I suppose I need to tell everyone this now. (This means Misty's comments, not mine) (A/N: This means my comments, of which I will not be making) So everything is narrated, and put in parentheses by Misty.
But BSR, why oh why have you taken so long to update?
Because my school hates freedom and bogs me down with work and tests I really should study for and they won't even give us our Bishop Day, which was when Bishop John Lennon, well, not John, Bishop Lennon came in, we pretended to listen, and he gave us a day off. But we didn't get that day off. And that is why I couldn't update. I apologize for my teachers' lack of sympathy and need to crush the spirits of creatures who were once happy teens.

AAML

"…Ash…?" I called down tentatively. My fingers clutched the grey stone with an almost hyperactive worry state flashing through my mind. "Ash, hey, uh, you're conscious, right? Sorry I banged you up. I didn't mean it to go that far. It's just…you're kind of a jackass when no one else is around and I have a short temper. For some reason, you keep forgetting my violent tendencies but judging by the fact that I might have killed you, it looks like I can't control my temper yet. So…oops is really the only thing I can think to say. I'm not exactly sure it's right but…oops. Pikachu, do you think Ash left you to me in his will?"

"Misty?" Ash's voice floated up to me. It was beautiful melody of angels. I was not going to jail, they said to me. I was not going to become some angry girl's girlfriend! It wasn't going to be like all those horror movies my sisters had me watch about the woman going to jail! I was home free, glory be! This was an amazing thing, you see, because I was quite convinced I had murdered Ash Ketchum, and you don't get many kind words for killing the infamous Ash Ketchum. "Misty, where the heck am I? And why am I wet?"

"I don't know…" I lied, my voice sounding a little too airy. I eyed the electric rodent next to me, raising one eyebrow as a brilliant beyond all brilliance idea struck. It would be perfect, if only for a few days. "hey, by any chance do you remember a pokémon called Pikachu? If you don't, you shouldn't know that he's mine and he's not too fond of you. You have a psyduck to help you through your pain. Best pokémon in the world. You two have made beautiful memories together. He really misses you. Do you want his pokeball?"

"Are you kidding? I don't have amnesia, Misty! I said your name two seconds ago! I obviously don't have amnesia if I know who you are! I also know who Brock is and who Pikachu is! I can't believe you're trying to steal Pikachu and pawn Psyduck off on me! Now, could you please tell me where I am? I think I went unconscious for a moment and I blanked out the first couple of minutes, so I don't remember anything about what just happened. My leg hurts too, really badly." He splashed for a second. "I think it's broken, Misty."

"Uh-oh," I squeaked.I cleared my throat and tried to make it deepen, hopefully sounding calming and grown-up-ish and not uh-oh-I'm-going-to-jail-for-assult-and-I-don't-have-a-single-lawyer-to-help-me-out-sh. It didn't work though. It never does. My voice stayed high and squeaky for a little while longer. "Ash, maybe you're jumping to conclusions! I'm sure it's not nearly as bad as you think! Stay calm and, er, well, I'll get a rope and pull you out of there! When the bucket comes down, grab it. I'm sure it'll all hold your weight." It was at this point that my betrayer of a voice finally returned to normal and I could speak like the Mighty Misty I truly was. "Then again, you're water logged. Take off your jacket, pants and shirt. I'll haul those up first."

"Bucket?" Ash said, his voice a low growl. I shuddered. He sounded mad and you do not mess with an angry Ash. He'll kill you, and that's no exaggeration. Okay, it is. He won't kill you, but if you think that boy wouldn't hurt a fly you have another thing coming. He is angry and violent."Do not tell me that I'm in a well. If I am…hold on! Did you push me down a well? What the hell did I do to get pushed down a well? Yes, Misty, I said hell instead of heck because you pushed me down a well. I mean, I've been hit by you lots of times, but down a well?"

Now, admittedly, I was in the wrong today. It was the first and only time I had been wrong, and I will never be wrong again. Why? Because I am the Mighty Misty, and the Mighty Misty does not get anything wrong. However, looking back on that crucial, life changing moment, I suppose that, yes, I screwed up. I think that hitting him with my mallet as hard as I could as we stood by a well (made of beautiful gray stone, by the way. The whole thing would have been absolutely wonderful and romantic if Ash wasn't there to screw everything up and make it suck) and he was looking down into it could have been handled a different way that did not involve poor Ash tumbling headfirst down a water source. But, what's in the past was in the past and I couldn't exactly change it. So, I lied about it. Why get it trouble, right?

I shouted: "I didn't push you, dumbass! You fell down the well yourself! I tried to grab you, but you went too fast and now you're stuck! So put your clothes in the buck and I'll haul them up. Then I'll send it down to haul you up. Do you think you can make it back to the center if I let you lean on me, or will I have to carry you?"

There was the quiet sound of water, sloshing only because he had moved in it a few moments before, then he replied: "Um, I think I'll be able to if you help me. I just have to take my jacket, shirt, and pants off, right?"

I snorted and wrinkled my nose, glad he was in the well so he wouldn't see my blush. What was it with this boy? Did he have some kind of sick desire to flash me? No matter where I went, I always ended up with a pair of boyish boxers in my face and a creepy ten year old who broke my bike doing some kind of foreign pantsless dance for me. I really don't want to see a pantsless dance, but I always get one. Thinking back to these pantsless dances, I giggled. "Ash, I want to get you out of the well, but I don't want to see you naked. It's bad enough I'll have to see you in wet boxers. I'll have nightmares for weeks."

He grunted, looking up at me as I peered over the edge. "Thanks for the compliment. Wanna pull me up or something? It's a little cold down here. In the well I'm in. Can't believe you pushed me down a freaking well…"

"You're welcome for the compliment, Tubby," I giggled, and lowered the bucket into the well. As for hauling him up and walking him back? Well, you could say the nickname suited him perfectly. I did not suffer in silence either. Note to self: Never volunteer to carry way too heavy for his age boy the five hundred and thirty two feet back to the room. No easy task.

(PAGE BREAK)

Brock, however, did not seem to be anywhere near as gullible as the lovely Ash was. In fact, he seemed downright suspicious that Ash fell down a well. I'd believe he fell down a well. The idiot falls all the time! Why not down a well? He fell, and he just so happened to be by a well. The odds of that happening cannot be that impossible. Unfortunately, my close eyed friend did not this of this logic. "He fell…down a well. No one hit him down, Misty?"

"No! I even tried to catch him!" I said, doing my best wide-eyed-innocent-I-have-no-idea-what-the-goodness-golly-foshes-you-are-talking-about-golly-gee-willickers face. He glared at me. It really hurt. "Brock, why would I lie about this? It's not like I haven't pushed him down things before! I've pushed him down lots of things: stairs, off ladders, off small cliffs, out of trees…Oh! Do you remember the elevator incident?"

Ash moaned. "I just kept falling and falling…Thanks for coming back after you finished shopping to stop the escalator," He spat sarcastically.

"You should be thankful," I retorted, my face stuck in a snarl. "I could've left you there to die, falling down the escalators forever! That's a whole lot worse! It was nice of me to come back at all, especially after you called me scrawny! You know I hate it when you do and you know I'll hit you but you insist on it! Maybe the way to keep me from pushing you down the stairs is to not provoke me when we're standing on top of the stairs! Didn't you even think that hey, you had a freaking voice and you could've called for help! The only reason no one came was because I put a sign up that side you were trying to break a world record! If you had just told someone that the sign was a lie or called for help I'm sure you could've gotten out of there no problem! It's not my fault you're stupid! Maybe you should grow a brain!"

"Or Misty should enroll in anger management classes," Brock muttered. "You have a problem. Don't you even feel guilty about leaving him there? I mean, it was three hours. I could understand a few minutes, but three hours?"

I bit my lip, thinking quietly. I didn't feel a thing, really. Well, there was the bubbly, cheerful feeling I get whenever I complete revenge, but that had almost faded to the point where it almost wasn't funny to think of him falling down the stairs for hours on end. Almost. It still made me smile. "I don't feel bad about it. He deserved it. Besides, he got right back up! Sure, he was bruised and dizzy, but it's not like he died or anything! He's just a big crybaby!"

"I had bruises all over! Plus three hours of my life were wasted falling down!" Ash snapped. He crossed his arms over his for and tried to look peeved from his spot. He only succeeded in looking like he was a little kid throwing a tantrum. "You're demon spawned, you know that! You're pure evil! Satin's child!"

Ignoring him, I grinned at Brock. "So, what's the word, Doc? He bruised up his leg or sprained an ankle? We'll be able to travel soon, won't we? Ever since that first town without a gym we had the curse of never getting a moment's rest. I just want to get out of here before you fall down a well." I laughed.

Brock did too. "Well, we'll be out of here the second Ash figures out how to walk on crutches. You got pretty banged up this time, Ash. I've got you splinted and all wrapped up but you're still going to be hobbling around for a while. With today's medicine, I'd have to say it's going to be two weeks. A lot better than before though, Ash. It used to be a couple of months, well, six weeks. Welcome to the club! You're now one of billions of members. I'll give you your prize later." He clapped Ash on his shoulder and the smaller boy grinned.

"What am I, the 999,999,999,999th member?" Ash giggled, flashing his stupid smile.

I wanted to punch it off his face. I had hurt him. He was in pain. He shouldn't have been laughing, he should have been crying! It wasn't revenge if he was grinning. Then it was just an attempt at revenge that had failed and, believe you me, I never had and never will enjoy failing. But, I plastered a smile on my face and laughed along with them

"Close to it! Congrats, Ash, you broke a leg!"

I suddenly felt nauseous and my mouth took on a coppery taste. For some reason I could not get that one thought out of my head…I broke his leg.

(PAGE BREAK)

I sat on the edge of his bed, stain. No, not at his sleeping face, but his leg. Brock had gotten the medical supplies he needed and given Ash a cast. I had tried to persuade Nurse Joy into telling Brock all they had was the bright pink, but she just laughed and handed Brock the dark blue. Now, it was practically black, covered in ink and decorate with drawings done the day before by Ash himself. I had to admit, he could really draw his pokémon. Keyword: his. He could draw a perfect Pikachu but ask him for a geodude and…it's definitely not a geodude. It's a wonderful circle…

Knowing he wouldn't wake up, I leaned over and traced my signature on his cast. It seemed ironic, since I was the one who caused the mess, the mess that started up approximately fourteen hours before. I knew, because I had counted every hour. I couldn't sleep, though I could not for the life of me figure out why I was having the trouble. So, not thinking of what else to day at seven in the morning, I came to his bed and had stared at his leg for an hour. It wasn't until sixty three minutes had passed that I was finally able to get up the courage to do anything more than look. It turned out that this movement was the death of me.

"Pikachupi?" Pikachu asked sleepily, raising her head to perk her ears and flick them back and forth, trying to find the sound that had woken her up. Her sleepy eyes shined in the darkness, wondering if I was the cause of the noise."Pika?"

"Just looking at the battle scar," I explained. My fingers tapped on the bulbasaur drawing slowly as I thought of what else to say. "I bet it must be weird for Ash to have this junk on. He loves to run around and he can't feel anyone touching his cast."

"Actually, it kind tickles when you tap it like that. How long have you been up? I've been up for a few minutes." He opened his eyes and smiled at me. "Good morning, Misty. Do you always wake up this early when we don't have to walk? You're always complaining about it, yet here you are. It's seven in the morning. Why aren't you sleeping in?"

"I couldn't," I sighed. "I couldn't sleep at all. What's it like to have a cast on? Violet says it's itchy, but I haven't broke anything yet. It doesn't hurt, does it? Not anymore. You'd've been crying if it did." I giggled when he scowled at me.

"It's kina itchy, but Brock keeps giving me aspirin so it doesn't really hurt. I'm pretty bruised up on my leg too, and that's what hurts, mostly." He grinned at me. "How'd I fall down the well, Misty? Was I attempting suicide? I'm sure Pikachu will tell me if you don't!" He laughed, cuddling his electric rat.

I stiffened. Pikachu had been there! She had seen everything! I was so screwed if she spoke up. But she didn't. She made her little Pikachu happy noise and cuddled up to him. I blinked. "Uh, you…you just tripped, Ash. You're always tripping. This time just brought you down a well. Accidently happen." I shrugged, then though. I hadn't been able to insult him. Believe me, I definitely wanted to insult him. That always cheered me up, and I felt pretty down right then. But I tried and tried my hardest and I couldn't bring myself to do it. It was aggravating, mostly because I've never had a problem saying what I wanted and now it felt like I was being silenced. "I can't believe you fell down a well." I scolded in my most disappointed voice. That seemed to be best I could manage, teasing disappointment. I took was I could.

"I'm surprised you didn't push me in yourself," He laughed. "Hey, hold on, Misty. Why are you so pale? You're like a ghost, even in this light! Man, that's freaky. Just when I thought you couldn't be any paler, you sure showed me!"

"That's not funny!" I giggled, the wave of fear passing. "I'm going to try and get back to bed, I guess."

"Yeah, 'cuz who'd want to stay up talking to me?" Ash laughed. It sounded empty. His hand smoothed Pikachu's fur absently, sadly. "I'm not that great of a talker. I know where you're coming from. Even I wouldn't want to talk to me. I never say anything too smart or worth talking about. It's just all about pokémon. I think I'll talk to Pikachu until you get up. So, I guess I'll see you in three hours?" He asked carefully.

For a second I wondered why he seemed so scared to ask, and then it hit me; he thought I would turn him down. It made me pause, wondering if I really did shoot him down all that often, if I really did hurt him so much that he was scared to ask if I would be willing to spend time with him. It kind of hurt. "Uh, yeah, two hours, I guess." I took a deep breath, holding it for a second before releasing it slowly to buy myself time. "But…I was only saying that because I thought you were tired. If…if you're not ready to go to sleep yet I'd love to keep talking. Even talking to you is better than going back to having nightmares about bugs!" We laughed, then the room went eerily silent. "Well, I guess we need something to talk about. Why don't you…tell me why you want to be a master so badly."

"First tell me what you want to do. What you really want to do," Ash grinned. "Keep it short, we don't have all night!"

"I want to be the best at everything," I shot back. "No story there. Tell me all about your heart's desire! I bet I can grab a flashlight form Brock's bag and we can tell it like a horror story. Anything out of your past is bound to horrifying."

Ash grinned a cruel smile and tilted his head down, light dancing in his bang covered eyes. "It was a dark and stormy night in Pallet. My mother had made an all vegetarian dinner that night, so, of course, I was pretty hungry…"

(PAGE BREAK)

"Do you want breakfast?" I asked, looking at the digital clock blinking 9:00 in green letters. "I'm pretty hungry. You can't really walk, so, uh, I wouldn't mind picking something up for you. Keep it simple, because I'm not making more than one trip to carry all your junk."

"Cold, sugary cereal and cold milk?" He asked almost too hesitantly for me to stand it.

"No problemo, mi compadre," I said, saluting with two fingers. "You want skim, one percent, or two percent?"

"Whole!" He beamed, his white flashing teeth seemed to be the badge of honor for the avid milk drinker. "What's the point of drinking milk if it tastes like water? Why would anyone want the other stuff? I like it full of fat and rich so I can grow up big and strong like a fat baby cow! Though I don't want to be made into a hamburger."

"The other stuff tastes just as good, and most people don't want all the extra fat in their drink, "I elaborated, jumping off the bed. "Not that you care much about fat, Ash. You're the kind of guy who eats deep fried Twinkies like their pieces of popcorn." I swung out the door, but poked my head in one last time. "I'll have to return the trays anyway, so plastic spoon or metal?"

"Paper or plastic," He quoted, then shrugged. "Plastic so I can chew on the spoon for a while." Then I went to leave, but he called me back. "Misty, um, we need some ketchup packets for Pikachu. She broke into my backpack last night and ate them all. That's what she was telling me while you were messing with my cast. I nodded and headed for the door again, but was stopped once more. "Misty! I wanted to say…" He froze for a moment, but apparently my hot glare defrosted him. "Thanks. Thanks a bunch."

My throat thickened and my stomach lined itself with lead. I felt horrible, and it was his fault. It was my fault he had a cast on, and what does he do? He thanks me! Little psycho. Yet, though all these things seemed right to say, the wrong thing came out. Not an insult, not a hot response, but: "Welcome, Ash." I walked out the door, closed it softly behind me, then ran like hell. I had a bad feeling about today. It had to do with whatever was making me sick (which, unfortunately wasn't lovesickness (I knew how to fix that)) and the fast that this weird emotion was bound to make me snap sooner or later. It was only a matter of time…

(PAGE BREAK)

"Can you use them now?" Brock asked, handing the newly adjusted crutched to Ash. It was taking a while to shift them into the right position (mostly because Ash was so whiny and short): just tall enough to shove up uncomfortably into your armpits when you walked but low enough so that you couldn't really have fun and pole vault with them. Ash, being especially short (he is short), needed a lot more adjustment than most, and it was starting to get funny.

"Do you have a setting for 'dwarf' on there, Brock?" I giggled, watching Ash's face go red.

"Shut up!"

"Ooh," I taunted again. "Grumpy. Who put a bee in your bonnet, Ash? Hey! I just realized! Grumpy! That's a pun all in itself! You're one of Snow White's friends! So, are you going off the mill singing "High Ho"? I would pay to see that!"

"I hate be short," Ash grumbled, attempting to use the crutches again. He wriggled on them. "They're not to tall. Maybe I don't have to stand on tip toe anymore, but it kind of is annoying. I'm not supposed to rest my body on 'em, you said, but they're shoving up into my armpits and I think that's going to get pretty aggravating."

"Ooh, aggravating. Big word for such a little guy," I snickered. "But if it's that annoying, it's about right. Violet told me crutches were annoying because it's supposed to be a punishment for being retarded and letting your leg get bashed up. Hey, do either of you two know what retarded means? I think it's stupid."

Ash shook his head no, but Brock merely replied, "Add that to your list of words you shouldn't say. That one is going to get plenty of people made at you. When you know what it mean you can choose whether or not you will go around saying it."

"Does 'fuck' mean good, Brock?" Ash asked suddenly. He plopped on the bed and let the crutches fall to the floor with an air of disgust. Apparently, he was fed up with the metal monsters. Of course, since I wasn't on crutches, the only thing I want to do it, of course, play with the thing I can't have. So I stole his crutches and hobbled around on them while he talked. Well, more tried to balance on them while I picked both my feet up from the floor. "Because I heard some guy say 'motherfucker' to another guy, so would that mean he has a good mom?"

"Brock put his head in his hands for a minute, but I wasn't sure why. It seemed perfectly rational to me. "Ash…no. It doesn't mean that at all. That's probably the biggest 'no' word on the list. In fac,t you shouldn't say it even after you find out what it means. Why don't you lean on Misty and get outside? You can practice with your crutches."

We looked at one another, Ash with surprise for a second, because I was indeed balancing on his crutches, shrugged, then did what Mama Brock asked us to do. Unless it had to do with a girl, you always did what Mama Brock said. That's why) aside from the fact that it was pretty funny) I ditched Ash for a moment when Brock called me into the room.

"Hey! What about me? I'll be lonely out here! No one to keep me company as I fall on my face…I seriously can't used my crutches…oh no! Pikachu! Stop! You're going to throw me off balance! You can't get on my-" There was a crash outside, one that made both Brock and I wince, before his voice wafted to us. "I'm okay…mostly…"

"You rang, Brock?"

"Have you told him yet?" Brock asked, leaning back and falling to his bed. He had the top bunk, so he had pretty much vanished from my sight. "I don't think you have. Seems weird. Usually this is something you'd admit out of nowhere, something you'd be proud of. So why are you so quiet about it? Why aren't you bragging. Misty, this isn't like you at all, I know that and we haven't even spent all that much time together."

"What am I quiet about?" I blinked, my innocent face returning.

He flipped onto his stomach and eyed me, making sure I was looking back. I was sure to meet his gaze, you could never pass off a lie if you were looking away. When he spoke, the words were slow, sure, yet somehow not accusing. "I know you shoved Ash in the well. I'm sure you didn't mean for him to break his leg, but I'm sure you shoved him in. Ash is pretty clumsy, but that's no reason for him to actually turned into an overused Lassie cliché."

My mouth moved quickly, already coming up with a fact to move away from the lie. "Did you know that every single dog that played Lassie was male, even though Lassie was supposed to be a girl? They did that because males usually had better coloring. I find that ironic, because most of the Lassie movies were in black and white anyway. What's the point of having pretty colors if you can't see them? Why not just get a girl?"

"You're changing the subject."

I blinked my eyes. "Am I?"

"I'm just letting you know, you're usually guilt free, but you've never lied about anything like this. You've got a conscience, I've seen it, and you can't smother it for long. It'll come out whether you want it to or not, and you never know what people do when they feel guilty. My little sister used to burst into tears whenever she felt guilty. Completely random, just started crying. I doubt you'll start crying, but you never know."

"Don't worry about me, Brock," I grinned, thumping my chest with my fist. "Guilt can't get through my barriers! As long as I think rationally, I'll stick to my story. Ash fell. Don't blame me. I'm an angel, and innocent angel from the heavens above!"

"Innocent my foot!" Brock snorted. "Go help Ash use his crutches. Maybe that'll earn you some karma points! Amscray!"

I amscrayed.

(PAGE BREAK)

At the end of daylight, turning into evening, Ash could run almost as fast on crutches as he could without them. It never ceased to make me giggled to watch the boy's lurching steps across the green grass behind the pokémon center. It also never ceased to amaze me that I didn't even have to go slowly for him. It also never ceased to disgust me at how much boys sweated compared to girls. I told him so. "You smell like a muk, Ash."

"You're no cherry blossom yourself," Ash retorted, laying down close to me. "You smell gross. I smell gross. Aren't kids supposed to smell bad?" He grinned and put a crutch in my face. The leather, squishy top was glistening with sweat and the smell was something you neither want to read about or breathe in. He giggled as I tumbled away, hand over my nose and gagging. "That bad? That should be an attack."

"Smelly, guy armpits," I mused. "Not exactly a cool name and I don't think you'll pick up a lot of girls with that one."

"Yes," Ash agreed. "I won't pick up girls, but I don't want to pick up girls. Besides, it's defensive and offensive. Offensive is obvious, if a pokémon smells bad enough he can make his opponent woozy or even knock it out. Defensive because, well, do you want to get close to anything that smells like me, or touch something that smells like me?"

"I don't want to get close to you that smells like you. That can't be healthy, Ash. Nothing that smells that bad can. Wait, have you even taken a shower since you fell in the well?" He gave that obnoxious, obviously mischievous grin to me. "Oh! That is sick! You better be planning on taking a shower tonight I will…I don't know, but it won't be good for you! Sick, Ash. It's completely sick. See, this is why I hate guys!"

"You have no idea how funny it would be to put you in a headlock," He said, jerking towards me threateningly. "I'll do it too! For missing me when I fell down the well! Maybe that'll teach you to get faster reflexes."

I shrieked and tried to get away, crawling on my hands and knees, but he snatched my ankle and dragged me back. Once I was close enough, he grabbed the belt loop on the back of my shorts and pulled me all the way down, trying to wrestle my head under his arm, which really was the moment I decided that I truly hated Ash Ketchum, but I luckily managed to escape and hide behind the tree we were under.

Though Ash could run just fine with his crutches, it took a while for him to get up. It took even longer for him to turn around. If I knew Ash like I thought I knew Ash, he wouldn't care. He'd be up on his feet and after me as soon as he could. My knowledge did not deceive me. He was up in a second, and though I smiled and laugh and seemed all around happy, the gross feeling was back worse than before, and I let Ash catch me. Well, by that time, it was 'tag' me, and it was my turn to chase after him.

I guessed, well, if I pushed the guy down the well, I could give him this much, right? Righ. No guilt. No pressure.

(PAGE BREAK)

"You don't talk in your sleep," Ash said as my drowsy eyes opened. "You never have. You've snored, sure, all three of us do that, but I'm the only one who talks in his sleep. Brock says 'Oh Jenny, oh Joy' a lot but he's sorta singing and I don't think that counts. So, when did that start? You were almost screaming? Did you have a nightmare or something?" He laughed and continued to look at my face, eyes worried, yet happy nothing was wrong with me.

"What was I saying?" I asked, feeling worried. I did fleetingly remember a dream about Ash toppling into the well due to the mallet I carry around in my hammerspace. Sadly, I could do nothing but watch myself beat Ash into the well. Then he turned into a swarm of bugs and ate my flesh, but that's how all my nightmares end.

"You kept screaming 'don't do it' and then, well, then you started screaming something about devouring your corpse and you were too young to die and you hadn't even gotten drunk yet." Ash knotted his eyebrows together. "Was it the bugs again?"

I sighed sadly and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "It's always about the bugs. I hate the bugs. They always ruin my dreams! Some of them start out so happy and then the bugs show up out of nowhere and bam! I'm suddenly getting eaten again. This fear is getting pretty bad. I think it's because I'm meeting so many new types." I smacked his shoulder playfully, grinning. "Nice job, Ash. I'm never going to get over this fear!"

He smiled back. "Yeah, I guess not. But, you know, facing your fears is supposed to help you get over them. So, maybe if you really want to stop having nightmares I should go out and catch a few bug pokémon, lock you in a room with them…"

"No!" I shook my head vigorously. "Not in the name of fudge I won't! you know I can stand having those things around now as long as they don't look to buddy but I'm definitely not getting locked in with any of them! Not even the pretty ones! That's where I draw the line!" I crossed my arms and fell back on my bed, hoping the discussion would be over. Being around Ash made the stomach of lead feeling twenty times worse than a ever before. I was getting sick of my mouth tasting funny too. Instead of footsteps fading, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Not everything you think is all that bad really is. Some things…some things you hate, they aren't so bad. I mean, you used to hate talking to me, and now look how much we're talking! It's like we're really," I could hear the embarrassment in his voice and imagine his bright red face. "We're really friends. Do you think we're friends?"

"We've always been friends, Ash. I guess we're just…we're a different kind of friend than most people. You know how much we fight, Ash. Not, I'm not saying we're, like, in love or anything, but we're kind of close and I fight with my sisters all the time! I guess it's just my family's way of showing they care!" I felt my face heat up, but I found his hand in the dark and squeezed it once, quickly, before letting go. "I care about you. Not like that but-"

"Oh, I know! Neither of us feel like that. I don't feel like that with anyone. The only thing I love is pokémon training and food. That's all I'm planning on liking. I'm going to be single all my life!" He grinned proudly, and somehow it made me smile.

"Well, the girls you be all over you then. Girls always like guys that play hard to get. That's because, to girls, catching boys is just as much as a sport as catching pokémon. But the girls have to be careful to, because boys only want one thing from a girl."

"What's that?" Ash asked.

"I can't say. It's on the list of words we're not allowed to say. I don't know what the word means anyway. If I don't know what it means, I'm pretty sure you won't have any idea either. You're a lot dumber than I am." He stomach twisted again, reminding me that I was supposed to be nice to the dark haired dork.

"Spell it," He insisted.

I sighed. It wasn't exactly something I wanted to share with him. I was pretty sure spelling it was just as bad as saying it. "It's like six but with an 'e' instead of an 'i', When I asked my sisters about it, that said I'd understand when I'm older and if I didn't I should ask them again when I'm a teenager. They say that about pretty much everything. My parents used to be the exact same way! I don't know why I have to wait so long. Teenagers are just as stupid as kids, I know plenty of them! Why do they get all the cool stuff?"

"Because adults don't want us to have any fun. They shove all the cool stuff into the teenager's head because they always like the older kids better. That's why little kids always get hand-me-downs," Ash explained, quite sure of himself.

"That's right!" I exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder. "I never get anything but hand-me-downs! My parents always liked my big sisters better! Even the bike you owe me was a hand-me-down from Violet! I never got anything of my own! Well, except underwear and socks, but that's not really what I want for Christmas. That's all I got for Christmas, Ash, stuff my sisters got before and socks and underwear!"

Ash's hand found mine this time and gripped it to show his shock. Unlike me, however, he didn't let go two second later. "Santa stole your sisters' gifts and gave them to you? And he gave you underwear? Santa hated you!"

"Not exactly, my parents gave me underwear and socks. Santa does give me a lot of stuff he stole from my sisters but he gets some stuff that's just for me. When I asked my mom why I got so many of my sisters' old gifts mom said Santa though I wouldn't notice, even though she told him I would and that Santa was a cheapskate and she didn't know why she was with him in the first place and why she continued to have his children."

"That's weird."

"What my mom told me?"

"No, that your mom calls herself 'she' instead of 'I'," He laughed at his own joke.

I hit him again and we each went back to sleep. I shook my head a bit before I could get back to dreamland again. Ash must have been squeazing my hand too hard, because it felt tingly. But, weirdly, it was a nice kind of tingly. Then my stomach turned to lead because I heard Ash's cast bump the bed he crawled into.

That was my fault.

(PAGE BREAK)

"Breakfast?" I asked. I had woke up early again and spent the morning gawking at his cast. When his eyes finally opened, that was the only word I could think of. It was strange because, honestly, I wasn't even in the mood for 'breakfast'. I would've settled for a glass of water and a few strawberries. Maybe I'd grab a banana, but nothing I couldn't snatch out of my backpack and eat while watching an early morning talk show.

He cocked his sleepy head to the side. "Breakfast? Didn't you say all I get is cold milk and cereal?" He laughed and grinned at that. "It's like I'm in jail thanks to this cast. The worst part is the food." His eyes closed again.

I picked up his cast coated leg and dropped it on the bed. "Wake up! I'm the waitress at the bed and breakfast and I'm taking your order! If you could try to keep it on one tray, that'd be great, 'cuz I'm not bringing anymore than one. I'm not hungry, but I'm sure as hell bored out of my mind. So, order up so I can have something to do. I have to stretch out my legs. All that running yesterday really hurt my legs. They're tight." I rubbed them to prove it. They were sore, but I was sure that wasn't the real reason I was going down there. T9o think of it, my legs could probably hurt worse. It would be better to stretch.

"Could I have pancakes and bacon and…" He stopped himself. "Uh, could you just grab a lot of pancakes and bacon? Those are always right next to each other."

"How much of each?" I sighed, slightly regretting my decision. I'd probably collapse under the weight. "Like, five plates of pancakes and six of bacon? That's how much you usually eat, and that's only if you're 'not hungry'."

"If you could just load up a plate of pancakes and bacon…just have it stacked as high as you can. Oh! Maple syrup all over it too!" He stopped, then continued in a quieter tone. "Well, uh, only if you can. If it's too hard to do, it's not a problem. I can eat it dry. Your legs already hurt, probably worse than mine does!"

"It's no problem, Ash. I'm doing this for the sake of my legs and out of pure boredom. I'll get you syrup just because I'm such a sweet girl." I swung out of the bed, winking. "Aren't I the sweetest girl in the whole wide world?"

"You're pretty nice today," Ash beamed. Pikachu was beginning to stir and uncurl next to Ash's head. "Don't' know why you're being so nice, but as long as there's not a prank at the end of this I'd be happy to take it. I can't believe you're actually getting me pancakes for breakfast! Who are you, and what have you done with Misty?"

I rolled my eyes and head for the door. "Don't be too excited, they generally taste like squishy cardboard when Brock doesn't make them."

"Thanks, Mist!"

"Welcome," I said, feeling myself fall into a slight daze. My nose wrinkled and my stomach added another layer of led. I was called 'Mist' for the first time. Sure, he nicknamed everyone, but I was starting to assume that 'scrawny' had been mine. "Mist…stupid nickname," I snorted, then I rose off to get the pancakes, bacon, and syrup while feeling slightly, well, giddy.

(PAGE BREAK)

"I don't know if you're aware of this, but it is absolutely disgusting that you put maple syrup on your bacon. And…don't eat that. There's on ant on it. Ew!" I squealed as he put a piece of maple syruped bacon, with an ant on it, in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. He had decided that, heck, it'd be fun to eat breakfast outside under out favorite tree. "You just ate a bug."

"In some countries, that's a delicacy."

"No it's-"

"Yes it is. They put them in lollipops and fry them and chocolate coat them."

"You still ate a bug."

"Want a piece of bacon?"

"No, I don't want your nasty bug-sugar bacon. Nasty stuff." I scrunched up my face and turned away from what lay in his outstretched hand.

"It doesn't have a bug on it."

"I'm not eating your nasty sugar bacon."

"But it's tasty! I don't eat nasty tasting stuff!"

"You ate a bug."

"Okay, you have me there. You sure you don't want any bacon? It's the last slice and it's bug free! No pesticides or hormones!"

"I don't want your nasty sugar bacon."

So, he finished his nasty sugar bacon, licked his hand, and rubbed in on the side of my face. He then ran like hell, and took his punishment (me pounding him into the dirt until Brock came out to haul me off of him) like a screaming two year old girl.

(PAGE BREAK)

"Mist? Wake up!" Ash encouraged me, shaking my shoulder. "I already went down the well, you can't stop me! I just broke my leg! I'm not dead or anything! Calm down and wake up! You're going to wake up Brock and you know he's going to want to be Therapist Brock again and talk about your dream!"

"Stop shaking," I muttered. "I'm up. My brain's rattling in my bed, but at least I'm awake. That's the important thing, right? I didn't even get eaten by bugs this time. Do you think that means I'm starting to get over my fear?"

"I think I just woke you up early."

"Probably. Thanks for waking me up and not letting the bugs get me. Always appreciated. Goodnight, Ash, sweet dreams. Don't break your leg while I'm sleeping." I was surprised when he didn't stop me, but waited by my bed a moment, sounding like he was trying to hold back giggled. "What's so funny? Did you pull another prank on me?" How'd you do that with your bum leg?" I accused, sitting up and untangling my hair.

"So, you like my smile?" He asked, unable to contain the giggles anymore.

I blinked. "What's that supposed to mean? I don't really care about your smile unless it's that freaky one you get right before you perform horrible pranks on people, usually horrible pranks on me. I swear, if you pulled some kind of a prank…" I trailed off as he continued to giggled, shaking his head no.

"Actually, Misty, I think you're wrong. Well, maybe I should say Mist," He giggled harder, clamping a hand over his mouth to stifle it. When he'd calmed himself, he continued. "You seem to think a bit different, or at least your unconscious does."

I felt my heart stop beating, my face go pale. "You mean my subconscious?"

"Yeah, that's the one. You were freaking out about the well. You thought I was going to die if I fell down. You kept saying that you'd never see me smile again and never hear me call you Mist. You were really freaking out."

"Just because I say it in my sleep doesn't mean that it's true!" I growled. "I never even talk in my sleep! I can't imagine why I'm doing it now, I can't believe I'm lying in my sleep. Besides, you're one to talk! Didn't you talk about Gizelle after we met her?"

Ash flushed. "Well, like you said, not everything you say in your sleep is true." He changed the topic. "Have you ever though that you're doing this all because you feel bad you you've got a secret. Mom said that when I was little, I used to confess everything in my sleep, and whenever the secret was about someone, I used to get really sleepy whenever I saw them. I would take naps all the time and tell Gary or May, that's Gary's sister, or Mom or whoever what I did." He shrugged. "I guess I'm just no good with guilt."

"What? Do you think I feel guilty about something? I've got a clear conscience! I haven't done a single thing wrong! You can't just go around accusing people of things! You don't even know! Why don't you mind your own personal beeswax?"

"Somebody's a little defensive," Ash grinned. "You don't have to tell me whatever it is you did, but it's going to get worse. By this time tomorrow, I could know every single secret you've got. If you don't get rid of whatever's going on, I'm going to learn a lot more than you want so…" He walked away, cast hitting the floor with an almost hollow sound. "Sweet dreams, Misty."

Each clunk brought dinner higher and higher in my throat until I felt like throwing up. A few swallows brought it down to a manageable level, but it was almost impossible to sleep. I stayed up 'til three, slept 'til five, then went back to my usual routine.

(PURPLE BUNNY)

"Breakfast," I said. My tone was gentle this time. "Good morning. I hope you got a good rest. I let you sleep until nine today. You usually get up at eight thirty, but I guess you were tired, probably from running around on your crutches. Thank goodness you took a shower or we'd all be suffering form that attack of yours."

He blinked. "Misty, you seem awfully…different today. Did you have a dream where you killed me? I know how happy those make you."

"Nope." I smiled. "I'm just in a good mood. Come on, tell me, what do you want for breakfast? Anything you want. I'll double and we can split it. So, what? Bacon, pancakes, sausages? Whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" He asked, examining me closely. "I can have anything? You'll get me anything I want?" I nodded. "Are you high right now?"

I laughed. That would be my guess; cheerful, easy going, doing and saying things I normally wouldn't, the fact that we had just learned what 'high' means… "No, Ash, I'm not high. You broke your leg and I ought to be nice to you. It won't kill me to load up a tray of food. Tell me what you want and I'll get it for you. Chop, chop, I'm hungry!"

And so began he biggest and longest torrent of food order I had ever heard. I had to take a notepad to jot down a list that would've made any waitress gag. But, it felt good, Ash looked happier than ever before, and for some reason, that smile was really making me feel giddy.

(PAGE BREAK)

Under the same tree as before, Ash, Brock and I relaxed. Time seemed to be frozen in the warm summer climate. We chatted and giggled over syrupy fingers and forks, Ash drowned everything in the syrup, so everything tasted sweet. I didn't mind too much; I was a sugar addict after all. But even I had the common sense to keep away form the maple syrup bacon Ash was swallowing by the ton. I tried to stick to pancakes and sausages, normal foods to cover in maple syrup, but when you travel with a stubborn kid like Ash…

"You want some bacon?" He suggested, holding it out to me. His fingers (and the bacon) were dripping with light colored syrup. I was sure he'd licked his fingers about twenty times already, every time using his fingers to pick up more of the breakfast, but I barely minded that anymore. "I checked this time, no bugs!"

I rolled my eyes. "Ash, even I have my limit on sugar. There is no way that could possibly taste good, especially if you thought it up. You know what that is? Same thing I told you yesterday: Nasty sugar bacon."

"Oh! Come on! Would I eat it if it tasted bad? Sure, I can't lie and say that I wouldn't give something tasted bad to you, but I'd never eat anything that tasted bad. So try it. It's salty and sweet! It's like French fries and milkshakes!"

"That's nasty too."

"Have you ever tried it?"

"No, but I know it's nasty."

"Please! You'll like it! It's the closest thing I have to cooking. I try your weird food combinations."

"Like what?" I snorted, "Peanut butter and jelly?"

"Okay, if you had any weird food combinations, I'd try it! You know I would! It's not just because I'll eat everything either. It's because I'm your friend and we have a fantastic bond." He grinned. "So try the nasty sugar bacon!"

"I don't want you nasty sugar bacon," I snapped, then sighed. "But…I guess I can try it since you're an invalid, a slow, stupid fat invalid," He beamed anyway when I snatched the bacon and threw it in my mouth. I chewed carefully, a little surprised that the bacon was still crispy. For a second, all was sweet, then a bit released the salt meat and the two flavors swirled. "It's actually…pretty good. Who'd have thought? Ash Ketchum isn't a total idiot."

"That's what I've been saying!" He laughed. "I'm not a complete moron! I know some stuff!'

"You know some pretty cool food combos, but I think that's all," I licked the syrup off my fingers with another giggled. "You know what? IO think I could handle a bit more sugar! You want to come with me to grab another round of bacon?"

"Sure, but Mist?"

"Uh-huh?"

"I just thought you should know, whatever's been bothering you? Everything you're doing more than makes up for it, and I forgive you. I'm sure whatever happened, the person forgives you, so you don't have to feel guilty about it, though I'm not saying you do." He laughed. "And if you've got a secret, no one cares enough about you to wanna know what it is, so you can keep it as long as you feel like!" I raised my fist. "Noooooo! Don't hit me! I'm little!"

(PAGE BREAK)

And now I'm staring at him, dark and bleak colors around me in the barely there light. I don't know what time it is. I don't care either. I've just become fascinated with every motion he makes. Every rise of his chest, every twitch of a finger, every half sighed word makes my heart leap with infatuation. He's beautiful. In every meaning of the word, he's beautiful. I know I'll never get over it either. Maybe others say I will, but I won't. I know I'll be with him forever. I know I will marry him. That's all my heart will accept, and my mind is perfectly happy to agree. Until the sun rises and I can't watch him any longer I'll be hypnotized by his face.

"You're staring."

"I pushed you down the well," I say. The words are calm, unimportant, and for some reason I would not take them back for all the world. They need to be said, and now it is done. I feel better than before, lighter. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you sooner."

"It's fine," He sighed, eyes still closed. For a moment, I think he's still sleeping, then his eyes blink open. "I know you had pushed me. I told you I didn't have amnesia, Mist."

"Oh," I say. Silence. "Are you angry?"

"Not really."

"I took forever to tell you."

"Better late than never. I'm not the grudge holding type anyway."

"I've noticed," I smile. "You're kind of good looking, Ash. Not that bad at all. I could see myself falling in love with you. What do you say? We got married and have a few kids? We could just make out, right here. Brock's out…no one will ever know."

"I wouldn't mind the making out," He grinned, sitting up. His leg has long since healed, and he's quicker than ever. "But what brought all this on?"

"I guess it took six years for guilt to settle in," I shrug. "Now, get your sexy ass over here because I deserve it after all those guilted years. It was such a great confession too!"

"You serious?" He asked. "Because I will tackle you to this mattress. If this is a joke, I'll be so mad. You woke me up, and I was having a dream an awful lot like this, accept it wasn't as…Mistish. Do like that? It's the adjective form of your name."

"Very nice. Come here," I prompted, moving my finger in a 'comer here' motion. "This is what Misty wants, and you've been around me long enough to know what Misty wants…"

"Misty gets," He grinned, looking like he was about to pounce, his mischievous grin on his face. "But, before we do anything, I think you should know, I couldn't actually feel you tap the cast. Pikachu woke me up."

"That's been eating you for six years, hasn't it?"

"Yes," He groaned, hanging his head.

"Ash, who cares about something like that?" I snorted. "I broke your leg, and you think that something like this matters?" He shifted his position again, lowering his head even further to look at me from beneath his bangs. "Ash…what are you doing? You better not do what you look like you're thinking of doing…Aaaash," I warned.

He pounced, pinning me to the mattress with a playful growl. "Hey, you asked for it. Besides, how guilty would I feel if I didn't do what you asked?" He sighed. "After all these years, I still can't believe you shoved me down a well."

"Will you just kiss me already?"

Thankfully, he did.