Cannot believe I'm ending the story! This is the last chapter to a fanfic started waaay back in 2006. Talk about throwbacks!
Standard disclaimer, as always, applied.
In other news…I think I just spent a thousand dollars on winter gear. Who knew Patagonia could be so expensive?! *mourns for my empty bank account
Chapter 10. Forever and Always
Ash arrived in Cerulean City at 6:18am, exactly 24 hours since he left the previous day, but for some reason, the entire city was brimming with more energy than he remembered. Even with white puffs and down jackets, the city seemed warmer somehow, with the morning sun streaming down its lights, painting everything a shimmering orange…
Orange.
The color broke Ash out of his reverie and he remembered why he was here. Turning eastward, he marched towards the Gym.
"She like just left," Daisy opened the door with a yawn, but did not seem fazed by the younger trainer's sudden appearance on the doorsteps," Something about like a contract?"
"Contract? What contract?"
"I guess like someone hasn't been like keeping in touch." Daisy wiggled her finger with a wink, then stifling another yawn," Why don't you like come in for some like breakfast?"
"No, I really shouldn't-" Before he could finish the sentence, the blonde yanked him in the door and practically threw him in a chair by the dining table.
Ash rubbed his arm. Man she has some upper body strength.
"Hello, Ash." Flipping what looks like pancakes on the stove, Brock smiled at his travel companion.
"Pikachu." Pikachu jumped up to the table.
"Brock! Pikachu! How…what…how did you get here before me?" Ash sputtered.
"Better yet, how could you leave without telling us?" Without missing a beat, Brock continued," But that's another conversation for another time."
"Pika kachu." The yellow rodent nodded.
"Y-yeah, thanks for not thunderbolting me, pal. I really own you one," Notcing the sparks flying off Pikachu's cheeks, Ash hastily added," I AM grateful! I'll buy you a dozen ketchup!"
"So what's your plan?" Brock asked, handing him a plate of hot chocolate pancakes. The smell of chocolate chip made his realize how hungry he was.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, like because my sister was so popular, Sapphire's going to like totally offer her a music contract." Daisy explained, spreading gluten-free, vegan-friendly, organic, and fair-trade almond butter over the special gluten-free, organic, and fair-trade hazelnut pancake Brock made for her.
"What?" Ash almost choked on his pancake.
"Misty has been one of the most popular contestants, Ash," Brock stated matter-of-factly," On the way back, Pikachu and I watched all the episodes of the competition and she has always received the most votes out of everyone. It's really not a surprise that the company would offer her a contract."
"But…but…" He lost his appetite all of a sudden.
"Like last I saw her this morning, she was like biking to Celadon. She's like meeting them there," Daisy took a bite of her food, "Hmm delicious!"
Misty sat on the outskirts of Celadon, enjoying the snow and trying out ice fishing for the first time, but mostly she was hiding.
Another hour of peace before I have to decide. She sighed and then shook her head. She has to concentrate on her fishing.
She read about ice fishing a couple months ago in one of the pokemon magazines and how rare water pokemon have been caught that way. Since she brought her lure with her, she decided to try it out in the river near Celadon.
Maybe I'll get lucky and nobody would notice me. She added silently, remembering what happened in the Celadon City Pokemon Center just now.
The redhead was resting comfortably in the warm building playing with her Togepi when teen with brown hair approached.
"Hey, are you Misty the singer?"
"Um…"She looked up from the egg pokemon she was feeding a snack to and said,"Yeah, I suppose I am."
"Wow, it's really you!" The girl squealed," I can't believe it! Can you sign my backpack? You are like so cool!"
"Thank you," Misty took a pen out from her bag and sweat dropped, "Here you go."
"Awesome, thank you!" Then raising her voice, the teen waved and shouted to all the trainers nearby, "HEY GUYS GUESS WHAT! MISTY WATERFLOWERS IS HERE!"
Soon a line formed to where Misty was-people wanted her autograph, pictures, and some even asked for blessings for their pokemon journey.
"What's going on here?" Nurse Joy appeared out of nowhere, hands planted firmly on her hips, "This is a Pokemon Center, not a Fan Meeting Center. Break it up! Pokemon are trying to rest here!" Under the stern looks from Nurse Joy, the crowd dissolved.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy." Misty smiled gratefully.
"You're welcome," The pink-hair woman grinned before whipped out a notebook, "Can you sign this for me too?"
"Uh sure?" Deciding it was time to leave, Misty gathered up Togepi and left the Pokemon Center before anyone else could approach her.
Now she was sitting comfortably against the bank where the snow has melted and trying out ice fishing.
Glancing at her watch, Misty noted the time.
Thirty minutes till the meeting…maybe I should reel in.
As soon as she thought of reeling in, the line tugged.
"Hey I got a bite!" She exclaimed happily, "I really think this could be a big one!"
"Togepi!" Togepi jumped up and down in excitement.
Yanking hard on the pole and praying to Suicine the pokemon wouldn't get away, Misty flung out her fruit of labor with a surge of strength...and blinked.
"Ash?"
Just like the first time they met, Ash was sitting there, wet top to bottom with Pikachu in his arms.
"H-hi Misty." Ash managed a small weak smile.
"What are you doing here? You went back to Hoenn."
"We slipped and fell in the upstream and got carried down this way. Thank you for saving us…Ah this is awkward, but Misty please don't sign that contract."
"What?" Misty stopped trying to untangle her lines and stared.
"I heard from Daisy that the company offered you a contract. Please don't sign it."
"That's all?"
"Please come back and travel with me." He still couldn't say the words he desperately wanted to say. As much as he tried to formulate the words, the sounds refused to articulate.
An eerie silence fell upon the two trainers. Misty gathered up her things, zipped her jacket, and picked up Togepi.
"Thank you for coming, Ash. But I have to say no."
"What? Why Misty? But I came all this way."
"This is why, don't you see?" Misty sighed, "You coming all this way. It's like you made a huge sacrifice or something, but have you thought about me? I spent what? Five years? Traveling with you from Kanto to the Orange Islands to Johto. Yes I grew a lot as a trainer, I caught new pokemon, and I had so many great adventures, but the journeys have always been about you in the end. Your gym battles, your league tournaments…and you. Even after I came back to Cerulean, it's been about you. And this whole singing competition thing. I did it so I can see you," Misty hugged Togepi closer and lowered her head, "Ash, I have been in love with you for so long and I have spent so much time on you...I-I can't do that anymore."
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Misty. You have always had a special place in my heart. I want you to have your own life. I would never want you to give up any of that for me and that's why I left yesterday. I was also confused by my feelings…but then I realized I lo—" Taking a deep breath, he tried again, "I love you. I have always been in love with you. I didn't realize it until last night. The letters you send? I read and re-read them all the time. The phones you make? They make my day more than any badge ever could. Seeing you with my mom when I come back to visit? That's the best part of the visit. I guess...I guess what I'm trying to say is that I cherish you more than anything, Misty…but I can't just give up now either with my pokemon journey."
Cracking a faint smile, Misty tiled her head, "That's the Ash I know."
"So what do we do?"
"What do you mean?" The Cerulean Gym Leader eyed him quizzically.
"Well there are people who are in long-distance relationships." He turned away from Misty so she doesn't see the slight blush creeping up his face.
"Ash…"
"And technology is so advanced these days! Plus there's the Magnet Train! I think we can do it!" Turning around, he found Misty crying, "Misty, why are you crying? Did I say something that upsets you?"
"I just…I can't…I can't believe it…"
"Here, Togepi," Gently placing the egg pokemon down on the grass with Pikachu, Ash enveloped Misty in a warm embrace, "I'm sorry it took me so long to get it, but I'm here now and I love you."
"Ash." Misty buried herself deeper in his collar and heard him chuckle, sending shivers down her back.
"I guess I really do have a dense skull."
"Yes you do." She giggled through her tears.
"Now let's get you all cleaned up and ready to negotiate some terms with the music company."
"Yeah!"
(Six months later)
Misty lit a candle on the windowsill, filling the room with warm hue.
"That was a good movie," Ash stretched lazily on the sofa, "What do you think of Castelia City?"
"It's beautiful." Misty stood by the window, looking outside to the streetlights and the distant chatters of people.
"How's your album coming along?" He got up, dusted off some popcorn, and walked over to where she was standing.
"It's going," Misty leaned back into Ash's arms, "We're still songwriting…can you believe Lily just pushed back her wedding date like that? Now the invitation says this winter! She's so indecisive."
"Hmm…" Ash planted a soft kiss on her hair.
"You know, when the recording starts for the album, I will be super busy." Misty turned around and locked her arms around Ash's waist, pouting.
"Then we should make good use of our time now." With a playful grin, he pulled Misty closer and the two toppled over on the bed.
"I already know what I'm going to name it." Misty murmured as Ash planted kisses on her cheeks.
"What are you going to call it?"
Cupping his face in her hands, she leaned forward until their foreheads touched, "I'm going to name it Always on My Mind…because you are always on my mind."
Although it was not the first time they have kissed, Misty's mind still exploded from the mere contact. He tasted like a rich deep hazelnut chocolate, he felt like a warm yet soft cashmere sweater, and best of all?
He was hers.
Forever and Always.
A/N: The end! But what is this? Extra extra!
Pikachu stood by the door watching the shapes shift and change underneath the blankets. Sighing quietly, the small rodent took Togepi's hands, and decisively walked out of the room, remembering to close the door.
"Toge toge pi?" (What's Mommy doing with your human in there?)
"…pi, pi, pikachu." Pikachu rubbed its temple and sighed.
You don't want to know, Togepi, you don't want to know.
And this is the real end! The finale! I can't believe I finished it! I'm really NOT good at kissing/intimate scenes (in case you can't tell), but I tried! Hehe
I have so many things I would like to say that I don't even know where to start...
Thank you all SO much for sticking with me for this ride and what a long ride it has been! And we made it! Woot woot! You should be proud of yourself!
You all have my deepest gratitude! *bows
Also there's a sequel coming! I've already got it all planned out in my head! We'll just have to see how long it takes before I actually transcribe the thoughts into words haha
Again, thank you to my reviewers, readers, and everyone for your support, motivations, and advices! I truly could not have finished this without you!
AAML forever!
And with that happy thought…
*Cheers :3
Finished Sunday October 29, 2017 21:10 HST...somewhere in the cold.