White Wedding
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.
A Kiss and a Confession
Misty tossed and turned in bed that night, unable to sleep as thoughts of Ash and what he had said filled her head. Could he have really meant it? Misty highly doubted it; he had, after all, been drunk. Besides, what could he possibly see in her? Misty was scrawny, ugly, and hot-tempered; Ash was none of those things. (OK, so maybe he had a bit of a temper, but it was nothing in comparison to Misty's.)
No, Ash couldn't possibly like Misty like that. He was always teasing her and making fun of her. (Then again, Misty was always teasing and making fun of Ash, and she liked him that way, but she figured that she had to be the only person in the world to express affection the way that she did. Surely no one else, including Ash, was like that.) He had, after all, said that her hair would never be as nice as Dawn's and that no one would ever date her; that last statement seemed like all of the proof she needed.
Still, Ash had said that he loved her; surely that meant something, right? No, Misty thought, it probably didn't; Ash was just drunk, and drunken people don't know what they're saying half of the time.
Misty couldn't help crying. It was so unfortunate that she had to hear the words she had yearned to hear for so long in such a way, expressed without knowledge, without meaning, without thought. She had never dreamed it would be like this, picturing in her head the situation in which Ash would tell her he loved her in a totally different way. Still, she supposed that she deserved nothing better.
The next morning came far too early for Misty's liking, for she had once again gotten very little sleep. The other two girls, however, seemed pumped for the day and the wedding to begin.
"I'm so excited! This is going to be such a beautiful ceremony!" Dawn stated happily.
"I know. Mrs. Ketchum makes such a lovely bride," May agreed.
"Aren't you excited, too, Misty?" Dawn asked, for Misty looked languid and didn't speak.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, of course I am," Misty responded, trying her best to fake happiness. Apparently she succeeded, because Dawn did not push the subject further.
"Misty, was Ash alright last night?" May questioned. "He was pretty sick."
"Yeah, he was fine once he fell asleep, which, luckily, didn't take very long," Misty replied.
"It was really nice of you to take care of him like that," May added. "He's lucky to have you as a friend."
Somehow I doubt Ash sees it that way, Misty couldn't help thinking.
"Misty, did Ash say anything stupid last night? Sometimes when people are drunk they say really funny things, and we could all use a laugh to calm our nerves on the day of the wedding," Dawn prodded.
How did she know? Misty wondered. But there was no way Dawn could have known what Ash had said last night, Misty reasoned, chocking her reaction up to paranoia.
"No, he didn't. He was really tired and fell asleep really quickly."
"Oh, too bad," Dawn stated dejectedly. "I was really hoping he had said something dumb that we could use to make fun of him."
Ash said something dumb alright, Misty mused. She wasn't sure why she had protected Ash on that one...perhaps she was more protecting herself...
Misty twirled in front of the mirror, examining her slim body from all angles. A beautiful blue dress hugged her barely-there curves, cascading over her and landing just at her knees. Misty couldn't help but flush with excitement; she looked good! Maybe Daisy was right after all...
No, Daisy was Daisy; she was dumb and rarely right about anything. Besides, when Ash saw May and Dawn he would surely prefer them over her (although it didn't really matter about May because she was already taken). Misty had yet to see the two coordinators in their dresses, but she imagined that each girl would be ten times prettier than she. She was, after all, no matter how beautiful her dress was, just Misty, plain and scrawny with short carrot colored hair.
Suddenly the sound of someone rapping on the door jostled Misty from her thoughts. She realized that she had been in the bathroom for a long time looking at herself and, figuring it was May or Dawn knocking in hopes of being able to examine herself in the mirror, the water Pokemon trainer figured it was only fair to let someone else use the room. Imagine her shock when she found Delia Ketchum staring at her from outside the room.
It was indeed Mrs. Ketchum, but it was Mrs. Ketchum like Misty had never seen her. Instead of her trademark low ponytail, Mrs. Ketchum had let her long auburn hair down; it reached her waist. A silver tiara sat atop her head. Most magnificent by far, however, was the woman's wedding dress, a lovely silver that accentuated all the right areas of her body. Misty couldn't help but stare. If only she could look like that!
"Wow, Mrs. Ketchum! You look beautiful!" Misty couldn't help gushing.
"Oh, thanks, Misty! Do you really think so, though? I mean, I'm not sure that I like the way that my stomach sticks out and—"
"You look great, Mrs. Ketchum, so don't worry." Misty cut off the poor woman, who, in her nervousness about the approaching wedding, seemed to be seeing flaws that did not exist.
"Well, I'll let you use the bathroom," Misty began, still in awe of Mrs. Ketchum's beauty and unsure of what else to say.
"Actually, Misty, I was looking for you," Mrs. Ketchum stated.
"Oh, really? Whatever for?" Misty nervously leaned against the wall of the bathroom. Had she done something wrong? Was Mrs. Ketchum angry at her? Had she found out about what had happened to Ash last night? If Mrs. Ketchum found out that Misty hid Ash's drunken state from her she would surely be furious.
"Well, I have something for you." With that, Mrs. Ketchum reached into her beaded and sequined purse and pulled out a lovely silver barrette, one studded with jewels. The hair piece gleamed in the sunlight streaming in through the bathroom window, and Misty couldn't help but gape in awe.
"I want you to wear this in your hair, Misty," Mrs. Ketchum began. "It belonged to my mother, but since I'm not wearing my hair up I figured you could use it," the older woman explained.
"Oh, Mrs. Ketchum, I couldn't possibly—"
"Really, Misty, I insist."
Realizing that this was a battle she probably could not win, Misty relented and let Mrs. Ketchum lovingly pull her hair back into a low ponytail with the clip, which perfectly suited her blue dress.
"There, now doesn't that look nice, dear?" Mrs. Ketchum beamed at the younger girl.
Misty had to admit that she was right; her hair did look nice.
"Thank you so much Mrs. Ketchum. I really don't know what to say." Misty stared at the floor, unable to meet the woman's eyes.
"You don't have to say anything, Misty. I'm just glad that someone was able to use it," Mrs. Ketchum replied.
There was still something that was bothering Misty, though.
"Why me, though? Why not one of the other girls? I mean, May and Dawn are much prettier than I am; surely the hair piece would look better on one of them." Misty looked flushed, embarrassed by what she had said. Still, she couldn't help saying it. It was how she felt, and at the moment she believed she could share her feelings with Mrs. Ketchum.
"Oh, I don't think so, Misty. You're just as pretty as any other girl. Besides, you've known Ash longest and have always been closest to him," Mrs. Ketchum answered.
Misty could hardly believe what she was hearing. Did Mrs. Ketchum really think she was closest to Ash? Why would she think that?
"Oh, I'm not so sure, Mrs. Ketchum. I mean, I don't think Ash likes me very much," Misty admitted sadly.
"Misty, now you know that's not true. Sometimes people just express affection in funny ways; that doesn't mean they don't like someone, though. Ash cares for you deeply, Misty. He talks about you more than anyone!"
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Now don't think silly thoughts like that. I know my son, and I know when he cares about someone. Just be patient, Misty; sometimes these things take time," Mrs. Ketchum stated knowingly. With that, she exited the room, leaving Misty to ponder her words.
What did she mean by "sometimes these things take time"? Did Mrs. Ketchum know that Misty felt feelings that went beyond friendship for her son? How could she know, though?
What about what she had said about Ash caring for her? Surely Mrs. Ketchum knew Ash better than anyone! Still, Misty wasn't sure if she could believe her or not; she was too afraid of getting her heart broken.
Sweat stuck to Ash's suite. Embarrassed, he tried to fan himself with his hand, but the heat was relentless that day and no breeze blew through the trees. His socks felt squishy in his fancy black shoes. It was perfect weather for a fire Pokemon maybe, but it was not suited to young men wearing heavy black suites.
"Brock, it's so hot!" Ash whined. "I just want to change out of this stupid suite already."
"Ash, the wedding hasn't even started yet," Brock remonstrated. The Pokemon breeder and the future Pokemon Master were joined by Tracey and were waiting for the wedding to begin. Each young man was a groomsman. Gary was the Man of Honor, something he liked to shove in Ash's face. ("You may be Grandpa's new son, but he still likes me best!")
"I know, Brock, but I'm so hot," Ash replied.
"Guys, be quiet. The wedding's going to start soon," Tracey reminded his companions.
The wedding seemed like it was over before it had even begun. Ash joined Professor Oak, Gary, Tracey, and Brock at the alter, expectantly waiting for his mother to walk down the aisle. Before Mrs. Ketchum could join Professor Oak, however, the procession of the bridesmaids had to occur.
First came Dawn, looking confidant and quite lovely in a frilly pink dress. Her long deep blue hair had been perfectly curled. She smiled at Ash as she walked down the aisle, and Ash couldn't help but smile back.
Next May came down the aisle, wearing a pretty and airy yellow sundress. She wore her hair in two pigtails, each fastened with a yellow ribbon. She blushed slightly as she proceeded down the aisle. Despite becoming a skilled and relatively well-known coordinator, May still had some shyness and nervousness in her, Ash couldn't help but notice. He smiled at her as she approached him, and she hesitantly smiled back.
Ash was getting antsy at this point; it was, after all, quite hot, and he was eager to see his mother. When was this ceremony going to end, anyway? In fact, Ash was not just getting antsy, but getting really antsy, and not just because he wanted to see his mother in her lovely gown; his stomach, letting out a low growl (much to Ash's embarrassment, of course), betrayed him, hinting at the real reason Ash wanted the ceremony to be over. After all, after the ceremony came the reception, and with the reception came food...lots of good food.
Because of these things Ash wasn't really paying attention after May had proceeded down the aisle. Consequently he nearly jumped a foot when Brock tapped him on the shoulder and pointed at the aisle. Annoyed by this, Ash wondered what Brock wanted to show him and looked out towards the aisle.
Misty was now walking down the aisle, but she almost didn't look like Misty. She wore a beautiful blue dress and, blushing, Ash noticed parts of her body that he had never noticed before. Her hair was pulled back, yes, but not in her trademark side ponytail; instead she wore it clipped back in a low ponytail. At this Ash had to do a double take, for he recognized the clip in Misty's hair as his late grandmother's.
Ash must have been staring, because Misty gave him a funny look, almost as if to ask what he was doing. He blushed slightly. Misty then smiled at him, a pretty, lovely smile that Ash was always glad to see.
At that very moment Ash felt something funny, but it was not a bad feeling. It very much reminded him of the way he felt when Misty had touched his arm with her handkerchief after he had been injured in his battle with Gary and the way he had felt when Misty had spoken to him about his mother and Professor Oak the other night; the feeling had been particularly strong when he had embraced her that night. Now the feeling was back, and it felt as good as ever, although it did make Ash feel slightly sick to his stomach for some reason. What was this feeling that felt so very good? Why did Ash only seem to feel it when he around Misty?
The rest of the wedding seemed to rush by to Ash. His mother, of course, looked stunning, and he beamed with pride as she and Professor Oak exchanged vows. Before he knew it the ceremony had ended and it was time for the reception to begin. Ash was no longer thinking about food, though; all he could concentrate on was Misty and the strange feeling she seemed to produce inside of him.
"Wow, Pikachu! Is this food good or what?" Ash exclaimed while stuffing his face with rice balls.
"Pika!" The little electric mouse squealed in agreement.
Ash and his Pokemon companion were pigging out at the buffet at the reception. While other guests and members of the wedding party were busy mingling and dancing with one another, Ash and Pikachu couldn't stay away from the food.
Suddenly, someone tapped Ash on the shoulder. Annoyed at being interrupted while eating, the young Pokemon trainer turned around to find Tracey facing him.
"Oh, hey, Tracey! Isn't this food great? I love these rice balls!" Ash stated (though his mouth happened to be exceptionally full at the moment).
"Oh, yeah, it's excellent," the Pokemon watcher agreed.
"Next I'm going to try the pasta. Do you wanna come with me?" Ash questioned.
"What? Oh, no thanks. I was actually going to go dance with Daisy for a while," Tracey replied.
"Oh, OK. Well, it's your loss," Ash stated as he began heading over to the table where the pasta was out on display
"Hey, Ash, wouldn't you like to, um, dance with someone, too?" Tracey inquired sheepishly.
"Me? Oh, no. Dancing's girl stuff," Ash replied while making a face.
"Well, I've been dancing with Daisy, and I'm not a girl," Tracey reasoned. "Besides, I don't think Brock would consider dancing a girl thing; he's been asking all of the female guests for a dance, although no one will accept the poor guy's offer."
"That's Brock for you, always hitting on every girl and never getting anything in return!" Ash laughed. "Well, I'll see you Tracey." The future Pokemon Master began once again to head over to the pasta table.
"Uh, wait, Ash."
"What is it, Tracey? That pasta over there's really calling my name." Ash was quickly becoming annoyed with his friend.
"Um, are you sure you don't want to dance with someone?" Tracey asked.
"I told you already, Tracey; I don't like that mushy stuff," Ash replied with disgust.
"I know, Ash, but I was thinking that maybe you and Misty could dance together."
"Oh, I don't think Misty likes that mushy stuff, either. She's hardly a girl, after all," Ash joked.
"I think Misty would like to dance, actually," Tracey began. "Besides, she certainly looks like a girl today. Doesn't she look pretty, Ash?"
Ash couldn't deny that.
"Uh, I guess so," he stated sheepishly.
"Well, then you should ask her to dance with you," Tracey concluded.
"But I really don't want to," Ash whined.
"Ash, please ask Misty to dance with you. I know it would make her really happy," Tracey begged.
"What if she says no?" Ash questioned.
"She won't say no, Ash. Trust me on this one."
"Well, OK, then, but only because you asked me to." Ash then left Tracey to find Misty.
"Good job, honey." Daisy came over and gave Tracey a peck on the lips.
"I don't know about this, Daisy. What if it backfires? I can't see this ending well." Tracey expressed his concerns to his girlfriend.
"Like, relax, Tracey. You, like, totally did the right thing by asking Ash to ask Misty to dance. It will, like, give Misty an opportunity to finally confess to him," Daisy reassured her boyfriend.
"What if he rejects her, though? Then how will she feel? What if Misty finds out that I asked Ash to ask her to dance?"
"You, like, worry too much, silly; it'll all work out. Come on, let's dance."
With that Daisy dragged her reluctant boyfriend onto the dance floor.
Ash nervously approached the place where Misty was sitting. Like the ceremony, the reception was being held outside on the professor's Pokemon reserve, and the heat was still bothering Ash. Surely that was why his palms were so sweaty, right?
Ash felt an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. Why did he agree to do this, anyway? He knew this was a bad idea, and the way he was feelings only reinforced the fact.
All too soon Ash had made his way over to Misty, who sat fanning herself in the shade of a large tree. She didn't notice him until he sat down next to her.
"Oh, hey, Ash. It sure is hot, isn't it?" Misty commented airily.
"Oh, yeah, it definitely is." Ash just hoped that Misty didn't notice how sweaty he was.
"Your mother looked really beautiful today, Ash, and the ceremony was lovely, wasn't it?"
"Oh, yeah, um, listen, Misty, can I ask you something?" Ash figured it was now or never. The sooner he asked Misty to dance, the sooner this whole thing would be over.
"Sure, Ash. You can always talk to me," Misty reassured the nervous boy.
"Well, um, Misty, I was, um, wondering if you would dance with me..." Ash sort of mumbled the last part.
"What's that, Ash? I'm sorry, but I didn't quite hear you."
"I was wondering if you would dance with me." There. He said it.
"Sure, Ash! Let's go!"
Misty then grabbed Ash by the hand and led him over to the dance floor.
Unaware of what to do, Ash awkwardly put the wrong arm around Misty's waist. Correcting him, Misty noticed a slight blush come across his face.
"Ash, you're stepping on my feet!" Misty reprimanded.
"Err, sorry, Misty. I guess I'm not very good at this," Ash replied.
"You're doing fine, Ash. Just try to relax."
Relax? How could Ash relax when he felt like the whole world was watching him make a fool out of himself? How could he relax when his arm was around a girl's waist, and not just any girl, but a girl who happened to look exceptionally pretty that day and also a girl who happened to be one of his closest friends?
Much to his surprise, however, Ash eventually did relax. With Misty's help he even began to perform the dance steps correctly. Ash even began having fun and enjoying himself. He liked dancing, and, more importantly than that, he liked dancing with Misty.
The best part of all, however, was the fact that the mystery feeling, the one that felt so good, returned. Giddy with excitement, Ash never wanted the dancing to end. The pair danced through many songs, outlasting many of the couples on the dance floor.
Unfortunately, Ash's feet grew sore and he had to take a break. He and Misty sat down under the tree again.
"Um, Ash, I just wanted to thank you for asking me to dance. I had a really good time." Ash noticed a slight blush make its way across Misty's face as she said this.
"I had a good time, too, Misty."
The friends sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the moment. Each wanted to say something, but neither knew what to say. The silence became slightly awkward, and it was Misty who broke it.
"Ash, I'm going to go get some punch. Would you like some?"
Ash replied that he would, and Misty made her way towards the punch table. While filling her cup she heard two voices.
"...and I, like, never thought they were going to stop dancing!"
"I guess you were right, Daisy. I should have trusted you more."
"Like, damn right you should have, Tracey! I told you that telling Ash to ask Misty to dance was a good idea!"
Shocked, Misty almost spilt punch all over her lovely blue dress. What? She should have known that it was too good to be true! It was just some stupid plan of Daisy and Tracey! Grabbing the punch cups, she ran towards Ash.
"Here's your punch!" She threw the punch at Ash, staining his expensive suite. A bewildered Ash could only watch in amazement as Misty stormed off to the water Pokemon area of the reserve.
What had he done? They were having such a good time dancing, and now Misty seemed furious with him. Surely Ash would never understand girls.
Once again Misty found herself crying at the side of the river where the reserve's water Pokemon lived. For a moment she had actually let herself think that maybe, just maybe, Ash liked her after all. He had asked her to dance and everything! She shouldn't have gotten her hopes up and let her guard down, though. Like always, it only resulted in disappointment.
She should have known that Ash didn't ask her to dance through his own free will. She should have known that he would not have really wanted to dance with her. She should have known better.
No, Ash would never like a scrawny, ugly, hot-tempered girl like herself. What could he possibly see in her? Nothing, she was sure.
The sound of someone walking through the grass startled her. It was the last person she wanted to see.
"What do you want, Ash?" She glared at him while hastily wiping away her tears. She would never let Ash see her cry.
"I just wanted to see if you were OK. Are you OK?"
"Yes, I'm fine! I'm going to go back to the reception!" Misty snarled.
Before Misty could leave, however, Ash had grabbed her arm and forced her to stay.
"I want you to tell me what's wrong, Misty. We were having such a good time, and then you became so angry at me and I don't know why," Ash confessed.
"Why am I angry? Surely you can figure it out, Sherlock!"
Misty went to leave again, but yet again Ash grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.
"No, I can't figure it out. Please tell me!" Ash pleaded.
"Think for a minute, Ash. Now, let me ask you a question: why did you ask me to dance?"
"Because Tracey told me to," Ash answered without much thought, his ignorance about love keeping him from realizing that such a reply could hurt Misty.
"Exactly. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to the reception," Misty said through clenched teeth.
"But that still doesn't explain why you're upset with me," Ash replied.
Misty sighed, sitting down by the river again. There was no way Ash was going to let up. Could she really tell him the reason she was upset, though? Would he assume too much? No, this was dense Ash; he probably wouldn't figure it out.
"I'm upset because I thought you danced with me because you wanted to dance with me, but it turns out you only did it because Tracey told you to. Here I was thinking you were having a good time when it was probably torture for you."
"But I was having a good time, Misty. It wasn't torture at all. Why does the reason why I danced with you matter? Isn't what matters the fact that we had a good time?"
"No, Ash, that's not all that matters. The fact of the matter is that you didn't want to dance with me. You don't like me and I know it," Misty stated softly, the last part slipping out without her control.
"I didn't want to dance with you because I thought dancing was sissy stuff and that I would hate it, but it turns out that I really liked dancing with you. Misty, it has nothing to do with you; I didn't want to dance with anyone. And what makes you think I don't like you?"
What Ash said made some sense (surprise, surprise!), but Misty wasn't going to let her guard down that easily. All she had to do was think about what happened when she had done so earlier while dancing with Ash.
"Why do I think you don't like me? Pff, there are so many reasons!"
"Oh, yeah, like what?" Ash challenged.
"Like the fact that you're always making fun of me!"
"You're always making fun of me, too!" Ash retorted.
Again, Ash surprisingly had a point. Misty had to think of something better.
"Well, why did you want to train with Dawn instead of me the other day? We always used to train together!" There. There was no way Ash could get out of that one.
"Because Dawn and I always train together now! You're not with me anymore, so I need someone to train with, and Brock's more into breeding. Besides, your water Pokemon are far more experienced and better trained than Dawn's Piplup; I thought it could use the experience. God, Misty, why do you care?"
Why did she care? Why did she care? She cared because she was head over heels in love with him, that's why! Still, she couldn't tell him that. Misty had to be careful with what she said; she didn't want to reveal too much information.
"I care because I thought we were friends."
"We are friends, Misty! You're the best friend I've got outside of Pikachu!"
"I am?" Misty's expression softened at this confession.
"Of course! You've been with me from the beginning of my journey! You were there for me when no one else was!"
Misty didn't reply to this. Deep in thought, she couldn't help but soak in what Ash was saying. She was Ash's best human friend? Could it really be true? Still, she wanted to be so much more...
"How could you like me, though? I'm ugly and scrawny and hot-tempered!"
"Misty, you're not ugly. You look very pretty today." (At this both Ash and Misty blushed.) "And I like you the way you are, even if you are scrawny and hot-tempered. Besides, we wouldn't be Ash and Misty if we didn't fight, right?"
Misty nodded. "Right."
The duo sat in silence for a while, each thinking his or her own thoughts. Misty couldn't help but smile. Ash liked her for her. He even said so. Suddenly Ash interrupted the quiet.
"Misty, I just want to thank you for being so nice to me these past few days. I know it hasn't been easy, but I just want to say that I really appreciate the way you comforted me and talked some sense into me that night I was upset and the way you took care of me when I was, you know...drunk."
"You're welcome, Ash. I'm here whenever you need me. I hope you know that," Misty replied sincerely.
Silence once again took over. Much to Misty's surprise, however, Ash reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. She squeezed back. She found herself leaning in and moving closer to Ash.
Ash's face was inches away from hers. "You really do look pretty today, Mist," Ash stated softly.
Then they kissed. And that was that. Well, almost...
The kiss lasted for quite awhile, but then the pair finally broke apart.
"Ash, I love you."
With that, Ash stood upright and immediately fled the scene.
Author's Note: I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to upload this chapter. I have no excuse, really; it's not even like I've been that busy. The truth is I've been playing Pokemon Pearl like some kind of addict. I'm trying to train a team for wifi, but it takes forever to get everyone up to level one hundred, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't frustrating and time-consuming.
The other reason it took so long for me to write this chapter is the fact that I really had no motivation to write it. I'm just not happy with this fic. It's too dialogue-intensive and not descriptive enough. By today (after a few weeks) I still only had a third of this chapter written, but I pushed myself to finish it tonight, so here it is. There's only one chapter left now. Don't worry—I will finish this story!
I finally figured out how to add line breaks into stories, so I'm going to put those into this chapter and the other chapters (and some of my other stories as needed). I'm sorry if not having the line breaks confused people.
Thanks for your patience. I hope you're enjoying this story. Please review:)