Title: Video Call Confessions
Posted: 09/13/12
Main Pairing: Ash & Mist / Satoshi & Kasumi
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I own what I own, nothing more, nothing less.
Summary: How would have Ash reacted if he ran into the Agent Joy who Misty met when she returned to Cerulean City? How would he have handled that fact that Misty almost died due? How would handle the idea that Misty tamed a Gyarados? Lastly, what would he have done after acquiring all that knowledge?
AN: This is my first Pokemon fic and I'm in a hurry posting it! It's just a one-shot I thought up after re-watching 'Cerulean Blues,' so if you haven't watched it then this contains many spoilers to the episode. Max and May are already traveling with Ash and Brock, also Misty is now a very successful Gym Leader. I'm gonna cut this Author Note short of more explanations that you can understand within the story, due to the fact I am rushing! Enjoy!
We join our young trainer, breeder, coordinator, and—err kid, as they walk through the streets of Petalburg City. After a long journey through the woods (Ash surely managing to find a way to get lost on a set trail), they finally made to May and Max's hometown where they planned to visit the Pokemon Center almost immediately. They had gotten into a fight with some wild Beedrills, and some of their Pokemon needed some TLC from a very lovely Nurse Joy.
On the way there, Brock was already speaking of his many fantasies that involved being together with his lovely pink haired maiden, but May was too busy looking at her Ribbons and Ash at his badges. Max was thinking to himself, but he didn't voice anything that could tell what exactly he was thinking about.
Suddenly, Ash bumped into someone.
"I'm so—Nurse Joy?!" Ash exclaimed, looking up to see the pink haired nurse out of her uniform. Was she not at the center due to official business? Was she even the same Nurse Joy from the Petalburg Pokemon Center? Ash wasn't pretty sure about which one was the correct answer.
"I'm so—" Before she could even apologize or get a word out, Brock was already down on his knees and reciting some lame poem that probably just popped into his head. He stood up and dusted his pants as May and Max just watched curiously. The breeder was obviously not getting any luck, seeing as Nurse Joy politely shot down his attempt at asking for a date. "I'm sorry," She was finally able to say to Ash. "I really should watch where I'm going next time." She continued, Ash shaking his head.
"I was partially at fault." He answered. "I was pretty lost in my thoughts too."
Joy smiled at his words, but May had questions of her own. "What are you doing out here, Nurse Joy?" The brunette asked, raising a brow in curiosity or suspicion. Whichever it was, Ash was not sure. "Shouldn't you be at the Pokemon Center?" The pink haired woman shook her head as she began to explain.
"I'm not the Nurse here." She explained. "I'm just visiting the Hoenn Region to look for some good medicine to use on Pokemon back at my assigned city in Kanto." It was a pretty normal and believable explanation, but no one seemed to be on to the fact that it was a lie. The P.I.A was pretty secretive about their agents and visits. Wouldn't want gym leaders to actually be prepared and clean now would you?
At the mention of their home regions, Brock and Ash visibly got excited. "Which city in Kanto?" Brock suddenly asked, getting over his unreturned emotions and showing his curiosity. She obviously wasn't from Pewter City, seeing as she didn't recognize him. She also wasn't really from any of the Pokemon Centers they visited, for she didn't recognize Ash either. The black head was curious to the answer as well, and Joy got a bit flustered. She needed to think of an answer, and so she said the first city that popped into her mind.
"I'm from Cerulean City."
"Pikachupi!" Pikachu suddenly exclaimed from Ash's shoulder, hearing the hometown of their friend. May and Max brightened as well, Brock looking at Ash as a wide smile spread across his face. Everyone already knew that it was Ash would would be the most thrilled about this news. Cerulean City was where he got the Cascade Badge many years ago, but more importantly, it was the home to the love-of-his-life (well Brock called her that, May did too sometimes), Miss Misty Waterflower.
"That's right, Pikachu!" Ash stated. The electric mouse brightened as he stared back at Nurse Joy, while the pink haired woman didn't seem to understand the fuss about the water city.
"Do you happen the know the Gym Leader there?" Ash suddenly asked, May and Max now standing beside Brock as they looked at him expectedly. He was the one who had to explain Ash's sudden excited demeanor after all. Sometimes it was a hassling job, but who else were they going to ask? Ash? As if he would answer any of their questions. He probably didn't even know that his eyes lit up at the mention of Misty's name!
"So is Misty just Ash's friend?" May asked, trying to get some juicy gossip on Ash. He always seemed to interested in Pokemon, so this sudden turn of events suddenly made her and Max very curious. So he did like girls? They thought that he would marry that precious Pikachu of his when he finally got older after all.
"That's what they both say." Brock said, obviously having a rather different opinion than his old travelling partners. "As if you'd believe it though." He continued, smirking. "Those two can't stand to be near each other and fight when they're in the same room whenever they can." That Pikachu theory may not be lost after all, May mused. "I think it's all just tension, though." May and Max both seemed confused, but Brock just smirked further. They decided it was one of those 'You Needed To Be There' moments.
"You mean Misty?" Nurse Joy's answer suddenly snapped the three of them back to the normal conversation. Apparently, Nurse Joy had thought that Ash was talking about Lilly, Violet, and Daisy. It was understandable, due to the fact that they were very popular outside of Cerulean City.
"Yeah!" Ash exclaimed, Pikachu equally excited as his trainer. "How is she?" Something seemed to have clicked in Joy's head as she smiled knowingly at Ash. She seemed to know something everyone else didn't, and she also had that mischievous look in her eyes that would usually be seen on the eyes of a so called Team Rocket. "Is she doing okay as a Gym Leader?" Ash was so dense that he didn't see the knowing and amused look in everyone else's eyes.
"You're Ash, aren't you?" The pink haired lady suddenly asked. Everyone seemed surprised at that one.
"Ho—How do you know me?" Even the three bystanders were curious to know the answer to that one. "Did Misty mention me?" Pikachu looked at his trainer and shook his head, as May giggled at Ash's sudden shy voice. He was acting like some love-struck puppy and he didn't even know it!
"She did, actually." Nurse Joy answered, Ash perking up at her words. That mischievous look did not go away from her eyes as she continued to talk. "She had a message for me to give you, but I think that you deserve the whole story." So now there was a story. Ash seemed ecstatic about the news, but Brock was more curious than anything. If Misty didn't want them to know intentionally, then this won't be a very pretty story. "Why don't we head over to Pokemon Center and talk?" Ash agreed immediately, and the other three followed.
"Did you hear that Brock?" Ash asked. "Misty must be doing great if Nurse Joy has a good story! Maybe she's already beat the record for amount of people she's beaten." Ash would say that, especially after Misty had beaten him in the Whirl Cup. He refused to believe that Misty would just lose to anybody, especially because he lost to her. "Or who knows, maybe she's already a Water Pokemon Master by now." Highly unlikely, but Brock only nodded his head and agreed. This story seemed interesting in more ways than one.
Joy's mischievous look was not helping him calm down about it either. Was this really going to be a good story?
When the Pokemon Center doors slid open, May, Ash, and Brock all surrendered their Pokemon to the Petalburg City Nurse Joy before taking a seat in the Center Lobby to listen to her story. "So, is Misty a good Gym Leader?" Max asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. He dreamed to take over their Gym here at Petalburg, and maybe if Ash allowed him to meet Misty she could give him some tips.
"She's better than her sisters." Joy answered. "I heard that she passed the Inspection with flying colors." Brock's eyes widened as he heard of that. Flying colors? Really? Last time he had headed home he helped Forrest out at the gym so that the Pewter Gym would pass! Misty managed to do it all on her own? He had to give her props for that. "Though there was that one incident a couple of years back." Now that made May butt in.
"Incident?" The brunette asked. "Did something bad happen?"
Though everyone was paying close attention to Joy, Pikachu was paying close attention to his trainer. He was on the edge of his seat as the thought of something bad happening. Pikachu shook his head. How could his master be such a great trainer with good tactics and strategies, but can't even realize that he was in love with a girl he's been travelling with for over five years? Humans were a mystery to him.
"Yeah," She answered, suddenly getting a long look in her eyes. It was obvious she relived the moment, and it was obvious by her shiver that she did not like remembering it. "If you consider almost dying bad."
All eyes widened (yes, even Pikachu) at the words that Joy uttered. The blood drained from Ash's face as Brock stopped him from falling to the floor. May and Max said nothing as they just listen to Nurse Joy tell the story. "Those stupid Invisible Pokemon Brothers and their stupid Tentacruel." She commented, making Ash all the more worried. Why wasn't this mentioned in any of her letters to him?! A near death experience is not something you hide from your boy—err best friend!
"What happened?" Max decided to ask.
A sigh escaped Joy's lips as she began her story. "Misty had just arrived from travelling when a Gyarados was having a rather bad mood swing." At the mention of the dragon Pokemon, Ash already didn't like where this was going. "She tried to get it to go back into its pokeball, but it was of no use. She then tried to remind it of a water ballet that she apparently participated in—" Ash blushed at the memory of Misty in a mermaid costume. He would never admit it though. "—but it didn't work and Gyarados almost drowned her. Good thing Horsea saved her." So this wasn't the near death experience part yet? Ash really didn't like this story anymore.
"She almost drowned?!" Brock exclaimed. "By a Gyarados no less! Why didn't she tell us?!"
'That wasn't all that bad compared to the poison stings and tackle from the Tentacruel she took for Gyarados!" Nurse Joy suddenly answered back, May, Max, Brock, and Ash all shocked. Did they just here that right? "Those stupid boys and their cheating ways. We caged Gyarados, you see—" Okay, Ash was really tempted to stop her then and there. "—due to the fact that he wasn't controllable and attacked Misty." Yep, didn't want to hear it anymore. He was frozen though, worried and scared. She was fine now obviously, but that annoying feeling bugged him. Why didn't she tell him about this?
"But then those invisible Pokemon Brothers showed up and challenged her to a match for the Gym Leader position. They said she wasn't a fit trainer—" Ash was going to save them a thunderbolt when he saw them. No one insults Misty but him! "—Misty accepted and all of the Cerulean City citizens were present. They cheated against her though, and she dove in to save her Corsola when three Tentacruel used poison sting against her!"
"But you said she was protecting Gyarados?" May interrupted, others not minding though.
"She saved her Pokemon and swam back up to the surface, but since the match was called in her favor due to their cheating, they decided to attack Gyarados." Ash and Brock understood Misty loved Pokemon, but to sacrifice herself? Ash's respect (as if, it was love! He just didn't know it!) for her grew. "She practically swam to the bottom and placed herself in front of Gyarados as a human shield. She took all the poison stings and when a Tentacruel tackled her, the air was knocked out of her. I was so scared that she was going to die! Everyone in the gym were!"
Ash was sure, had he been there, he would have jumped in and saved her the moment she tried to protect Gyarados. His stomach was churning as if he wanted to puke, and Pikachu on his shoulder seemed faint too. It was obvious both master and Pokemon were taking this pretty hard.
"Gyarados got out of the cage and saved her though." It was then that Joy began to smile. "She fought magnificently and blasted those three boys out of the city. She also managed to tame Gyarados, and only very few people get to beat her because of that strong bond she has with her Pokemon." Ash smiled a bit. That sounded more like Misty he knew. "Not just Gyarados, but with Goldeen, Staryu, Starmie, Horsea, even with Togepi! Every girl and boy in Cerulean City looks up to her now. She's their superhero, along with her sidekick Togepi and her mighty Gyarados."
Ash didn't say a word as everyone watched him. The blood was gone from his face as Pikachu tried patting him on the shoulder. "Pi Pikachupi Pi Pika." The electric mouse said, Ash smiling slightly. "Of course I know she's fine," Ash stated. "Doesn't stop the mini heart attack though." He tried to laugh as he looked up at everyone, but none of them bought it. Brock was worried himself and on the verge of running back to Cerulean City and scolding Misty for being so reckless! "So—ugh—what was her message?"
Nurse Joy smiled. "She wanted me to tell you that she finally made it as a successful Gym Leader." He didn't know if he wanted to smile or if he wanted to run to the next phone and call her up to make sure she wasn't in a hospital bed and writing from the ICU just pretending to be fine.
"Pikapi…" Pikachu whispered, but Ash shrugged. He really needed to do something important at the moment.
"Uhm…Brock, would you mind holding on to Pikachu for a bit?" Ash asked, handing over the cute yellow mouse to the breeder. "I need to do something really quickly." Before even getting a response or getting asked any questions, he bolted for the nearest phone that was located within the Pokemon Center. It didn't take a genius to know where he was going, so May just smiled and spoke the obvious.
"Ten bucks says his gonna get a girlfriend by the end of today."
The screen was blank as Ash held the phone to his ears. He was tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for someone to answer, so when someone finally did he snapped his head up and was greeted by his orange haired friend. "Hi Ash!" She said cheerily, smiling that smile that managed to turn him to goo. "What's up?" What's up? Ash didn't even know if he was proud of her for being so happy and normal, or annoyed. Since his anger was fueling his courage at the moment, maybe the latter.
"I don't know Misty," He said, venom dripping from each word. Misty shivered slightly. "Maybe getting hit by a Tentacruel's poison sting and tackle?" Misty's face paled immensely. "Maybe getting a Gyarados?" Her face continued to pale. Ash was rather proud of himself for having this effect on her. "Or maybe, just maybe, not telling my best friend that I almost died when I got back home? That I almost drowned?" It was obvious to Ash that Misty was horrified that he knew. He actually felt rather hurt by her expression.
"Ho—how did you—you kno—know about tha—t?" Misty asked, her voice stuttering. "You – you weren't su—supposed to—to find ou—t." She was so nervous that ash felt slight pity for her. Too bad his anger was the reigning emotion running through him right now. Maybe if it wasn't, he would have given a damn.
"Does it matter?!" He asked angrily. "YOU ALMOST DIED MISTY!" He shouted into the phone. "You almost died and you didn't tell me! MISTY I COULD HAVE LOST YOU!" Maybe Ash wasn't quite sure of his words right now, but Misty's temper was not a force to be reckoned with. There was a reason she tamed a Gyarados, and there was a reason why it respected her! Ash was nothing compared to that.
"What do you care anyway?!" She shouted. "It's not like you could have done something! Wouldn't you be happy if I died? You wouldn't have an annoying, ugly, stupid friend from Cerulean City anymore, right Ash?!" Ash was taken aback by her words. Was that how she thought he thought of her? Was that how she saw herself? "There was no point in worrying you anyways, though I knew you wouldn't be..." She sighed, her voice wavering. "I'm fine, see?"
Silence filled the phone line as neither of them talked, waiting on the other to try and make the first move. Misty wasn't looking at the screen and Ash swore he saw tears in her eyes, but he really couldn't say anything either. Misty was so wrong about everything she said, but why couldn't he say that now? Him remaining silent was proving her right, and she was very far from it! Just when the silence was beginning to get deafening, a squeal erupted from behind Misty.
"Tokeprii!"
At the sound of the excited Pokemon, Misty turned around (Ash noticing a slight redness in her cheeks) as she picked up the baby egg Pokemon. As Togepi saw Ash on the screen, it suddenly started talking in its language. Misty was getting redder, understanding what the Pokemon was saying, but Ash was just confused why. He caught words like miss and happy, but that was just because he was familiar with Togepi saying those to him through previous calls.
"Hey there Togepi." Ash said, smiling slightly as the Pokemon smiled and tried to reach for him. Misty held on tighter though, and Ash knew that he still needed to clear things up with her. "Would you mind letting Misty and I talk for a bit?" He asked, the Togepi obviously deflating. The cutie looked up at her mother and saw the saddened expression on her face as well. Suddenly to Togepi looked rather menacingly at Ash.
"Toke Toke Prii Tokeprii Toke Toke Tokeprii!"
Misty set her down with a smile, but Ash was confused. He was pretty sure Togepi just threatened him with something, but he didn't know what. "She said that if you make me cry again, she'll get on Gyarados and hunt you down." Ash shivered at the thought of Gyarados, but found the image of Togepi on the dragon rather cute. No wonder it made Misty smile.
Silence once again filled the phone line, but this time, Ash didn't let it linger. "You're wrong you know." Misty looked up at him in confusion. "I don't think you're annoying, you're stupid or that you're…ugly—" Ash blushed slightly at that one. "I wouldn't be happy without you around Misty. The fact I'm calling you and shouting at you for not telling me is enough proof that I care." Misty was shocked at his words, but still said nothing.
"I think that you're great with your Pokemon and that without you, I never would have made it through the Indigo League, The Orange Islands or Johto." He continued. "You're probably the most important person in my life. You're my best friends and I l—" Ash couldn't bring it in himself to say it.
"You what?"
Looking up at Misty, she seemed to eager to want to hear the last phrase come out of his mouth. She seemed to be fighting back a smile, and she seemed to have tears in her eyes. Happy ones. She was waiting for him to say it, and that was when it clicked into Ash Ketchum's head that she felt the same way. He was denying the inevitable, and now he wished he had confessed before she returned to Cerulean City.
"I love you too much to let you die Misty."
The tears fell from her eyes as she pressed a hand on her screen, Ash pressing his against her as he smiled brightly at her. "I love you too, Ash." She answered, returning the smile. This wasn't the perfect confession, but it wasn't horrible either. This moment was theirs and theirs alone, but like all moments…it had to come to an end.
"PIKACHUPI!" Pikachu had bolted for the video phone and climbed on Ash's shoulders. He, too, was excited to see Misty just as Togepi was excited to see Ash. "Pi Pikachu! Pika Pi Pika Pikachu Pika Pikachupi!" Ash laughed slightly at his Pokemon's words as Misty waited for him to translate. Of course when he told her that Pikachu was saying "I'm sorry my master is dense and he loves you, Misty", she blushed and laughed as well. Suddenly, the blush made him remember something from awhile ago.
"Hey Misty?" He asked, her smile infectious as his smile widened. "Why were you blushing when Togepi was talking to me on the video phone?" The blush spread across her cheeks once again.
"No reason…" She said, but Pikachu was laughing. Obviously he had known to reason for Misty's blushing. He probably knew from traveling and talking with Togepi before. They were both pretty close after all. "No! No! Pikachu don't tell him!" She said, seeing that Pikachu was already on his way to speak.
"What? What is it?" I asked, Pikachu glancing apologetically at Misty and turning to me.
"Pikapi Pi Pika Pika Pikachu Pika!" A blush spread across my cheeks then as well, turning to Misty as she seemed to be hiding behind her hands. "And has long has Togepi been calling me 'Daddy'?" I suddenly asked, my voice barely as whisper as Misty and I were probably as red as tomatoes. "I don't remember having a kid with you." Yeah, that was for when I was a Pokemon Master and we're married, Ash said inside his mind.
"Uhm…well…oh, look at the time!" Misty suddenly said. "It's time to feed the Pokemon!" She continued on, evading the question. "Well, Ash, I want to talk to you more, but maybe another time okay?" Misty was panicked, but Ash understood. That just meant that Togepi had been calling him that for a long time. He also was sure that it probably really was time to feed her Pokemon anyway.
"Alright Misty, I'll talk to you soon." Ash decided to say. "I love you."
Misty's panicking halted at the words as she smiled warmly at him once again. Pikachu was poking Ash's cheek as he waved at Misty too. "Love you too, Ash." She said winking. "I'll tell our baby you love he so that she doesn't get jealous." Misty winked as she blew him a kiss, hanging up as Ash blushed at her words.
When Ash set the phone down again, Pikachu was already teasing him with "I told you so". About how he knew Misty felt the same way and about how he was right about Ash's feelings too! By the time he had reached the trio waiting for him, he had covered Pikachu's mouth with his gloved hand. "I get it already, no need to rub it in." He said, glaring at Brock who was supposed to be watching his Pokemon.
"So…" May began. "How was things with your girlfriend?" Ash's blush was answer enough to all of them.
"Shut up, May." He said, heading for the counter to retrieve his pokeballs. He suddenly couldn't help but get excited for next trip to Kanto. There, not only were his Pokemon and family waiting, but his beautiful girlfriend now too.
Well that's that! It's not my best, but I like how light hearted it is! Anyways, I wanted to play more on that Togepi calls Ash Daddy thing or the fact that she is the AAML baby, but I decided to just leave it at that. I could make a story form Togepi's perspective another time! Hopefully you can tell me what you thought of this one-shot! A review would be good for my wanting to write! Who knows, maybe I'll write another Pokemon fanfic someday!
If you didn't know what Cerulean Blues was, well let me explain. It's an episode in Pokemon Chronicles that tells the story of Misty after she left the group and got back to Cerulean. It also explains her Gyarados from Togapi Mirage and how she got it. I love that episode/arc really! I felt so much respect for her as a water Pokemon trainer and Gyarados did too! I love that Gyarados actually shows a smile for her and saves her! AWW! Gyarados is my personal favourite Pokemon, you see, so I liked that episode quite a lot! Especially cause I always wanted Misty to have one!
Also, I apologise for any grammatical errors that you may find. I don't have a BETA and only proofread my own work. Feel free to point them out to me and I will edit it when I have the time. Thank You!
~*..*~*..*~Reignstein~*..*~*..*~