Locked Away, Chapter 45: Part IV begin
For the young trio, many great challenges and ordeals were to be faced in the coming days. After a year of confusion, the end was near, or at least what Ash thought was the end. They finally had a goal, and a plan that would resolve the conflicts shrouding the pokemon league, and Team Rocket's defeat was dawning on inevitable.
When the question was posed as to how they would spend the last few hours they had together before they would part ways for the final act of their retaliation, Ash shared no objection to the pool at the back of the long dinning room. Thus, nearly an hour after the morning's revelations, Ash, Misty, Brock, and their pokemon were gathered at the edge of the long pool in their best attempt to relax.
Misty sat beside Brock with their feet dipped in the water. For the first time in a long time, they mellowed as a group; well, Brock and Misty relaxed, Ash was like a little kid, running up and down the length of the pool with his pokemon, and some of Misty's, and jumping in the water head first. His laughter filled the empty crevice of a much too large, much too empty swimming area.
"Does he ever get tired?" Brock asked, watching Ash run the distance of the pool beside greninja, and a wobbly monferno. Misty's eyes narrowed, watching the sling that still kept his arm plastered to his side. Ash was supposed to be recovering from the same fatigue that she felt, but his recovery time almost seemed like twice hers.
"I'm going out on a limb here to say, well, never." She replied with a snark tone, looking at Brock with her eyebrows raised and lips pursed sarcastically. A rolling chuckle fell from Brock's lips and he shook his head staring into the water. Misty wasn't the least bit shy admitting that she was beyond exhausted, and Brock wasn't one to trample around just for fun.
Ash played, they sat. For Ash, it was reminiscent of the old days when he would run a muck and Brock and Misty would sit on the sidelines, silently or sometimes not so silently judging him for his actions.
Yet, what else was there to do? Brock and Misty were determined to talk about the plan following their very limited time together, more than they wanted to enjoy said time. Brock was all business, and while he usually never had a problem reading Misty before, after last night she was like a blank slate. Since that morning, she had been edgy when Ash got near her, so rather than spending his last few hours of free time tip toeing around his companions, he was enjoying himself. Or maybe Ash was just panicking over the situation. After all, they didn't talk about it, she didn't mention it to anyone, and he wasn't sure if he was supposed to. On top of the oncoming dread of separation, now he had to deal with the hormonal baggage that followed every time he sat beside her. What was he supposed to do with himself? Unsure of the answer, Ash did what he did best: he entertained himself.
"You know, since we will be in Sinnoh, it might not hurt to get Dawn involved in all of this. It would be nice to have friends in a higher position that isn't under direct influence of Kanto's superiors." Brock sputtered, kicking his feet in the water. His statement drew Misty's eyes from following Ash, to Brock's and she shrugged her bare shoulders.
"It couldn't hurt." Misty hummed. "I mean, she could tell us more about what we've missed in the last week. Who knows what horrible false allegations they've made about Ash and I, and about Unova. I wouldn't want to go there unprepared..." Misty grit her teeth, rubbing her aching temple right as Ash barreled beside them, wrapping a sopping wet arm around Misty's shoulders and nudging Brock with his sprained one.
"Would it kill either of you to have a little bit of fun?"
He huffed beside them, and while Brock lurched away from the wet trainer in an attempt to avoid secondary wetness, Misty immediately stiffened with the contact. Her wide, green eyes glared down at Ash's arm, which brushed against her bare skin and after a strangled noise escaped her lips. Hesitantly, she wriggled away from his grasp by slipping half way into the water. Offended by her movement, Ash tossed a passing glare at her before Brock caught his attention once more.
"Well, it might have been more helpful if we were doing something other than playing in water, on a boat, surrounded by water." Brock grinned sarcastically to which Ash appeared appalled and shook his head at Brock.
"But, you're missing the point, in a little under three hours, we're going to arrive at Sinnoh, where we will all have to go back to how serious things were before. You two are going to burn out." Ash chided with a quirked eyebrow. Misty snorted beside him.
"We'll just throw your natural optimism and boundless energy at the bad guys and that will stop 'em." Misty rolled her eyes, leaning over the lip of the pool a little further. Ash looked at her back, she hadn't even faced him since his arrival and so Ash returned his look to Brock.
"Maybe we should sick Misty on them with her silver tongue—she could nag them to death." Ash whispered, leering close to Brock who snickered and covered his mouth with the back of his hand.
Misty turned immediately, glaring daggers at Ash who looked unapologetic.
"Don't be a jerk." Misty scolded hotly.
"I'm not the one being a jerk, you're the one who keeps throwing jabs at me." Ash proclaimed boldly, eyes narrowed. Because she had been a little sensitive compared to usual. Whenever he was around, she had some snark jab at or about him for whatever reason. Misty wasn't a fan of displays of their...whatever this was, but she didn't have to be nasty about it. So, Ash challenged her with raised eyebrows, pursed lips and a knowing expression that Brock watched for exactly one second before tipping Ash forward.
A gasp followed Ash as he tumbled forward, off the side of the pool, and knocking a tilted Misty over with a loud, silencing splash. Brock stared down in awe at the mess he created and looked at pikachu and togepi who watched the man stone-faced along side the rest of Ash's pokemon. They would either emerge pissed off, or well..
Misty resurfaced before Ash with her hair matted to her face and neck, and a surprised expression. Ash surfaced econds later, shaking his head and glaring at Brock.
"What was that for?" He growled while Brock snickered uncontrollably and Misty clung to the pool's edge.
"Like you said, we need to relax, and you two are fighting way too much to be normal, what's up with that?" His tone was innocent enough, but it was still enough for Ash and Misty to glance at one another and look away embarrassed.
"Nothing." They replied in unison, and Brock blinked at them curiously. Beside the three of them, pikachu sighed with a blatant face-palm, and muttered something under his breath that only Ash understood.
"You know..." Misty started, looking up from her shame, to Brock, then mischievously at Ash. "I'm starting to have flash backs."
Ash watched her with elated brown eyes then grinned innocently at Brock. "Me, too!" He said, then at the same time, Misty and Ash lunged forward and yanked Brock down into the water after them.
Up above, on the balcony watching over the pool, from the captains room, Jessie, James and Meowth looked on at the trio below, bored. While they were unimpressed with their work ethic, maybe a little disturbed that they were full of energy after yesterday's events; they were more fascinated by their undying spirits; how easily the three of them lifted each other up.
"Wait—Ash! Togepi can't swim!" Misty's shrill voice cut through the window upstairs while Ash tucked his legs and canon balled into the center of the pool with togepi in his arms. A grin tugged at James lips, watching their kiddish, normal antics with great admiration.
"They're like little kids." Jessie muttered his concerns, sitting back in her chair while James grinned from ear to ear.
"That's because they are still kids." he replied happily, looking up at her, then sharing a glance with meowth who remained stoic and quiet with his tail flicking back and forth. "Hopefully they can stay that way after all of this." James added remorsefully while Jessie huffed.
Her arms crossed over her chest, peering down at her strategy. How long had it been since the three of them had a vacation? Some time away from the daily grind of fixing their mistakes? Since five years ago, Jessie couldn't remember. Perhaps, it was because the children didn't see as much as they did... or maybe I was because...
"They're stronger than us." James assumed, looking up at Jessie once more, this time with wounded eyes and a cocked jaw. Jessie didn't return the glance, but the way her shoulders sunk, she understood.
Beside the two of them, Meowth walked along the map spread out on the table. A long time ago, they would have shared pipe dreams of getting away, going on a vacation far away, and living the dream life under new names, and new identities; meowth was always the plan maker the one who got them through the worst of the worst times, and the best of the worst times. Until now.
Meowth had nothing positive to say, no empty promises to dish out—that was a part of their lives long lost to the void of never ending chaos and guilt. Instead, the cat exhaled and nodded to his companions quietly before staring back down at the group below.
"Guess that's why they're always the heroes." He meowed, resting his head over his paws and leaving Jessie and James to stew in their own thoughts.
XOX
"What do you mean it was your birthday yesterday, man!?" Brock nearly shouted, his feet dangling over the edge of the boat. They were still in their bathing suits, getting fresh air after their time spent in the chlorine swimming pool. Only an hour before docking, they were bordering Sinnoh, and Ash wanted to show them where he had been on his journey, explain some situations—and most importantly, show them where he could see the pound ablaze from the hill; which eventually led him to slip that his birthday was yesterday. However, a new, larger, grayer, looming pound replaced it, so the moment was ruined, and replaced with sharing stories of what happened at the compound with Brock.
What a great birthday present to myself. Ash threw out sarcastically while chuckling at Misty who pat his shoulder sympathetically, only, Ash had never mentioned that it was his birthday to his narrow-eyed companion, and so Brock was grossly appalled, and insulted.
"I guess... I just didn't think about it with everything else going on." explained Ash while he chuckled nervously, watching Brock scamper to his feet.
"Well!" Brock gasped. "That won't do! We have to celebrate."
"Really, Brock, it's okay..." Ash raised his hands to the gym leader who shook his head.
"Stay right here, I'll be back in two minutes."
"Wait—uhh." Ash started but ended by rubbing his face with his hand. Once Brock's mind was made up, he was arguably as stubborn as Ash and Misty. Perhaps it was their stubbornness that brought them all together, Ash once heard that packs of stubborn animals all stayed together, maybe that was the living representation of him and his friends?
Only now, with the looming, ever present presence of Brock missing, Ash and Misty were alone again for the first time since that morning. Suddenly, her arm brushing against his, along side the railing gap their legs shared, and the sudden drop in the temperature brought his nerves alive with fire. She was too close for comfort, too far away for closure, and he felt his skin crawl when she finally nudged him.
"Would kill for a minute alone, huh?" She tossed out jokingly, earning a swallow from Ash, who found his bare feet oddly entertaining. What was wrong with him? He was fine yesterday, and this morning; and most of the afternoon—why now was he suddenly a bundle of nerves?
"Y-eah." he croaked, earning a suave snort from Misty who brushed her hand against his, bringing a roaring redness to his cheeks.
Behind him, he could hear pikachu muttering backhanded, snark comments into togepi's ear about Ash's behavior, to which he shot a parental-glare over his shoulder and the two pokemon turned away with a false whistle. The more pikachu grew up, the more he was still a creature of sarcasm. Again, she chuckled.
"And you were the one telling us to relax." She chided, her tone barely above a whisper when he faced her nervously, stiff as a board.
"Well," he started defensively, with a huff. "You were the one acting like nothing happened earlier."
"I was not." She growled sinfully, pursing her lips and looking away from him.
"Were so." he said staring blandly at her. "I mean, are we going to tell Brock?"
Finally, her face flushed and her tight grip over his hand loosened. "Well...that's..."
Now, it was Ash's turn to grin with the upper hand. "Now who is nervous?"
"I'm not nervous." She growled impatiently, proving her sentiments by glaring boldly into his eyes, catching him off guard. However, the glance lasted for only a second before it was replaced with a repressed sense of awareness. "It's just...different."
Different was right. With Misty, Ash was always relaxed, himself; right now, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to act, how she was supposed to act, or if anything was supposed to change at all.
"Well, not different." She corrected quickly, followed by: "It's complicated because of everything going on right now. We both feel guilty, even though we shouldn't, and there's this new plan and... I mean, in a few hours, I'm leaving, and you're going off somewhere to find creatures of legend, and everything is kind of a mess right now." while she elaborated, her eyebrows knit and her nose scrunched up, looking at the horizon of the ocean where Sinnoh was glaring back at them.
"...I guess." Ash replied quietly, following her gaze to the region before them.
"I mean," She cleared her throat, struggling for the correct words, and wracking her brain. They had a limited time frame to talk, courtesy of Brock, and so she bit down hard on her lip, and squeezed his hand affectionately. "There's just a lot going on, you know... more important issues to think about than just us right now and I just think that..." She inhaled, breathing through her nose and let out a exasperated sigh. "I don't know what I'm trying to say, I'm not any good at this either."
A twinkle formed in Ash's eyes while he stared her. "Are you admitting that you, Misty Waterflower, are not good at something?" he questioned, taking a shot at her ego. Clucking her tongue in response, Misty glared at him to which he grinned.
"Ash," She cooed his name, reaching her hand up gently, and he expected her to brush his cheek, but she pinched his cheek playfully instead. "Don't be a jerk." She whined while he sputtered a grin and let his head drop onto her shoulder.
The string tied around her neck, attached to her one piece swimsuit brushed against his cheek, and unwillingly, his arms went up, then around her back to hug her. Really hug her. Happily, she returned the embrace and exhaled into his shoulder, where the night prior he flinched at every budge, now he didn't seem to mind with her chin digging into the bruise.
"So what do we do?" he hummed innocently, breathing into the crook of her neck. Being so close to her was strange, and so oddly comforting and natural that when he pulled away to look at her his heart pounded against his ribs in excitement.
"I think, for now, let's not worry about the small stuff, and just enjoy ourselves." She mumbled gracefully though her face was flushed as pink as his. She brushed her hand against Ash's bare back while he turned to her. Her lips grazed his cheek, followed by a fluttering kiss against his jaw, until finally their lips connected earnestly for the third, or fourth—Ash didn't remember exactly. Misty's hands skillfully danced over his scars, specifically the one she hadn't noticed before, still red against his side, while his hands remained glued to his side. A clothed Misty was one thing, swim-suit Misty was another. Her body was still wet, and small and...
"Okay, we have white wine, or vodka!" Brock barreled through the doors holding two bottles in one hand, and three small glasses in the other; unaware of what he was walking in on, Misty separated herself and Ash with one powerful thrust that forced Ash's lips closed, and his back against the deck floor. Misty's hands went to her lap and she looked anywhere but to her companions. Meanwhile, a still slightly dazed Ash looked up at Brock with one eyelid half closed and two snickering pokemon beside them that used the opportunity to pounce on their trainer.
"...Did...I miss something?" Brock asked, suddenly very aware of their awkward behavior.
"Nothing." they hissed in unison once again, and while Brock was many things, trusting of his friends was one of them. If they said nothing happened; then... He looked at Misty's face, then at Ash who slowly curled away from Misty and cleared his throat shamelessly while Misty licked her lips.
"uh-huh..." Brock guessed. "Jeeze, if you two had anymore mood swings, I would think you were making out or something." Brock groaned playfully while rolling his eyes and taking a proper seat between the two lovers and handing both their shaking hands a small, clear glass.
It took a few minutes for Ash's words to reach his throat again, though Misty's social recovery was a lot faster.
"Shots?" Misty mused, looking up at her dark friend who nodded, holding up the bottle of vodka and white wine.
"Yes!" Brock proclaimed, setting down the white wine and uncapping the vodka. "Isn't that what you did on your twenty first birthday?"
Misty grinned, recalling every birthday after she was eighteen except for her twenty-second. "Well, that just depended on who was there."
"What is that?" Ash finally managed, sounding like a strangled bird. "That smells disgusting." he announced, catching a wisp of the beverage.
"This, my friend," Brock showed Ash the bottle proudly. "Is liquid courage."
"No it's not." Misty hissed, then glared assertively at Ash. "It's not liquid courage, don't listen to him." She addressed and Ash looked away from Misty, then to Brock once more while the older trainer hushed Misty and wagged his finger at her.
"It's what people drink when they need a boost in confidence." he tried.
"No, it's not." Misty chided, Brock exhaled.
"Fine, then vodka is the water of the northern tribe of-"
"No, it's not." Misty hissed, taking the bottle from him. "It's alcohol, Ash, it makes you drunk, and stupid, and why would we drink before getting off of this boat? We're landing in a little over an hour and you want us to drink?" Misty hissed, eyebrows narrowed dangerously at the insane idea.
"Well, I don't mean drunk." Brock argued, snatching the bottle back while Ash watched helplessly. "I mean a drink. In celebration."
"But that's... It's his-"
"I don't think it's a bad idea." Ash mused happily, earning a proud nod from Brock who smiled at his newest friend, and a scowl from Misty. "I mean, I've never done it before, so why not now?"
"Because there is plenty of time for everything else after we're not running for our lives."
"Aw, c'mon, Misty, lighten up."
"Yeah, Mist, lighten up." Ash joined in with Brock, staring her down with a dominant peer pressure that she succumbed to quickly.
"Fine!" She snapped, holding her glass to Brock. "But only a little bit." She warned him, to which Brock chuckled and poured the three of them one glass each. Typically, shots were not done with vodka, but with limited choices, they worked with what they had. Brock cleared his throat.
"To Ash, who is twenty-one yesterday, and brought this group together." Brock smiled at Ash who grinned with togepi and pikachu nestled in his lap, raising their paw in support. Brock titled his head to him. "Happy birthday, my friend."
Ash chuckled. "To my first birthday in ten years." He congratulated himself, throwing the drink back simultaneously with Brock and Misty, the same exact way he saw on television. However, the liquid burned a lot more than he thought it would, and the stagnate flavors of rotten disgust gave way to a horrible hiccup and he held his mouth and nose closed. It was like drinking rubbing alcohol!
"ew. What was that?" He whined, coughing. That wasn't anything like Ash expected, especially the warm, fuzzy and uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. Misty shuddered beside the two of them, sticking her tongue out and shaking her head, but Brock winced and smacked his lips.
"A bad idea." Brock announced boldly, "But also, vodka." He choked out, earning a detestable look from Misty who spit over the side of the ship.
"Why would you drink that?" Ash questioned in astonishment, he thought it tasted better than that! His eyebrows narrowed while his taste buds, and nose hairs died.
"In celebration?" Misty questioned, looking at Ash. He pursed his lips.
"Can we celebrate with apple juice next time?" He questioned happily, and Misty rolled her eyes. Though, she and Brock were both happy and eager to hear Ash use the phrase next time. Because there would be a next time.
"You were the one who said you wanted to try it." She barked, and Ash scowled at her.
"Yeah, well!"
"Another one!" Brock cheered, beginning to pour a second drink that was met with Misty and Ash immediately standing up.
"You know, I think, actually, we should get ready to land, you know; change into more presentable clothes, maybe have a shower." Misty urged and Ash pointed down at Brock. She clearly didn't like the taste, her tastes were in the sweeter genre, less of the hard liquor.
"Cake is always a good alternative, too." Ash threw out, earning a playful punch from Misty against his upper arm, though, she immediately pulled back, thinking she might have hurt his injured shoulder; but he hardly noticed her reaction while he tossed another joke at Brock who stood up, making offhanded jokes.
Concerned, confused, and focused on the oddity, she zoned out of their conversation, and swat Ash again, in the same spot; he turned at her with a scowl of confusion, but not pain.
"What?" He asked worriedly, watching her expression turn from determination to surprise. She threw up her hands.
"Nothing," She announced, earning a curious glance from the boy. "I'm just going to go clean up. I'll see you two in a bit." She offered, walking the distance from the deck, to the door, where Ash craned his neck to watch her leave. If he was paid for every time she behaved differently around him, he'd be rich by now!
"Girls, am I right?" Brock offered nonchalantly before hooking an arm around Ash's shoulder, immediately changing the subject. "Speaking of girls, Ash, you don't know a lot about them, do you?" his eyebrows wiggled. "After all of this is over, why don't you and I go out for our own celebration? Just a guy thing, and I can teach you about them proper."
Ash snickered. "I don't think Misty would like that." Ash responded carelessly, slipping out from under Brock's arm.
"What's Misty got to do with it?" Brock hummed unhappily while pikachu pat him on the leg, and togepi waddled after Ash.
XOX
Focusing on them was selfish, he knew that. Asking her to come with him was selfish and unreasonable, but a small part of him, after everything that happened still wasn't comfortable with her or Brock leaving. What if something happened? Ash was going to be far, far away, and wouldn't know about it for weeks, most likely.
Therefore, when Jessie and James made the announcement they were preparing to dock, Ash snatched Misty away privately, and made his concerns appropriate. She responded with as much gusto as possible, assured him for the millionth time she wasn't going to be alone, that she had Brock, and her sisters to watch her back; but Ash was still uneasy.
That was still only five people against a full army of brainwashed evil-doers, the odds weren't in their favor.
Misty tapped his cheek, placed a sly kiss on his lips and winked at him. We're smarter than they are. She told him before trekking down the hallway, holding togepi and passing a few last minute, mindless totes of advice.
Brock was already on deck, what he could throw together was packed in a grocery bag, and he stood beside Jessie, James and meowth, who were dressed in civilian clothes once again. Jessie's make-up was done proper, her skin was flush and pink, and her hair was tied into a bun. James wore his hair in a braid, with large, dorky sun glasses, and a flower-print, bright yellow shirt with green shorts that reminded Ash so much of the Orange Islands tourists his stomach felt sick. Jessie was the cool hippy companion, with flip flops and a skirt that matched his shirt, and a tan blazer.
"Are you ready?" the woman hissed unhappily while Ash blinked at them.
...They looked like his parents. If Ash had parents in this world that actually paid attention to him. Jessie and James weren't nearly old enough to fit the bill, but they hit the nail on the head.
"...Nice... costumes." Ash cleared his throat, gesturing to their outfits with his hand. James rolled his eyes, but Jessie cracked a smile.
"Wait until you see yours."
It was a threat, or a warning, or both. Brock and Misty's laughter didn't help. Pikachu, having grown over the years tried to share Ash's sympathy, but like togepi, the mouse found it difficult not to chuckle at Ash's misfortune. In this case, his misfortune was a bright pink, baggy shirt, and lime-green pants. To top it off, his head was covered with a round, floppy tan hat, and oh good lord, he looked like a cartoon character.
"...What am I supposed to be? A clown?" Ash muttered after emerging from the deck with his new clothes. Brock and Misty weren't in need of a disguise, since their plan rode on the coat tails that people would recognize them, they needed to look like themselves, Ash, on the other hand, would favor a disguise.
Though, any disguise but this one seemed fair. He was like the tortured teenager in those Vacation movies he and Misty watched.
"Isn't the point of a disguise to be less noticeable?" Ash offered and Jessie, behind her wide grin, shook her head.
"Sometimes, being overly noticeable is the best way to be unnoticed. Over the top is usually a statement that people ignore. If you try to hide, you're more likely to be uncovered."
"I may not be smart, but even I know there's some flawed logic in there." Ash grimaced, wondering how his next few months were really going to be, following these clowns. They were cunning, skilled, and possibly evil in this world; but they were still idiots! Of all of their traits, why was it that one that resurfaced?!
"Aww, c'mon, Ash, you look cute." Misty snorted, holding her stomach. "I don't think I've ever seen you in pink before, Ash, it makes you almost look like a girl, Ash." Misty was so funny! Mocking him, taking jabs at his masculinity whenever she had the chance; it wasn't like he meant to blurt out when she cahnged; her changes were just shocking! This was unfair treatment.
"Well, your hair is..."
She inched forward, waiting for a weak-willed response with eager, tentative, mocking eyes. Revenge for all the times that he put her on the spot.
"Well..." he stammered, throwing out his arm. "Your hair is stupid!" He tried turning away from her with a red blush; his response resulting in a gut busting laugh from Brock and a stiffened snicker from James.
Misty leaned forward, with her hands on her thighs. "Awe—says the boy in a pink shirt and lime-green pants." She cooed, looking down, lips quivering. "You're in flip-flops, Ash. It's so adorable...and the sun glasses..." She mused, this time earning a physical reaction from Ash who nearly pounced on her in his defense when meowth swat a serious paw between the two of them.
"Meowth!" The cat cried, looking at them both and shaking his head. If they weren't insulting each other, they were flirting like school children! How frustrating. Meowth meowed his battle strategy to Ash, James translated slowly for Brock and Misty and he hopped up on the railing.
"Today is the day we take the fight to them. When we land, we'll immediately begin our operation to find Giovanni, and save the world." James proclaimed proudly while the rest of them shared smiles.
Aside from some playful banter between the three of them, with a disassociated Team Rocket leading the front, they were quiet as they entered into Sinnoh from an abandoned dock, south of a small village past Sunnyshore City.
"What if something happens?" Brock finally questioned, looking at Jessie and James who strode confidently. "And we need to get a hold of Ash?"
"We'll contact you." Jessie replied nonchalantly, butting heads with Misty.
"That's not good enough." Misty snapped, her cheerful mood dying with the assumption that they couldn't reach Ash. After all, they still didn't know if they could trust Jessie and James, at least she didn't. Since they lied to her, to them, almost got them killed, she had hardly looked at them, let alone spoken with them. The idea of leaving Ash with them made her stomach churn.
James sighed, not understanding female's innate rage. "Once we're in safety, we'll get a pokedex without a tracker and we'll call you two. Once you get back to Kanto, reactivate your phones, act as if nothing has changed and we'll call you." James assured the redhead, and Misty found it difficult not to trust his doe green eyes and honest expression.
"..Fine." She uttered since no other complaint was made. "But-! As soon as you get a pokedex, you better call—none of that disappearing for months at a time act." She scowled, looking at Ash who smiled weakly at her, recalling his months absence prior.
"I won't, I swear." He urged her as they moved forward through the darkening forest. "Besides, psyduck gets lonely if I don't call, right?" Ash smiled warmly, earning a quiet wink from Misty, and a crinkle from Brock.
"I don't get it?" He said, shattering the moment. Misty chuckled.
"When Ash was in the assisted living home during recovery, I told him he could call any time since psyduck gets lonely." She answered honestly, poking out her tongue between her teeth and Brock rolled his eyes. Such an excuse to have him called seemed silly now. She had no problem demanding his phone calls, now.
Then again...their situation wasn't the same. Misty glanced back over her shoulder at Ash who was feeding pikachu a few stray berries he pulled off a vine, keeping to the back of the group. Pikachu rested on his supposed-injured shoulder, and togepi jumped periodically on the ground, training, and keeping up with the group. Misty's eyes narrowed.
"Ash, how's your arm?"
"My arm?" Ash mused, blinking at her curiously. He stared down to where pikachu sat and shrugged. "Better, I guess?"
"...You dislocated your shoulder." She announced carelessly, watching Ash's eyes shift around the room. Even Misty and her limited understanding of human anatomy knew that dislocations took at least a few weeks to heal.
"...So?" he questioned, unsure of why that mattered. Misty pressed the issue, walking a little ways behind Brock who stared happily at the Sinnoh forest; he had never left Kanto before, so the experience was refreshing to him. New.
"So?" Misty echoed in concern. "I'm a walking bruise after yesterday, and you've been running up and down like nothing happened. Now your arm isn't in a sling even though when I barely touched you yesterday, you freaked out about it—are you sure you're okay?" Misty kept her voice down while Ash placed an index finger to his chin, and racked his brain for thought.
"...Ya, I feel fine." He muttered after some thought and twisting of his shoulder and torso. While biting the inside of his cheeks, he could see the bruises she spoke about; her knees were covered in them, as well as her right arm, and the wrap Brock provided for her thigh-wound was still a major issue, whereas he was okay. Honestly, Ash had never put much thought into it, not really.
"I heal fast, you know that." He deduced after a short time—he did after all, heal faster than the doctors ever thought possible. Why would now be any different? After suffering from a major infection and surgery, he was up and walking around in under a few hours. Most people had to stay in the hospital, seek treatment, but he was fine. He was always fine.
Maybe that was a little weird?
When her concerned expression and glare didn't budge, Ash forced a smile. "Really, don't worry about it, Mist." He offered, pointing ahead at their group that was slowly leaving them behind.
How could she not be? And how did she never notice before. His shoulders were broad, his muscles well developed. He lived in a dream world for several years, and now he was supposed to be kind of chosen hero of the people, even though he was normal .. then again, Misty's eyebrows rose as she followed after him, wincing every so often.
Ash was never normal, was he?
XOX
Talking about it was okay. Scheming was preferred, but now that they were staring into the town, at the point of separation, it was too real. Suddenly, it didn't matter so much that the world was in peril. Maybe, Team Rocket wasn't even that bad, things were still functioning, right? Maybe it wasn't too late to turn back and change the plan! They could all go together as one great, big, family unit!
At the pit of his stomach, Ash felt something move while the rest of the group fell into a rehashing of the same plan. Jessie and James gave Misty and Brock coordinates, meowth spoke with pikachu and togepi, and Ash watched; moreover, he stared at his companions. He came back to them, only to leave once more. He spent months away from Misty, away from this feeling in his chest; and he was still just getting to know Brock; but they were his friends, his family. Yet, they were leaving again, after everything they went through.
We won't get separated Misty told him in that cabin when they still thought they were in the hands of the enemy. A part of him felt overwhelmingly guilty for blaming her, thinking that she was going back on a promise again—but luckily, he was past that. They weren't being separated, the three of them, they were on hiatus, with a temporary goodbye.
But damn it, why did it hurt so much? Having had the unfortunate feature of wearing his heart on his sleeve his entire life, tears pooled at the corners of his eye, and he sniffled, wiping away a stray tear before it fell.
"Well," Misty's voice pierced the forest while she and Brock approached Ash, who hung back from the conversation. Jessie and James gave them space, though meowth wandered over to watch their interactions. "I guess this is goodbye...again." she hummed, shifting awkwardly before him. Brock smiled weakly at Ash, their last goodbye was a fleeting one; full of his yelling and Ash and Misty fleeing, but now, it was different.
They were different.
"It's not goodbye..." Ash hummed, hating the feeling that he would be without his long time companions again; every time they parted, it was the same knife ripping into wounded, unreal memories forged in his mind, and Ash sniffled. As an adult, his tears weren't as welcome, or as justified as a young ten-year old saying goodbye to his three year companions, but they were understandable, given the circumstances. They didn't know when they would see each other again, or even if those terms would be on good terms.
"Oh, Ash." Misty mused sympathetically, breaching the friend bubble and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, an action that was immediately followed by Brock, who hugged them both warmly.
Hugging was still a strange sensation, a warm, welcomed and butterfree enticing, oddity. In his dreams, people didn't hug him, not really. Perhaps it was because he didn't understand what it felt like to be hugged by someone else in his mind; someone other than pokemon, and his parental figures. But now, while he grabbed the backs of their shirts, behind his silly pink top and dopey tan hat, he exhaled into Misty's shoulder and squeezed his eyes shut.
A moment he wanted to remember; the bond the three of them shared. While it might not have been as strong as he remembered it, it was powerful, and it was his, and he found it again. A place in this weird world to call home. Like the strength he found in his pokemon, that they found in him, he found trust, and power, and hospitality with his friends. With Brock, Ash was a traveler again, an experienced, grounded individual who would help anyone. With Misty, he was a trainer, continuously improving, helping his pokemon, and moving forward against all odds. They were his rock and foundation, though he didn't have them for very long, they supported his crumbling beam when he needed it the most.
But now, he needed more than to help them. He needed, and wanted to be the one to save them from the horror that has become their reality. Before, Ash wanted to help, to mean something, but now, with Jessie and James and their weird conspiracy, he had a chance to be something that could do more than he ever thought possible.
Not wanting to moment to end, but knowing that it had to by meowth's quiet beck and call, Ash released them from his grasp, and their arms fell lax around his body until finally, they were standing in a circle; their faces messed up.
"Man, it almost feels like we've done this before." Brock muttered quietly, rubbing the back of his head while Misty blinked at him.
"We have." Misty gestured to Ash, who offered her a soft smile in return, and then shifted his feet and shrugged his shoulders. He would have liked to tell them that they all have, in his world, but the confession never rose from his throat.
"You remember how to get a hold of us if something happens, right?" Brock quizzed while Misty watched Ash's reaction with puzzlement.
"Yeah," Ash said. "Smoke signals; or my personal favorite: scream loudly." Ash joked, earning a lopsided grin from Brock, who shook his head side to side. It was no time to be joking, yet, here they were.
Laughing made the immense terror go away.
"It's not too late to change your mind and come back with us, Ash. We can get the legendary pokemon after we go to Silph Co."
A pause, Ash considered it a million times on their trek here, but with the same confidence as last time—at least what as left that he could muster he shook his head.
"No, it's better like this. I'll only get in the way if I'm with you two." Ash muttered. "It's better if I'm out here."
Again, her green eyes looked wounded when her shoulders slumped. She bit the inside of her cheek and watched while Brock pat Ash on the shoulder and exhaled.
"You be careful out there with those three, okay?" Brock spoke quietly the words Misty would have liked to discuss herself, but her words caught at the edge of her tongue when she looked to Ash, who looked away from Brock in time to catch her gaze for minor preparation.
Misty lunged forward, at first what looked like a hug from Brock's perspective developed into a sudden mouth-to-mouth situation, and...She kissed him! With much of the same passion that fueled their first kiss, her fists knotted at the collar of his shirt, bringing him in tightly and affectionately. Rather than a goodbye-peck, a quick 'see you later', her head turned, forcing Ash's eyes closed. Then, she released him with a slouch and left him winded. Brock's mouth hung wide open and Jessie and James blew tired whistles at the two of them, clapping silently and slipping pretend money between each other.
"Wha-when—how-?" Brock gasped while Misty stepped back to watch Ash cover his mouth with his tanned hand and flush an unnaturally bright red while his eyebrows twitched.
"You better be careful this time. Don't think I didn't notice that healing scar on your abdomen." She scolded him haughtily, drowning her own embarrassment out with a stern tone. She knew how dangerous he could be; how dangerous the situations would be following Unova, and if she didn't make herself clear before. Now she had.
Ash gulped, taking a step back in shock of what happened.
"I'm supposed to be the one worried about you." He mused awkwardly, earning an eye roll from Misty.
"There's nothing to worry about. I can take care of myself. I took care of you after all, didn't I?" As she spoke, her arms crossed and her venomous tone turned cheerful, relaxed by the sentiment and honesty of their weird confirmation. In return, Ash stared earnestly at her, the growing need to hug her returning to his bones, but he stopped himself. Instead, togepi offered a short goodbye.
See you again soon, the egg chirped happily while hopping up onto Ash's shoulder, and Ash agreed wholeheartedly. Looking individually to Brock, who was channeling a sense of frustration now, then to Misty who went from intimidating to as awestruck as himself, Ash grinned.
"Soon is right. Let me know if anything changes." without sparing another glance, he dodged past his two friends, past Misty who sent shivers down his spine and approached a snickering Jessie and James.
Not a word read across Ash's face while he glowered at the two of them. Ash hadn't seen it, but Misty's fingers traced the corners of her mouth while she grinned coyly at Brock who was bordering a brain hemorrhage.
"When did this happen!?" He hissed finally, earning a bashful giggle from Misty. The sound, Brock's question, and their sudden distance made Ash spin on his heels and face them once again.
"When I see you two next, it'll be with the answers to fix all of this nonsense!" He assured them happily, straightening his tan cap, much to Misty's laughter. Maybe, he would have been more convincing if he wasn't wearing a bright pink shirt and lime-green shorts. Ash looked down at himself and sighed.
"I'll see you soon." He afterwards with a large wave while Jessie, James, and meowth finally ushered the trainer forward, down the split in the road leading to another, smaller town, while Brock and Misty stood at the fork in the road leading to Sunnyshore City, watching the four of them leave.
"Goodbye, Ash." Misty hummed sadly, glancing down at the ground where she suspected to see pikachu, only, no pokemon awaited her. It felt so empty without him around. Brock felt the same, tears pooling at his eyes while he bit his bottom lip.
"...I can't believe you didn't tell me." He joked, trying to take the edge off the moment, to alleviate some of the pressure that was crushing Misty.
"Oh, shush. It just happened, anyways." Misty confirmed, pushing Brock down the path.
"Like, just now?"
"Well, last night, but..."
"Last night? Oh my, Misty. Details."
"I will break you, I swear to..."
Ash could hear their banter as he trampled down a long, winding hill with Jessie and James, and while he smiled at first, it slowly dwindled into uncharted territory as silence fell into the forest, and he was left with Team Rocket; stoic, unfamiliar, Team Rocket. Even in his dreams, they never really worked together, so the sensation was new.
"...so," Ash started in is best attempt at friendly conversation. "Where are we going first?"
"You'll see when we get there."
Helpful, Ash thought while his face scrunched up. "I think if I'm going to helping you guys, you should let know know what the plan is..." Ash tried weakly, though Jessie looked back at him sternly.
"The less you know, the better." She told him, but Ash didn't like being in the dark.
It's different, Misty had told him earlier, and it was true, if not for them; for everything else. Everything he knew was about to change, for better or worse.
Author's Note:
Anyways, I had a few people ask me not to separate Ash and Misty, but in this situation...(especially after last chapters rant) but, it makes sense (to me) There is still some growing that Ash needs and for the plot to move forward at a better pace, they have to be separate. I did a few drafts of them not separating, just to check, and I didn't like it. I do think Misty is the suave, enticing Girlfriend in private, while Ash is the nervous nancy; but in public Ash is the indifferent one, and Misty is the nervous one. I dunno. Just my theory. Pay attention to the new dynamics of the groups.
Anywho, I feel like my author notes are getting too long and extraneous, so I'm going to start cutting them short instead of explaining so on and so forth. If you have questions, just leave me a review or a PM and I'll get back to you!
NINT