Chapter 12- "Not Ash"

{A/N: Sorry it took a while to update. I have a lot of things going on at once; making any kind of personal time unavailable.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.}

Misty woke up on the couch of a cabin. She yawned. "Good Morning, Ash." She said dreamily with a grin as she wiped her eyes and looked around to realize she was in Erika's cabin. Erika was out and about on her nature walk, and Erika's date was crashed on the bed, snoring a little. Misty slowly got up, not as giddy as she was when she first woke up. She scooped up her bag and walked to her favorite place, despite the long walk. The beach. Once there, she opened her bag and stared at an old bobber at the bottom- her favorite. It was the one she had used when she fished Ash from the river. "I'm sorry." She whispered to it and looked at the sand and got an idea. Maybe if I express myself I'll be okay. She thought and started drawing. She drew a heart and inside she wrote Ash + Misty. Feeling a little better, Misty trekked back to cabin 6 with a smug look on her face. She hesitated when she passed cabin 2, but then continued on back to Erika's cabin.

Ash woke up around noon and decided to go to his one escape: the beach. As soon as the dirt changed to sand grains, Ash noticed something inscribed ahead in the sand. Running over to read it, his face got red for two reasons- a blush and red anger. It made him feel worse than he already had. It was a heart that read Ash + Misty. Instead of filling him with hope, all it did was remind him of what he didn't have. He kicked the sand, covering it, and ran back to his cabin. The physical challenge- that's my only shot at seeing her.

Later that day was the third physical challenge. Misty spotted Ash and ran up to him, throwing her arms around him. "Ash! She squealed, squeezing him. "I missed you." She whispered.

Ash was shocked at Misty hauling herself at him. "No you haven't, you're just saying that out of pity because you know I've been depressed." He said glumly.

This was news to Misty. "Depressed? Ash, why would you be depressed? You know what, I'm making it my job to make you feel better again." She said and kissed his cheek.

Ash's cheeks flushed a furious dark shade. Something's wrong here… Ash thought then shrugged it off.

The challenge was a scavenger hunt, where each team was bound together in a three-legged race and had a list of items they had to find scattered around the beach. The list consisted of five items:

Pokédoll

Box of Chocolates

Bracelet (In box)

Ring (In box)

Bouquet of Flowers

"Misty, let's work together and try not to fight, okay?" Ash said, looking straight ahead as they were tied together. Why doesn't he call me Mist anymore? Misty wondered silently but shook it off.

"I was just going to say that, Ash." She told him.

Ash stayed silent and nodded awkwardly, looking away.

The host explained the rules of the challenge and sent the couples off in their scavenger hunt at the sound of a horn. As soon as the loud noise ended, Misty called out to Erika. They talked, and agreed to help find things, Erika and her partner, who Misty found out the name of was Chris, would find the doll and bracelet while Ash and Misty found the other three. "Come on, Ash, Let's look by the water." Misty said, taking a step towards the surf with her free leg. The two of them struggled for a few feet, nearly falling over. Ash stopped and Misty looked at him. "Ash, what's wrong?"

Ash looked at his feet, a blush clear on his face. "Misty…. It might be easier… If we linked arms or something…" He said shyly. Misty promptly put her arm around his shoulder.

"Hold my waist. We'll be more stable that way." She told him, ready to start walking again.

"Okay…" He said slowly and grabbed her side with one arm. They started walking again and with much more ease. Ash's arm seemed to burn her side, though- It gave her the same rush she had felt when he comforted her in her dreams of the beach scene (A/N: Remember, she thinks she imagined it all). She was surprised she'd ever get to feel it in real life.

Meanwhile, Ash never stopped blushing. He was not going to give up this so easily. If he let her go, she could take his heart with him.

Minutes later they found Erika again. The grass girl smiled when she saw them twined around each other. "The pokedoll is over there." She said and pointed with her free hand. "And the bracelets were floating on a buoy near a jetty." She explained.

Misty smiled. "The ring was under a palm tree. Flowers were hidden under an umbrella over there, and the box of chocolates were sticking out of the sand. They were tricky." She said, pointing to where she and Ash had just come from. The water trainer smiled at Erika. "Nice doing business with you." She said with a grin before hobbling off with Ash towards the jetties. After retrieving the bracelet and doll, they made it back to the starting point first and were dismissed to their cabin. But Misty wanted to talk to Ash before they left to different cabins.

"Bye, Misty." He said and started to walk towards cabin 2, a cabin he chose from tradition of the game. Impulsively, Misty grabbed one of his wrists and spun him back around. She flung her arms around him in a hug and wept a little into his shirt. "Ash, I'm- I'm SO sorry about my moods lately. I'm just not sure where I stand emotionally on something and…. I wanted to ask…. Would I be welcome again in your cabin?" She asked sheepishly, biting her lip.

Ash was too confused to answer. What the Arceus is going on? This hugging stuff cant be right. She hates me. He thought before pushing the redhead away, breaking the embrace.

"I don't get you. One moment you hate me and then you turn around and doing all THIS. Are you trying to severely confuse me? Because it's working." He said harshly, before walking off. Erika and Chris came up soon after, having found the last three objects.

"Mist, what's up?" Erika asked, seeing her friend in a frozen state. The water trainer turned to her with hurt and rejection in her eyes.

"Don't call me that. NEVER, EVER call me that." She snapped.

"Wait are you staying with him or in cabin four, with us?" Erika asked and Misty bolted off. "I'll take that as Cabin Four." She said, looking up at Chris. He nodded. "Hey, I have a good friend on this show, he can help us." Chris nodded again. "We need to convince Ritchie to help us, though.

Erika knocked on the wooden door of Cabin 6, opening to reveal Ritchie shortly after.

"Ritchie, I need your help." She said quietly before telling him her whole plan. The boy nodded.
"I understand. I'll do it."

Ritchie walked into Ash's cabin to find the depressed boy laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. "Sup, Bro?" He asked casually, stepping inside the cabin. Ash didn't answer, but he heard his backpack unzip.

"What are you doing?" He asked, never peeling his eyes from the bland white ceiling.

"Just trying to find Charizard. I need his help to teach Zippo Fire Fang. You don't mind, right?" Ritchie asked, relying on Ash's mentality to keep his clone unfocused on him.

"No. Go ahead and take him. I don't care." He said in a monotone, zoning out again. "Just lock the door on your way out." Ash said and shut his eyes, which worked out well for Ritchie. Ash never noticed him secretly take Ash's spare set of clothes as well as the boy's jacket and League Hat.

"See Ya!" Ritchie said, shutting the door and running back to his cabin to change into his newly acquired clothes.

Soon after, Ritchie arrived at cabin four in the Ash outfit and knocked on the door. "Erika?" He called out as the door was flung open. The grass queen looked at him in satisfaction and grinned.

"Awesome." She stated, looking at him.

"Not Awesome. My hair's not black…" Ritchie started, before being cut off by Erika holding out a black wig. "How did you get a wig that matches Ash's hair exactly when you're on a Game Show?" He asked.

"Because I'm good." She stated before putting it on his head and hiding all his real hair underneath it. "Hold it down with the hat." She ordered. "Now go outside and wait for my signal- Three Knocks. That's the signal for you to start coming towards the door. And leave the rest to me." Erika instructed, pushing the Ash Ketchum 2.0 out the door.

Misty returned from a walk she was on. "Thanks for the suggestion Erika. You were right- Nature IS calming. It was just what I needed." She said to her best friend.

"You know what I need?" Erika asked, looking up from a book. Misty gave her a questioning look. "For you to go fetch Bulbasaur from the garden. It's going to get dark out soon." She said with a smile. Misty laughed.

"Lazy." She called Erika before turning out the door again. She didn't notice Erika jump up and knock on the wall three times.

Ritchie heard his signal and picked up the little Bulbasaur that was next to him. All his acting classes had to pay off in the saddened face he wore- one the real Ash would right now. He gripped the Pokémon, as if he'd just found it and was walking back to return it when he saw Misty walk out. She gasped.

"Well if it isn't the boy who 'Doesn't get' people." She said, crossing her arms and turning away defiantly. Ritchie walked up behind her.

"Misty- I came to apologize for-" He started and put a hand on her arm, telling himself over and over it wasn't awkward because he was Ash right now. Misty just rudely shook it off, however. She turned to face him.

"Maybe if you were't so…" She started to tremble and quiver on her last words. Her wild emotions had gotten to the point where she couldn't even insult him to his face anymore. That was catastrophic.

"Misty…" Ritchie started, hugging her. "I want to say I'm sorry and I wanted to say if you asked me again later my answer might change. Would change." He vowed, hugging her.

Some red light went off in Misty's brain. This hug just didn't feel right. It was obviously still and Ash hug, he was standing right there in front of her. Misty pulled back a little and looked into Ash's eyes. Ritchie looked unbelievably similar to Ash; the boys' moms' wouldn't even be able to tell them apart. But Misty started to tremble. It must just be all the emotions getting to her… he thought and hugged her tighter. She pushed back violently, releasing herself from his grip. Her eyes held a vacant stare as she went pale and looked almost through Ritchie. "Youre… Not…. Ash." She whispered hoarsely before darting into the cabin.

"Well, that couldn't have not worked any better!" Ritchie said to Bulbasaur, taking off the hat and wig.

"Bulba." The Pokemon agreed and stared at the door.

{Once again, sorry for such a late update! I have a lot going on- but I plan on finishing this story soon. It's getting closer to the end :'( Peace out!}