Misty sat by the windowsill, looking at nothing in particular. Her mind was elsewhere, reminiscing. To a further time, a simpler time, way back in her childhood.
It was crazy how that one event, that one act of theft one might say, initiated a cascade of events, flowing and dropping rapidly.
Some of the tightest friendships have the craziest first meeting stories, but how many can say you were just out fishing one day when you reel in a stupid kid that has no idea what he's doing, and in order to save his Pikachu's life, he jumps on your bike and yells back, "I'll bring it back someday!"
"Hmm... someday." Misty smirked thinking back on it now. How she found it in shambles as if it was a relic found in a post-apocalyptic era. How she used it as an excuse to keep following him. How she always reminded him that "if I had my bike" this and that. They were all excuses, weren't they?
She didn't regret holding it over his head, though. For as silly and, in her adult mind, trivial the loss of her bike was now, had she decided to let it go-well, her future may have looked a lot different.
"Imagine all the adventures I'd miss out on, the sights I wouldn't have seen, the trainers and their Pokemon I would never meet, most of all..." Misty trailed off, shuddering to think. "...I wouldn't have met my best friend."
Misty sighed, shaking that solemn thought from her head. "A life without Ash... haha... it would've been pretty boring, huh?"
As she said this, she gently patted the head of a tired Pikachu that slept peacefully on her lap. "I'm sure you agree with me, right Pikachu? You and Ash didn't necessarily start on the right foot either."
Pikachu's ears twitched a little, and he stretched, but didn't awake from his slumber. Misty laughed, "Alright, I get it, you're tired. Huh?"
Her head turned when the door opened. Ash had returned, sopping wet, drying off his face with a towel. "Ohhhh... that was close!"
"What happened? Did someone try to attack the gym again?"
"No... I almost lost." Ash grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I don't know how you do it, Misty. I'm not used to commanding an all Water-Type team."
"I'm shocked!" Misty put her hand on her chest in mock surprise. "I'd think such a task would be super easy for someone like you, Mr. Pokemon Master."
"To be a Pokemon Master means to use lots and lots of different types of Pokemon, not just one!" Ash countered.
"It also means mastering every type," Misty said, holding up a finger. "And the best way is to utilize an entire team of one type. I'm surprised I haven't had to order more Cascade Badges with you in charge. You're very lucky!"
"And what's wrong with that? Luck's carried me a long way." Ash wringed out his shirt before pulling over a new, dry one. He sighed, "I hate to admit it but... I can't wait 'till you're able to lead the gym again."
"Heh. Well, you're going to have to wait a couple more months ~"
Misty swung her legs over and gently slid off the windowsill, keeping one hand on her stomach and causing the sleeping electric mouse to hastily hop away. "Oops, sorry Pikachu-I almost forgot you were sleeping there."
"A couple more months, huh?" Ash put his hand on his wife's stomach. "You better hurry up, little buddy, Daddy's not as good a Water Trainer as your Mom."
"Oh!" Misty giggled a bit. "I felt a kick just now."
Ash sighed. "She better not be agreeing..."
"What's so bad if she agrees?!" Misty huffed.
"Hahaha! Alright... you win."
Ash kissed Misty's forehead softly before their moment was interrupted by a staffer announcing another challenger had entered the gym.
As she watched Ash leave the room to conduct another Pokemon match, Misty couldn't help but for a moment briefly reminisce over various memories and wonder when did it happen... when she could call him her friend, when she could call him the one she loved... there wasn't a specific moment she could pinpoint...
But that didn't matter, did it? All that mattered was from the day they met, to adventures they had, the obstacles they faced, the people they met, the troubles they endured somehow led them here. From a stupid 10 year old kid that "stole" her bike, to her closest friend she traveled the world with, to the man she was so in love with.
"I guess if I had to thank anyone..." she scooped up the only other companion who's been with Ash so long. "It's all thanks to you, Pikachu ~"
A/N: Written for Day 1 of Pokeshipping Week 2022, "Lovers and Best Friends". I thought it'd be neat to have Misty think about the crazy way she and Ash first met and being unable to pinpoint when exactly she could call him her friend, her love. But it doesn't really matter because it led her here, and she is happy. I also thought it'd be cute for her to be an expecting mother and for Ash to run the Cerulean City Gym temporarily.