Chapter 4 - Together Forever
Some hours after meeting Georgio, our heroes were getting deeper and deeper into the forest. They almost reached the big tree where they would find the next treasure chest. However, not everything was going swimmingly.
"EEEEEKKKKKKK!" Misty screamed, while another Caterpie was crawling up her leg.
"Don't worry, I'll save you!" Ash said, as he grabbed the green caterpillar and put it back on the grass.
"This is already the tenth Caterpie today..." Misty moaned. "I can't wait until we're out of this forest..."
Then, they noticed a giant tree, with a red cross on the ground indicating a possible treasure.
"Hey, this might be the third treasure chest!" Ash hoped.
"Only one way to find out!" Misty said, while sending out Politoed. The frog started moving his hands on the ground rapidly, attempting to dig up the treasure. And so, a few minutes later, he returned, carrying a brown, wooden crate.
And so, Ash started opening it. What could be in there? "Hey, it's a bottle of wine!"
"Wine as a treasure?" Misty asked. "I suppose it's rare or special... Anyways, let's just get out of this scary forest as soon as we can, I'm so done with all those Caterpie and Weedle here!"
However, a big, green mantis was hovering above our heroes. Its eyes were directed at the bug-hating girl, as it if was ready to attack.
"EEEEKKKKKK! A SCYTHER!" Misty screamed, while digging her head into Ash's chest.
However, Ash came to the rescue when he ordered Pikachu to roast the Scyther with his Thunderbolt. After the shock, the scared mantis flew away at full speed, hoping to never encounter the electric mouse again. Then, our heroes kept running, just hoping to get out of the forest as soon as they could.
Only ten minutes later, our heroes were resting on the bridge where they saw Georgio fishing a few hours ago. Getting out of the forest wasn't hard, since they knew their way around Berry Forest by now. The tired Misty's head was leaning on Ash's shoulder. "Ash, I have to tell you something."
"What is it?" Ash asked.
"Well... This isn't easy, but... Well, I really enjoy spending time with you again! I missed you so much!" Misty said.
"Why was that so hard to say?" Ash interrupted his friend.
"Well, there's more... I love you, you're more than just a friend to me. I've been madly in love with you for eight years, but never had the guts to tell you. But then we had that moment in the hot springs, you looked so handsome... And then you talked to Brock about something that was supposed to be private, that can only be about one thing..." Misty confessed.
"Hey, that's exactly what Brock told me yesterday!" Ash cheered. "That's why I couldn't tell you what we were talking about, I had to find the right moment... But I love you too! All those years, I just didn't realize it!"
"When did you realize it? Only during that conversation with Brock?" Misty asked, while she felt an amazing sensation in her heart.
"Well, every time I had to deny my feelings for you, like when Danny kept teasing us on Kindle Road, it felt wrong. And then I got an erection in the hot springs when I was staring at your breasts... And suddenly, everything Brock told me three years ago suddenly started making sense! And yesterday, he confirmed what I was already thinking about."
"Does that mean you'll be my boyfriend now?" Misty asked.
"Of course!" Ash screamed. "There's nothing I want more than that!"
Then, Misty slowly moved her lips towards Ash's and gently stuck her tongue in his mouth. She slowly moved it over his tongue, like a Lickitung paralyzing its opponent, causing Ash to feel that strange sensation he enjoyed in the hot springs on One Island. Meanwhile, Misty finally got something she fantasized about every night, but was never able to try.
"That was amazing!" Misty said, after enjoying the best moment of her life so far. "But how are we gonna tell Tracey, Professor Oak and your mum about this? We both constantly denied or feelings to everyone who noticed it, wouldn't it be weird to just walk in after this journey and tell them we're together?"
"It's fine!" Ash said. "Brock told me everyone already knows about our feelings, other people even knew it before I realized it! No one will really be that surprised... I think many people will be happy for us! Oh yeah, maybe aside from Danny and Georgio."
"And that girl who didn't want you to visit me all those years... Serena was her name, right? She would murder me!" Misty said.
"Don't worry, Mist! I'm sure she'd be happy for us!" Ash said, while the couple walked back to the harbour, where they would take a ferry to the island where the next treasure was awaiting them.
The next day, our heroes arrived at Four Island. When leaving the harbour, they noticed a Day Care, where an elderly couple would look after Pokemon for trainers. However, there was something else that drew Misty's attention.
"Hey, Mist, the Icefall Cave, where the treasure lies, is that way!" Ash said, when pointing to the east of the village.
"But my idol Prima lives in that cottage over there!" Misty protested, hoping to pay the famous Elite Four member a visit.
"But I wanna get to the treasure! I can't wait to find out what it is!" Ash protested, knowing his girlfriend wouldn't be persuaded by his complaining. Sadly for him, there was no way to get out of this. When Misty wanted something, she would do it, no matter what. And so, a purple-haired woman wearing glasses opened the door of the cottage near the cave. "Hey, Ash and Misty, long time no see!" she said, recognising the couple from the Orange Islands eight years ago.
"Hi, nice to see you again!" Misty said. "We were in the neighbourhood and just wanted to drop by for a visit, if that's okay with you."
"Sure!" Prima said. "Does that also mean I have to beat that cocky friend of yours again, just like eight years ago?" she teased.
"No, I don't need to battle, but maybe Misty does!" Ash said, wanting his friend to show her skills.
"What is he thinking?" Misty thought. "I won't stand a chance, I've been stuck at the Gym battling the weakest rookies for two weeks, and now I'm supposed to beat one of the strongest Water Pokemon trainers in the world?"
"Sure!" Prima said. "Battling her would be nice, at least she's humble and not arrogant!"
"Um... Okay?" Misty muttered, still dazzled. But when the great Prima, her idol, offered her a battle, how could she say no?
And so, our heroes and Prima got outside and stood near a lake. "We'll both use one Pokemon," the Elite Four member decided. "I'll fight with Cloyster!"
"Okay then, Misty calls Croconaw!" the redhead shouted, while hurling a Poke Ball in the air. While Ash ate a sandwich while watching the battle, the crocodile shot Cloyster against a rock with his newly learned Hydro Pump.
However, Cloyster was far from defeated yet. The bulky bivalve started shooting spikes at her opponent, who was in a great deal of pain.
"Croconaw! Can you go on? That was one mighty Spike Cannon!" Misty asked. The crocodile stood up and charged into Cloyster with a Slash attack. However, it was unable to put a dent into the bivalve's rock-hard shell.
"Cloyster, let's try another Spike Cannon!" Again, the sharp objects flew at Croconaw so fast that he couldn't avoid getting struck down again. However, the Pokemon successfully got up again, despite being in a great deal of pain.
"Croconaw, let's try another Hydro Pump!" Misty commanded, as water came out of the Pokemon's mouth. Again, Cloyster was struck against a wall of rocks and had a hard time dealing with the pain, but her strong shell prevented a too strong blow.
"Misty, that Croconaw of yours is strong!" Prima said. "But now it's time to end this once and for all! Cloyster, Aurora Beam!" And so, a coloured ray shot down the crocodile, who collapsed and was returned into his Poke Ball for some much-needed rest. Meanwhile, Prima praised her Cloyster and called her back into a Lure Ball.
"By the way, what are you doing here on this island?" Prima asked.
"Ash and I got a treasure map from Professor Oak, the treasure is supposed to be hidden in the back cave of the Icefall Cave," Misty answered. "There are seven treasures, each hidden on one of the Sevii Islands. Professor Oak found that treasure map when reading some of his old books about the islands here, so he asked us to investigate this."
"The Icefall Cave? Shall I go with you? It's a big maze, but getting to the back cave isn't that hard!" Prima offered.
"Thanks!" Ash said, while hopping on Prima's Dewgong. Then, the sea lion swam our heroes towards the entrance of the Icefall Cave. When entering the cave shrouded in frozen walls and water, Prima pointed towards a shimmer of light. "Hey, that's where the back cave is!"
A while later, our heroes stood near a lake filled with ice-cold water. However, there was no clue where the treasure would be.
"I don't see any clues..." Ash complained. "How are we gonna find that thing?"
"I know!" Misty said, while releasing Politoed from his Poke Ball. "Politoed, go underwater and look for a brown treasure chest!"
Only a few minutes later, the frog returned to the surface, holding a small crate. "That must be it!" Prima said. "Can't wait to see what's in it!"
Then, Misty opened the chest and held up a bottle with a yellow liquid. "Massage oil? Isn't that the stuff Tracey constantly brings when he visits my sister Daisy at the Gym?"
"Hey, I recognize that!" Ash said, much to Misty's surprise. Then, he elaborated. "Often, when I called Professor Oak, I saw Tracey walking around with that stuff when he was in a rush. He also had some other stuff, but I have no idea what all that was."
"This isn't much of a treasure... But oh well, at least that medieval costume and the bottle of wine seem like rare goods!" Misty complained.
"I wouldn't mind some massage oil, I'm seeing Lance tomorrow!" Prima said.
"Are you dating Lance?" Misty asked.
"Dating? Well, we're officially together for a few years now, and tomorrow is our five year anniversary!" Prima explained.
"You two must be a really cute couple!" Misty complimented, while Ash was shivering from the cold and kept frowning his eyebrows from boredom.
"Thanks!" Prima said, while the took a ride on Dewgong's back, trying to get out of the frozen maze as soon as possible.
That night, Ash and Misty spent their second night in a two-person bed on the ferry that would take them to Five Island. After all, they were officially together now.
"Ash, you made me the happiest girl in the world!" Misty said, while wrapping her arms around her boyfriend. "I almost can't believe all this is actually happening right now! I was stuck at the Gym for eight years and just wanted to die, and now I'm travelling again, met Prima and finally got together with you!"
"Thanks! But didn't losing that battle against Prima ruin it for you?" Ash asked.
"Can't you think about anything else than battling? Sure, losing sucks, but Croconaw put up a good fight! And getting together with you and having my freedom back, that's all I care about!" Misty said. However, her boyfriend wasn't listening anymore, since he already wandered off to dream land. "Ash, you're the most unromantic guy on the planet, but damn it, I love you!" she thought, just before she fell asleep herself.