Mayhem ensues

Ash was fast asleep, the fire slowly dying. It was, after all, a long day for all of them. Misty took this as an opportunity to write in her diary, seeing as to she was the only one awake.

"Dear Diary-sigh I really should tell Ash how I feel…what do you think diary? I will, but I have to let him tell me first! Sometimes I really wish I wasn't the way I was…I wish sometimes I could be like a normal person, like May, and just tell him how I feel. Then all of this would be over. We'd be much happier. Well, I guess we would if he liked me back that is. We will talk again soon, diary, I promise–M"

Misty settled back in her sleeping bag and snuggled closer to Ash's to the point where they were almost touching. Resting her head on his shoulder, she began falling quickly and silently to sleep.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket was lurking in the bushes, watching and waiting for the perfect time to attack.

"Lookie here James, the girl twerp is back!" Jesse with her long red hair started to become excited that there were more and more possibilities to steal Pikachu away from Ash, now that Misty had returned.

"If only he knew how much she loved him." James cried out.

Jesse finished his sentence for him, "And if only she knew how much he loves her back!"

"Yup that's right! Them twerps is going to end up together, I just knows it." Meowth loved being with his human companions. Even if he was smarter than them.

"SHH! SHUT UP MEOWTH! You'll wake them all up!" The two jumped up and put their hands around Meowth's mouth to keep him quiet.

Then morning came.

Brock smiled as he woke up. Seeing Misty so comforted by Ash's presence, and vice versa of course was only the beginning and he knew it. True he wasnt too much older than the rest of the group, except Max, but he felt much more wiser. He was the one that they all came to for help and advice. The one they looked to for guidance and direction. The one who cooked them food and knew how to care for the pokemon too. Quietly he got up and started with the breakfast. Not too long after, May woke up as well.

Not wanting to disturb Brock, she watched silently. Glancing around her surroundings, she finally spoke up. "It sure is nice to see that those two are together. I cannot imagine what it would have been like just you and Ash those long days. They sure seem to like each other a lot. Look how close they are just now!"

"If only one of them would just say it. But they are both too wrapped up in hating each other for something that happened a few years back, that neither one is going to see how precious what they have is. You are right, just look at them."

During the night, Ash had shifted in his sleeping bag to where he was holding Misty.

"Misty says it's because of her old fashioned ways. She wants Ash to tell her first. They sure do seem to be so close friends, wouldn't that screw it up if they dated each other. I mean, it wouldn't be weird or anything?" May inquired.

Brock thought for a second while taking the pot off the fire and dispensing it into bowls to be served soon for breakfast. "There is always going to be that risk, May. Always. But as for Ash and Misty, I don't think it will ever be a problem. Someone just needs to speak up. For a time after Misty left us, Ash was slow, and tired all the time, though he wouldn't admit to it if you asked him. Now he seems to be his old self again these past few weeks."

As the morning progressed, Ash and Misty woke up. They blushed, realizing how they were sleeping, and quickly slipped to the forest in opposite directions. Max was soon to follow, as he was still a child and needed to sleep longer than the rest.

May was trying her best to get Misty to confess to Ash. "Look Mist, you have to tell him. Just look at how peacefully you slept last night!"

Misty thought that her friendship with May was going to go so smoothly now, but it was obvious that May wanted her to cave first. "No, May! I already told you! I want him to say it first! And don't you call me Mist!"

Misty and may continued like this for about half an hour, while Brock and Max worked on trying to convince Ash the same.

"OH OKAY ALREADY! I will tell her. But what if she doesn't like me back?" The sudden fear shone in his eyes and was apparent to elder teen.

"Then at least you will know how she feels, and you will have told her. But trust me, she will like you back, Ash." Brock placed a reassuring hand on the mid-teen's shoulder and squeezed.

Max threw in teasingly "Yea especially after leaving you for so long!"

The three couldn't help but laugh at the youngest of the group's naivety.

Just as soon as the girls came back to camp, Team Rocket jumped out of their hiding place.

"prepare for trouble

and make it double

to protect the world from devastation

to unite all people within our nation

to denounce the evils of truth and love

to extend our reach to the stars above

Jesse

James

Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light

Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!

Meowth that's right!"

AN: Sorry! I just had to put that in there! I love the motto!

"Not you three! What do you want this time?" Ash yelled out more out of habit than surprise.

"We'll fight you and win! Just like always! You'll see!" Misty chimed in.

"I'll be over here, watching and cheering you on." May jumped behind a tree and poked her head around the side to watch.

"M...me too" Brock stammered and ran to join May.

"Babies! Don't you want to help fight Team Rocket?" Max knew that he was not going to be a very big help but he wanted to try anyways.

"No, not really. Besides, what can we do?"May was trying hard to look out for her little brother and ushered him right behind the tree with them.

Max hung his head low and allowed himself to be ushered away. "You're right, May. You're right."

Brock put a hand on his shoulder and reassuringly smiled. "Your heart is in the right place, Max. Soon it will be your turn." Then to more Ash and Misty than any of the others, he stated "My pokemon need the rest right now."

"Then we'll take them ourselves! Come on Mist! Go Pikachu!"

Ash loved a good battle.

Pikachu threw his thunder shock at Team Rocket.

Misty dug through her bag and pulled out a pokeball. "My turn! Staru GO!" she shouted forgetting just how much fun it was to battle the trio.

Staru and Pikachu worked together to send Team Rocket blasting off.

Team Rocket could be heard in the distance, "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

May pulled herself out from behind the tree. "That was easy enough!"

Misty turned her head and was upset with her new female friend. "Speak for yourself!"

"Oh boy! They're at it again." Ash looked to the other two.

Brock started to step backwards "Maybe we should walk away slowly…"

"Good idea, Brock. Good idea." Ash started to back away with Brock.

"Could you make it any more obvious?" May knew that this was going to get Misty steamed up.

"WHAT!" Misty was completely outraged with her at this point.

May threw her hands up to her face and her eyes got starry."I'll help ash fight off Team Rocket, then he will declare his undying love for me!"

"I did not say that, May!" Misty was torn between being hurt, insulted, and angry.

"But you were thinking it! Admit it Misty!" May shouted louder than she should have.

"Was not! Thats a horrible thing to accuse me of!" Misty was starting to tear up.

"Oh, so you don't like Ash?" May crossed her arms and raised an eybrow.

Ash, at the mention of his name, stopped walking, looked behind him to see what the two were talking about.

"Come on, Misty, give it up! You love Ash and you know it!"

"I do not, May." Misty's eyes were full of tears. She couldn't, wouldn't let May see her cry.

May was trying to hard to get a response from Misty, that she didnt notice her insults were hurting her. "So what you told me while walking around, about missing him and wanting to travel with him again was a lie?" she inquired

"No! Never! I just, that is…"

Ash was interested, so he walked a little closer to the girls, hearing misty stumble and stutter made him curious, so he asked, "Mist, is that true?"

"Well, um, that is…" Misty turned around and bolted through the bushes. Tears streaming down her face. Not knowing where she was going or where she came from. She just needed to run away from the humiliation of Ash hear her conversation with May. True, they were yelling at each other so everyone probably heard them. But it still hurt.

"Oh get on with it! I will be at camp." with that, May pushed Ash in the direction Misty had just ran.

May turned and left.