.
Ash scratched his head. "And I told Misty to not ask such a thing in a hospital."
"You asked me first!"
"So." Brock sat in between them. "You two like each other, huh?"
Ash and Misty both glanced at each other before looking away with a blush.
"I guess." They both said in unison.
"FINALLY!"
Brock threw his arms around them and forced them into a group-hug. Pikachu jumped onto Ash' lap and gave them a hug as well.
Misty and Ash both looked with a reassuring smile. Everything was going to be fine.
1 year later
"Well, I guess this is goodbye."
The trio, Ash, Brock and Misty stood on a cross road. The sun was setting, illuminating them with a yellow and red glow.
Today Misty got a call from her sisters. She had to go back to the gym and take care of the gym while Daisy, Lilly and Violet were away for their modeling jobs.
She didn't want to go at first and ran away, confusing Ash and the others. But while she was running away she ran into some troublesome men who tried to attack her. Thank goodness that Ash and Brock intervened and saved her. They ordered Pikachu and forretress to help Misty's politoed out.
But now...
After Misty and Ash said their goodbyes Brock suddenly came with the news that he was going home too. He got an urgent email and had to return home as fast as possible.
"It is..." Misty responded towards Ash. He sighed and looked at with loving eyes which made Misty embarrassed and hide her face behind her hands. "D-d-d-don't look at me like that, you idiot!"
Ash took a step forward and pried her hands away. He chuckled a little at her actions.
"Mist, come on. We've been dating for a year now, don't be embarrassed."
"I-I'm not!" Misty yelled. "Y-you just..."
Ash leaned forward and kissed her.
Misty's heart leaped up high. Ash wasn't a romantic guy, but this... She closed her eyes and got lost in the kiss. Her hand moved towards his cheek and gently touched it.
This was the best...
"Ahem."
Ash glanced, during the kiss, towards Brock who looked at them with raised eyebrows. Pikachu was on his shoulder, staring too.
They quickly parted with a sigh.
"I'm here too." Brock sarcastically remarked.
"R-right..." Misty stuttered.
Pikachu leaped into Ash's arms and climbed up onto his shoulder. Ash gave Pikachu a little scratch underneath his chin. The small pokemon made a happy little noise.
"Well, I'm gonna miss you two!" Brock said. "Even if this past year has been a bit too lovey-dovey."
Misty grabbed his ear and pulled at with an annoyed face.
"Says the boy who tried to kiss every girl he saw!"
"I only did what my heart told me!"
Ash and Pikachu both laughed. They were really going to miss their friends. But, they also knew that they had to move onto a new region to become better.
Misty released Brock's ear and folded her arms.
"Well, anyway, you two better don't get into any trouble." She grabbed her bike and pulled it close to her body. "I mean it."
"I won't." Brock said.
"No promises." Ash said.
"And..." Misty looked at Ash. "I...I'll be waiting for you."
"You won't have to wait long." Ash smiled at her. "I really, really like you, Misty."
"Ash..."
"Guys!" Brock started to weep. "I'll miss you!"
Misty and Ash both patted Brock on his back to calm him down.
"There, there." Misty said. "I'll miss you too."
"Me too. But we'll keep in contact, don't worry." Ash said.
Brock looked at them. "Really?"
"Of course!" Ash nodded. "I'll make sure to write you guys a lot! And from time to time I'll visit Pallet Town, okay?"
"Okay..."
When Brock calmed down again they said their final goodbyes one more time and left on their own, each following a different path.
Misty looked forward as she walked next to her bike. She smiled and whispered to herself:
"I can't wait to see him again."