Authors Notes: Finally got an Eevee, new chapter to celebrate!

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For the first time since he'd gotten back from the Championship, Ash was finally clearing out his bag. Two years of accumulated bits, pieces, odds and ends (otherwise known as "crap") needed to be sorted through. He upturned his bag, letting everything fall onto his bed. Seeing-oh Arceus, that was once food wasn't it? He picked up the wrapped brown lump that was-food. What food it was, was lost on him. He tossed it to the garbage can. Map, Full Restore, Full Restore, trophy, another trophy, Pokédex (that's where that was), another trophy, box-he stopped.

That box.

Ash picked up the small box, pulling it to himself. It'd been a while since he'd seen this old thing. He opened it, finding a bright stone, with a lightning mark running down its middle, seemingly embedded in the heart of the stone.

The Thunderstone. All these years, Ash had kept it. Since that day in Vermilion City, he'd kept this stone on hand. He'd never considered using it, but there had been moments when he thought it'd be a good idea. It was easy to forget these days, that Pikachu was only in the second stage of his evolution. He was not yet fully-evolved..."That will come back to bite you, one day."

Quentin was right. Had it not been for that brewing storm, Ash wasn't sure how that battle would've ended. When Shinespark failed Ash really was outright out of ideas, beyond just hitting with whatever they had left, what little they had, even Pikachu's absurd reserves had their limits. He couldn't help but picture what he'd be capable of as a Raichu. Faster, stronger, and with power reverses likely bordering on the insane, that was a damn tempting thought.

Evolved, he'd have truly been Smeargle's rival. They could have won, on their own strength. As it was, their power would always remain beneath their true limit. As long as this Stone went unused, they'd never know how strong they truly were, but he wouldn't do it. He'd never force the stone on Pikachu.

"Not just for power. Never for that."

Yet, if not for the pursuit of power, how would they reach their potential? Ash put the stone back in the box. He'd kept it with him for years.

He'd keep it with him, until it was used.

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Misty found her sisters lounging in the living room. She'd express surprise, but she wasn't that great an actress. Her rucksack was on her back, and Azuril in her arms.

"Alright, I'm off."

Violet and Lilly didn't even turn from their copies of whatever magazine they were reading. Daisy made way across the room, as Misty glance at the table, finding-

"My package! Where it'd go?"

"Tracey took it." Well that wasn't helpful, why did Tracey-"He stopped by earlier, I ask him to help me get ready for this. He saw the box and said he'd deliver it for you."

"Oh..."

Daisy smiled. "Hoping to be gone before he got it, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry." She pulled Misty into a hug. "Gonna miss you, baby sis! We'll take good care of the gym, Misty."

"You better." Misty pulled herself back, her "Gym Leader face" on full display. "I've left instructions for everything in the office, everything, so you won't have to call me. I made backups, and they're on the computer too, so no excuses if they're lost. If I'm called for anything short of a real emergency there'll be hell to pay."

"We'll be good. Goodbye Misty."

"Have fun."

"Don't forget to write!"

"Bye, everyone."

Misty left the room, and a moment later, the sound of the front door being opened and closed echoed through the building.

The triplets broke into giggles, Violet picking up the latest edition of Teen Trainer, opening it to the headline article.

Grandmaster Ash Ketchum's Special Someone?

The text of the article wasn't that interesting (to them), the focal point was the picture. A picture of a certain sister of theirs kissing a certain someone.

Daisy grinned. "Five-to-one odds he gets here before the boat, any takers?"

Violet nodded. "I'll take that."

Lilly shook her head. "Na. He misses her boat, goes after her."

Violet had stars in her eyes, literally. "That'd be so romantic!"

Daisy watched, as her siblings fawned over the scenario, with a slight sigh. Alas, Daisy was the mature one of the three.

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Ash opened the front door, finding-"Hey, Tracey. Need something?"

"Nope. I got something for you."

"For me?" He noticed what Tracey was carrying, distinctly recalling he hadn't ordered anything. "Wait, who sent it?"

"Um, it was Misty, actually. She was gonna mail it today, but I brought it."

"Why mail it?"

Tracey suddenly wouldn't meet his eye. "Oh, um-no reason, no reason at all!" He pushed the box into Ash's arms. "Bye, Ash!"

Tracey was already half-way to the fence. "Bye." He closed the door. "Weird."

Ash looked down at the package, finding nothing beyond his own name and address. The size was considerable, but the weight was light. Well, he didn't have a guess. He placed the box on the table. The sound of tiny pawsteps caught his attention.

"Pika ka?" What's this?"

"Something Misty sent me."

Pikachu jumped on the table, and looked on, as Ash pulled off the wrapping, finding-He recognized this box! He popped off the top in a heartbeat, finding what he'd expected inside. So Misty had them. There...was a bunch of questions he wasn't getting answered. Besides, there was a more pressing matter. He extracted the envelope.

This was new. He turned it over, finding "Ash". Who else would it be for, really? Why did this thing feel so heavy? He opened it, pulling out its contents: A single letter.

It still felt heavy. He unfolded the sheet of paper, his heart pounding...

Dear Ash,

You might have missed these. Your Mom gave them to me a long time ago. She knew how much I missed you. I've lost track of how many times I've slept with these...

By the time you read this, a boat will have taken me to only I know where. Sorry for not doing this face-to-face, but I wanted to say all this right, and I don't trust myself to do it in person.

I was angry at you, for a long time. Angry, and sad. It felt like you stopped caring about everyone, stopped caring about me. You really hurt me Ash, you hurt all of us. Honestly, I'm not sure what I'd have done if you'd shone up at my door. Then you had to go and make that speech.

You're a smooth talker when you wanna be, Ash Ketchum.

Next time we meet, I'm gonna whack you with my mallet. Then we'll call it even, got it?

I love you.

I don't mean "the way someone loves their best friend" or "like a brother", or whatever. I love you the way that I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. You know, I've read all kinds of words I thought captured my feelings well over the years, but now, writing this. I don't wanna use any of 'em. They're not my words. My words are mine. I love you, Ash Ketchum. I have for a long time.

First you were just this annoying kid who wrecked my bike. Then you started growing on me, then a bit more, and, well, somewhere down the line I realized I'd fallen for you. Maybe it was your smile, your determination, how every day with you was something new, or your endless warmth. Maybe it was all of it. There were times I was gonna tell you. I used to plan out exactly what I'd say to you, word by word. Then come when I'd say I'd do it, and I'd my nerve. I figured there'd always be time. Guess time's up, huh? Being with you was always interesting, always fun, even when you drove me crazy. Travelling with you were the best times of my life. I just hoped somewhere along the line we'd be more than best friends.

I know it's not gonna happen.

I'm not mad, and don't you dare feel bad! I don't know if you really get a choice on who or who you don't fall in love with. If I could, well, actually, I'm not sure I'd do otherwise. I have no regrets about loving you. You're special, Ash Ketchum. Don't ever change. You're gonna make somebody very happy one day.

I'm sorry I'm just up and leaving, but I need to get past this. I clung to the idea of us for so many years, I never really thought about "what if it doesn't happen?". I've had to think about that question lately. I just need some time to come to accept the answer, to move on from you (you know, in that way, you're still my friend!), I can't really do that if I'm around you. I promise we'll meet and talk again someday, I just need some time for me, okay?

See ya later, Ash.

Misty

Ash dropped the letter. "She-She's leaving. She's leaving Kanto. Because of me."

With unsteady hands, he reached into the box, pulling out his old jacket.

I've lost track of how many times I've slept with these...

He brought it to his nose, and inhaled.

Misty.

He lost himself, briefly, in her scent, his body relaxing. "She loves me." Pikachu smiled, though Ash didn't notice. "She loves me, and I-I don't know." He clenched his old jacket tighter. "How do you know when you love someone?"

What did people who love each other even do?

Well, they'd held hands, sometimes, but that was more spur of the moment kinda thing (the moment often involving something dangerous). They kissed, well they'd only got so far as her kissing him…If she wanted to do that to him all day, he had no objections. They hugged, he could go for that again. Lovers spent time together, well was that exclusive to lovers? He and Misty never needed that excuse to hang out.

This wasn't getting anywhere; he'd be fine with what they did, but any two people could hold hands, like any two could have a battle. There was the doing, and then there was the feeling. Feeling was the important part.

Nobody was going to tell him, so he had to figure it out himself. What did she make him feel?

"Happy" was an obvious one. Dancing with her that night, had been the happiest he could remember being in a damn long time. He didn't lie; getting her biked wrecked was definitely in the top five things he ever did. No day was ever boring with her, even the days they did nothing. Misty was the one he could do pretty much anything with, and consider his time well-spent.

She was more than that, she the one who he could count on when things went south.

He remembered being sick, delirious, after taking a Stun Spore from a group of Vileplume. He'd called out to her, and though he could barely think, just the sound of her voice, knowing she was there, kept him from losing it.

Misty. In that locker room, his arms around her, taking in her scent, feeling all his worry washing away.

He could hold her forever.

Misty knew him, knew how to reach him. Maybe it wasn't even that she knew, she just did. He could always go to her when his strength waned. He remembered being on the top of the Talon of Ho-Oh, forcing himself back to his feet. "Help me, Misty!"

He still went to her. Without her, he'd never have defeated Quenitn. If he hadn't beaten Quentin, would he have come home?

He reached up to his cheek, where she'd kissed him. The thought of that made him feel warm inside. Hey, maybe if he could offer her a deal, she stayed in Kanto and she could hug and kiss him all day long if she wanted. At no point would he complain. When she wasn't there, well that just plain sucked. He'd missed her so much he'd kept the handkerchief lure on him, at all times. He reached into his pocket, extracting the familiar pair. This lure, this face, her face.

She'd slept with something of his, he'd slept with something of hers.

When she wasn't in his life, he felt it, something was missing, she was missing. Misty was missing. Everything was wrong with that. He raised his old jacket once more, closing his eyes, inhaling her once more, filling himself with what Misty made his life.

Complete.

I love you the way that I wanna spend the rest of my life with you.

There were people in his life, that Ash wanted to keep around until he was very old, until the day he was gone. Yet Misty's meaning was different, it wasn't the way you kept in touch with somebody. It was being with them, every day, intertwining everything in their lives. He loved his friends, he really did, but there were lines he'd draw if he really had too… except for her. That kind of keeping together, he didn't really want with anyone else. It was only her.

Only her.

Only Misty…"I-..." Ash slumped, slipping on to a chair. "Oh, Misty...I'm sorry."

He was too late.

Misty was on her way to only she knew where, and he had no means to reach her. He'd have to wait until their next meeting to tell her, tell her what he should have been saying years ago. How long would that be? By then, she might've got over him, might've found some-, someone- someone el-that idea made him want to puke! If only he knew which boat she was leaving on...

His eyes opened. Hold up!

She was gonna mail the box today.
It was meant to get here after today.

…

She hadn't left.

She hadn't left!

She hadn't left!

Ash shot to his feet with the force of a bullet. He reached into the box, pulling out his true hat, knocking the false one off unceremoniously he finally returned the relic to its rightful place in the universe.

"Pikachu, come on!"

Ash rushed to the front door, affixing his shoes to his feet, grabbing his jacket and rushing out the door, Pikachu in pursuit, smiling, he knew what was coming...

"We're going to Cerulean City, now!"

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End of Chapter

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Author's Notes: Before anyone wants to jump down my throat about the Thunder Stone: Yes, I am aware Team Rocket stole it during Diamond & Pearl. However, I am invoking my right as a fan writer to ignore anything in the cannon material that's inconvenient to my story.