Author's note: Hey hey! I'm on vacation while on vacation. Neat isn't it? Right now I'm in Mongolia, just finished horseback riding. It was my first time and it sure was exciting (my butt hurts though). I'm going home soon, my home in China that is so I'm probably going to update more often then. But I promised that I'll update this at least once a week so yeah. . .here it is. . .


Badges

noun. a special or distinctive mark or token worn as a sign of achievement


"Pikapal! Shall we sing another song about the badge we just won?" A voice came loud and clear from the Ilex Forest. Following it, came a low and irritated mumble that hummed through the dark woods.

"Pi-pikapi!" Pikachu chirped innocently answered to his master's positive but somehow annoying question. Satisfied with the answer, the young boy started his happy little tune.

Under the glistening moonlight, the random and off-key song rang through the trees, sending hoothoots and noctowls fluttering away to escape the torture. The loud "la's" and "pika's" did not only send the pokemon that inhabited in the forest into the brink of killing themselves, but also angered one of the young trainer's companion.

"Will you shut up?" She screeched, sending more pokemon fleeing for their lives. The boy and his pikachu flinched and instantly stopped what they call singing.

"Aw come on Mist! We were just having some fun! I don't get to celebrate every day for getting a new badge. Singing is the only way since we're stuck in the forest at night."

"Oh please Ash. First of all, you don't earn a badge everyday. Second, Mew, your singing is horrid! Third, it's your fault that we're actually lost! I mean, it's so dark! How are we supposed to get out of this place?" Misty raised her arms and plopped them to her side to emphasize that she was distressed at the fact that they were lost, again. Travelling with Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Master in the making, has gotten her lost and over her head for at least a few hundred times.

"Ehe. But you gotta admit, the Hive badge is quite awesome." Ash raised raised his arm and scratched the back of his head as he grinned sheepishly.

"Aiya! I knew I should have went with Gary! At least he's got a hoothoot! How am I supposed to get through with all the bug pokemon?" As soon as she said that, she knew that she went over the line.

"Oh great! Now even Gary's better than me! What am I supposed to do? Go catch a hoothoot?" Ash was furious. No one was to judge him with Gary the jerk. Misty felt bad, but Ash argueing with her just made her want to scream at him more.

"Now now guys. There's no need to fight over something like this. I'm sure that Misty didn't mean what she said. And I'm sure that we'll get out of this mess, like always." Brock came to the rescue before Misty could say something else. The two young trainers turned away from each other and simultaneously let out a "humph" before crossing their arms to their chests. Pikachu and Brock only prayed that the night would go peacefully.

Secretly, Ash was feeling quite uneasy. It seemed that his best friend, the girl he had met on the first day of his journey, did not care about if he had won a badge or not. The queezy feeling in his stomach only allowed him to let out a tiny whisper that no one but himself could hear.

"Don't worry Mist. One day, you will be proud of me."

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Oh Misty! I'm ba-ack!" Came a raspy voice that thundered through the Cerulean Gym. Hearing the familiar voice, the redheaded gymleader rose from the pool and ran to the front door without bothering to wrap around a towel.

As soon as she saw him, she eagerly ran up to the grown up man. It took a bit of effort for her to restrain herself from hugging her friend.

"Well well well. Ash Ketchum. What brings you here to this little gym of mine?"

"Come on Mist! You know that I couldn't come all these years cuz I was travelling. Please don't hate me." He flushed at what his friend was wearing; a simple sky blue bikini that showed off her curves.

"Sure sure, travel travel. Yadda yadda." She said irritately as she rolled her eyes. Ash flinched at her sarcastic and uncaring words, fearing that her mallet had been updated to the 4.82 version, waiting to send him to his doom. On the other hand, he felt his anger boiling up.

"You don't miss me do you? After all these years, you're glad that I was gone! You couldn't be more happier when you got your friggen bike back! All this time I was thinking of you. I won 999 badges just to make you proud!" He stopped to catch his breath as he watched Misty's eyes widen.

"A-ash. I-I-"

"Don't you go all 'Ash' on me missy! I'm not done here. Ya know, I loved that bike of yours. You know why? Cuz that's how you actually stuck with me through all those times! But when you talk about how I owe you, it hurts, right in the heart! I loved travelling with you, it wasn't like being with May or Dawn, or any of the other girls. You were special! Now you're all 'yadda' on me, like you don't care, what do-mmm!" He couldn't finish what he was saying. There was something soft that plunged onto his mouth, which made his body shudder with shock and excitement. Just as he realized that Misty was kissing him, she broke it off, licking her rosy lips.

"My, Ash, you sure talk a lot. You're an idiot, of course I missed you." She said before she pulled the stunned young man into another kiss.

She broke off again and watched Ash's expression in amusement. "999 badges just to make me proud eh? Pretty impressive Ketchum."

This time, it wasn't Misty who made the move. Ash snaked his toned arms around her waist and crashed his lips onto hers. This time, there was more passion. To them, it felt like centuries before they broke apart for air.

"999 badges. Boy you are an idiot, but you're my idiot."


Well, "B"'s done. I'm thinking that I'm probably going to make the next chapter more serious with more romance in it. The first too were more lighthearted. Tell me what you think and please leave a review. Suggestions are always welcome, seriously.