A/N: Happy Pokeshipping Day everyone! I can't believe I finished this before midnight. This chapter is the longest yet, so I hope you all enjoy it. There's some sweet moments that I'm really happy with how they turned out.

Enjoy! :)

-Sarah

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of its characters.

Chapter Five: The Start of Something New

A couple days later, it was the eve of the party. Misty was anxious for a few reasons. This would be the first time she would be young to a formal party with Ash. There had been many in the past for the Pokémon League, so she was accustomed to a formal setting. The difference was that Ash was going to be there, and made her nervous because it brought about the prospect of impressing him. Her sisters were arriving tomorrow afternoon for the party as well, and Misty knew that they would insist on giving her a makeover for it. She had endured years of being their doll before going off her own, and she cringed at the thought of them pinning her down to do her hair and make-up. She was an adult and could do it for herself if she wanted.

It was late, and Misty was lying in Ash's bed, unable to sleep. Her best friend remained on the floor in his old, beat-up sleeping bag. The summer night was warm and humid, and he was sleeping shirtless with only a pair of boxers. Misty had to keep herself from staring from his well-defined abdominal muscles. If someone had told her years ago that her best friend on whom she had a slight crush would grow up to be so attractive, she would have questioned that person's mental state. Ash was oblivious to her penetrating gaze, snoring obnoxiously. When it came to sleep, he could give his Snorlax a run for its money. She, on the other hand, could never pass out with her mind racing.

She had yet to tell him the truth about her romantic feelings, and she was unsure of how to go about it. Ash had almost told her about his secret, although this was only speculation on Misty's behalf. He was nervous when he had begun talking to her in this very room. However, his cowardice took over, and he told her that he had nothing to wear at the party. This was his dilemma, he told her, but she did not believe him. Irritated, she retorted by yelling at him that he should have told her that while they were in Viridian. They could have picked a suit up for him. Delia, upon hearing the commotion upstairs, came in to fix the situation. Luckily, for Ash at least, there was an old suit of his father's tucked away in a closet. His mother determined that the two were about the same size; therefore, it would all be fine.

Her insomnia getting to her, Misty decided to go downstairs to see what was on the television. She started to crawl out of bed, but her foot caught in the sheet. She struggled to untangle herself, but lost her balance, falling out of the bed, directly on top of Ash.

He woke abruptly to see Misty's face inches away from his own. There was a few seconds of silence before his brain registered that she was on him. He could sense the weight of her small body on top his own. Moving his hand to rub his eyes, he accidentally brushed against her side, causing her to tense. She sat upright, straddling him on his hips. She pushed her hands against his bare chest while steadying her body. His abs felt toned under the gentle pressure that her fingers were putting on them. Ash sat upright, steadying himself behind him with his arms, coming a couple of inches from her face. She could feel his warm breath as she sat there, her eyes locked with his. His gaze was intense, penetrating her heart. Oh how she wanted him! She would have given anything to kiss him in that moment, to melt into him.

"Pikapi, Pikachu!"

The two diverted their attention to the Pokémon. Misty's fall had waken up Pikachu, who had lain on Ash's pillow for the night. He made his presence known by snapping at them angrily, sparks flying out of his cheeks. Ash and Misty remained in their current position as they watched Pikachu hop off the bed, dashing out the door and around the corner. It was likely that he was going to spend the rest of the night in Delia's room, grateful for the quiet. They returned their attention to the situation, both parties experiencing their heartbeats quickening. Ash was blushing slightly, and the girl on top of him briskly followed suit.

"Is it morning, already?" Ash asked, smirking at Misty's scarlet face.

"No," she breathed. "Ash, I—"

"Yeah?" he asked, warmth shining in his beautiful brown eyes.

"Never mind," she said, suddenly terrified of her emotions.

She lifted off of Ash, onto the floor next to him. She sat with her legs tucked under her, on the end of his sleeping bag. Mirroring his movements, he sat up as well; however he did so with his legs crossed. He leaned forward with a curious expression before suppressing a yawn, keeping his eyes on Misty. Her hair was disheveled and her bra strap was showing, coming out from behind her tank top. It was reminiscent of the past where he would see her like this every day. He was nostalgic for it, realization dawning on him. She had always been there, and now he wondered how he had made it travelling around without her friendship to lift him when plagued with sorrow.

It was only then that Ash started to become self-conscious. Embarrassed at his attire, Ash thought it best to at least put on some shorts that he would wear to bed occasionally. Misty started to chuckle at his frantic attempt to put them on, fumbling to slip his legs inside. Her laughter ended as soon as he spoke.

"What were you trying to do anyway?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I was going to go downstairs to watch some TV," she explained, blushingly.

"C'mon," he said, grabbing her hand, pulling and toward the door. "We can go use the old DVD player and watch a movie.

"What?" she said, stunned. "I thought you'd want to go back to sleep."

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a grin. "I don't want you to be alone downstairs."

"You sure?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, let's go."

The two young adults spent about fifteen minutes sifting through the limited DVD collection in the Ketchum's living room. Their final decision was that of a comedy that came out a few years previously, which neither of them had seen. Ash slipped the disk into the player and began the movie. Still have naked, he settled next to Misty on the couch, making her lose focus on the movie at times. She would steal glances at him, drinking in his beauty as if he were a fine wine, every sight of him more refined than the previous. Ash was oblivious to this, too invested in the movie to take notice.

The movie was more than half finished when Misty started to crash. Exhausted, she leaned against Ash much in the manner on the riverbank as she had weeks before that moment. Again, he did not protest. However, this time, he acted unexpectedly by lifting his arm and wrapping it around her shoulders. Her heart skipped a beat as he pulled her closer to him. This was not like the Ash that she had known from her youth.

"Ash, what are you doing?" she whispered, tipping her head up to look at him.

"What does it look like? I'm giving my best friend a hug. Got a problem with it?" he said, giving her a crooked smile.

"Nope," she said, snuggling up to him.

It was well past midnight when the movie had ended. Ash turned to Misty to get her opinion on the film, but he discovered that she had fallen asleep next to him. He did his best to try and wake her so she could go to bed but was unsuccessful in his endeavors. Sighing, he gingerly moved her as he got off of the couch. Doing his best to leave her undisturbed, he lifted her into his arms. He was astounded at how light she was. Carrying her, he ascended the stairs and walked into his room. After gently placing her in his bed, he covered her with the blanket. She shifted slightly, but did not wake. Crawling into his sleeping bag, Ash took a last long look at the sleeping beauty before him. After several moments of silence and deep thought, he turned over and proceeded to drift into his own slumber.

"Misty, like, wake up!"

"Huh?" Misty said groggily.

Misty bolted upright, disorientated from her surroundings. She was back in Ash's bed, not sure of how she got back there. Had the whole incident with him been a dream? She turned her head to see her sisters standing in front of her. Ash's sleeping bag was rolled up and set off to the side. They were all dressed down, which startled Misty. She had not seen her sisters like this since she had been a small child. They were always well dressed and wore make-up.

There was a flock of Pidgeys flying close by cooing as they went. The sound of their wings flapping was very loud. A Dodrio squawked in the distance, hurting Misty's ears. The warm summer air wafted into the room as Misty gazed out the window. The sun outside was high in the sky, bright light shining into the room, bothering her eyes. Misty put her head in her hands, still tired. It felt like she had a hangover, but she had not consumed alcohol. She dreaded how she was going to feel the next morning.

"What time is it?" she asked her sisters.

"It's like two, Misty," Daisy said.

"Yeah, we need to get ready for the party," Violet commented.

"Uh sure…" Misty said reluctantly as she crawled out of the bed, this time successfully. "Let me go get something to eat first."

"But Misty, we like don't have time for that," said Lily.

"It'll take longer if I pass out from hunger," the youngest replied before exiting the room.

She walked out and down the stairs. Judging by their attitude, her sisters hadn't been in the house for long. They would have been even more insufferable had they been there for a few hours. While moving down the stairs, Misty was exasperated. It was going to be a long day. Misty had been thinking about it when she heard voices below her.

"So how are you coping?" a gruff voice said. It was Brock.

"Better than a few weeks ago, obviously. Having Misty around has helped."

"Have you told her yet?"

"Told me what?" Misty interrupted them.

"Oh nothing," Ash said, his voice going up an octave.

"Sure," said Misty. "Hi Brock!"

"Hey there Misty," her old friend said before embracing her.

"Do you want to know how the movie ended, Sleeping Beauty," Ash teased her after she broke apart from Brock.

So it hadn't been a dream. Last night had really happened. They had a romantic moment. Misty thought about Ash's warm embrace, and she experienced a jolt of electricity rush through her. Blushing slightly, she avoided his gaze, ashamed that she had fallen asleep on him.

"Oh Misty, you're awake," Delia said, coming into the room. "Are you hungry? I made some lunch for everyone."

"Yes starving!" she said as she rushed toward the kitchen.

Misty had a delightful lunch with Ash, Brock, and Delia. She was correct in assuming that it would not last long. Her sisters came trouncing into the kitchen, searching for Misty, much to her dismay. The three of them grabbed her by the arms, and tugged her away from the table.

"Time to go get ready lil sis," Violet said.

Ash chortled as Misty was dragged off, mouthing the words "help me" before disappearing.

Ash and Brock waited in the living room for the girls to be done. Pikachu was with them, sporting a bow tie around his neck. The two men had been sitting there for quite a while. Ash's mother had been right about the suit—it fit him perfectly. Ash tried his best to tame his hair, but marginally succeeded in doing so. The suit was charcoal grey, coupled with a light blue shirt and grey tie. Brock was wearing a black suit with a white shirt and a black tie. He, like Misty's sisters was still single. Hundreds of girls still rejected him, though that did not stop him from trying.

Delia was the first to come down. She was wearing a plain pink dress, her hair put up in a messy bun. It was a bit disconcerting for Ash to see his mother looking so nice. He had always been accustomed to witnessing her in her pink apron. She was fussing over Ash and how handsome he looked when Pikachu began tugging on his sleeve.

"What's up Pikachu?"

"Pika pi pikachu!" he exclaimed, pointing to the staircase behind them.

The three eldest sensational sisters were coming down the stairs to join them. All three were wearing floor length gowns in varying colors. It was clear that their intention was to match in someway. Ash noted that the girls were wearing dresses that matched their synchronized swimming outfits. Each of them had their hair up in buns. Ash caught Brock's expression out of the corner of his eye. He was mesmerized. Ash tried waving his hand in front of him, but it was no use. His friend had never changed.

"Eh hem," Daisy started clearing her throat. "Now presenting—"

"The fourth sensational sister—" Lily continued.

"Misty!" Violet finished.

She appeared, and it was Ash's turn to be mesmerized. She was wearing light blue dress, the color similar to his shirt. It was not as long as her sisters' dresses, ending at the knees. It was a strapless gown, allowing for Misty to show off her shoulders, which were gently covered by the cascades of red hair. Her sisters had curled her hair for the occasion. Along with the glittering jewelry and makeup, he barely recognized her. He had gone years of being best friends with her, and did not quite comprehend how gorgeous she was, not until that moment.

"You look great!" Ash said, unable to contain his excitement.

"You think so?" She said, blushing.

"Why would I lie to you about that?" he said, offering his arm. "Shall we get going?"

"Sure," Misty replied, taking what he had to offer.

The party was being held outside at Professor Oak's laboratory. The group arrived at the entrance to the back of the lab relatively early. Not many of the other guests had shown up yet. Professor Oak had greeted them, and ushered them to all the action. There were several large round tables adorned with white table clothes in a blocked off area of the grass. There were lanterns strung above the perimeter, illuminating it with a soft glow. There were a couple of long rectangular tables, partially set for a buffet near the side of the building. In the middle of the tables was a large area, presumably intended for dancing.

It was the perfect night for a romantic party. The weather was wonderful—warm and balmy with a slight breeze. The smells of late summer permeated the air, tickling Misty's nose. The stars above twinkled and danced, smiling at the guest below. A few of the Pokémon were roaming around, curious to see the festivities. After a brief assessment, Misty spotted a certain spiky-haired trainer chatting with a brunette. He paused mid-conversation, noticing her as well.

"Hey, Red!" he shouted, motioning all of them to come join them.

The group made their way over to his table. Misty's sisters seemed to be more interested in finding a mirror to check their makeup, peering into the dark windows on the side of the building. Brock lingered at Gary's table for only about a minute before making his way over to the bar tender. It was clear what his intentions were that night. They had already lost Delia to Professor Oak when they had first gotten there. This left Misty and Ash to talk to the couple.

"Looking gorgeous Red!" said Gary when Misty and Ash first sat down with them. "Seriously what are you doing after this? Wanna come to my place and we can—ow!"

Green, who was next to him, jabbed him in the ribs. She glared at him, and he smiled at her sheepishly.

"I was only joking you know."

"I thought I was supposed to be your date," she grumbled.

"You are. I like to tease Misty, that's all. Tell her Red!"

"Yeah," Misty said, laughing. "Don't worry Green. He's all yours."

She looked at the two of them, skeptical still, but relaxed a little. Green was not the sole person annoyed by Gary's brash behavior. Ash had been throwing daggers in his direction as soon as he started hitting on Misty. Gary had no problem picking up on Ash's animosity toward him.

"Relax, Ashy-boy," he said. "You knew I was only kidding."

"Oh fuck off Gary," Ash snapped back.

"Language," Gary said. "There could be children running amuck."

"Oh so are you talking about yourself?"

"You're just jealous of me, Ashy-boy."

"Jealous? You wish!"

"Boys!" Misty shouted. "That's enough."

"Yes, Ma'am," they muttered in unison.

Misty rolled her eyes at them after the two rivals decided to go see if there was any food yet, Ash moaning to her that he was dying of starvation. This left the two girls alone to chat. There were more people in the yard now, with more appearing every few minutes. Green was dressed to the nines, clearly seeking the attention of Gary Oak. Her hair was twisted in an elegant knot with wisps of hair hanging, framing her face. She was wearing a bright green cocktail dress with a halter-top. Misty wished that she could have looked as beautiful as she.

"So Misty," said Green, turning her attention to the redhead. "Are you and Ash together now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, silly. Are you dating?"

"No, of course not! We're just friends!" she exclaimed, grateful that the cloak of darkness concealed her reddening face.

"Uh huh," Green said. "I'm sure you could find a spot up on the edge of the grounds where no one would find you. Just go up there and fuck him already. Witnessing the sexual tension between you two is exhausting."

Misty said nothing, her face completely flushed at that point. It was not as if the thought never occurred to her. Misty was pretty certain that she would give up her right arm for that kind of intimacy with him. They had been so close to kissing, Misty believed. Once the damn broke, she was sure that they would not be able to control their urges.

Dinner was announced, and soon everyone had rushed up to the buffet table. The spread was spectacular salad, breads, pasta, roast beef, potatoes, and turkey, along with a few more exotic dishes. For dessert there were various cakes, fruit, and cheeses. Misty was convinced that Ash would need to sample the whole spread. The boys and her sisters had rejoined her once they had gotten their food. Misty had settled in between Ash and Brock, who was trying to hit on Violet to his left.

"You're so pretty. Marry me please," Brock pleaded to the girl who was practically begging him to leave her alone. She made the excuse that she had an important call coming in and jumped up from the table. She claimed that she'd return, but Misty knew better.

"Go home, Brock. You're drunk." Misty said.

"Huh? Go home with you? But Misty, I don't want to sleep with you."

Ash choked on the white wine in his hand at Brock's words. Misty groaned and put her face in her palms. She wasn't sure who was worse: drunken Brock or sober Brock. The only positive to drunken Brock that was one could blame his actions the alcohol. There was no excuse for sober Brock.

After dinner, Tracey and Daisy said a few words thanking everyone who came. They talked about love and how lucky they were to have found each other. It was a really touching speech, that is, until Gary started making snarky remarks. It ended in an argument between brother and sister, which Tracey tried to resolve by having the DJ start playing music. He whisked his love away to the dance floor, making her forget all about her brother.

The others wasted no time moving to go dance as well, with the exception of Ash and Misty who remained at the table. They watched the other guests swaying along with the music. She shifted uneasily in her seat, wanting to ask him to dance, but too afraid to do so. Ash would have been the same way, but he got a sudden influx of courage. He grabbed her hand and led her to join the others.

The two were comfortable dancing to the upbeat music. Gary had tried to cut-in, but Ash would not allow it, stating that he didn't trust him. Ash said to Misty that he might try to grab her rear end or something, and that she deserved to be treated like a lady. She was not sure where this was all coming from, but she was not complaining. The two were having fun, until a slow song started to play.

The two stared at each other nervously. Misty went to go back to the table, but Ash grabbed her arm to stop her. She was astounded at his confidence as he pulled her close to him, leading her into a more intimate dance, their bodies against each other as he tightly wrapped his arms around her. He could feel the rapid beat of her heart, and a smile crept on his face as he enjoyed the close contact.

"What are you doing?" Daisy Oak said to her fiancé.

Tracey had a sketchbook in his hand, and he was drawing something, to no one's surprise. This time, however, it was not of any Pokémon. Daisy looked over his shoulder to see the picture of two figures dancing together. She followed his line of vision to see the spot where Ash and Misty stood in each other's arms.

"Don't tell me that you're spying on them," she chastised him.

"Nah, spying would involve me hiding on their private moment. They're out in the open at our engagement party. They won't mind, especially if I give them this along with the other sketches I have as their wedding present someday."

"So you think that they'll end up together?"

"I travelled with them a long time in the Orange Islands. I can tell you that they were made for each other. It's obvious to everyone except for those two. I wish that they'd stop being scared and take that step. They're my friends. I want them to be happy."

"Happy like us?" said Daisy with a smile.

"No one will be happier than us," Tracey said, returning her smile before giving her deep kiss. Everyone watching whistled and hollered, causing the couple to blush. There was no such thing as privacy in this setting. It did little to bother Tracey. They would have privacy later in their new apartment in Viridian.

"Hey Misty?" Ash asked as they danced.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have to leave tomorrow?"

There was a hint of sadness in his voice, stopping her movements. She moved away from his embrace to see his face more clearly. There was dejection in his eyes, and Misty felt guilty, it was her fault that he would plunge into sadness once more.

"Yeah. The gym has gone long enough without me. What else can I do?"

"You could quit being a gym leader."

"Ash!"

"Relax. I'm not serious…well that's only half true," he admitted.

Their eyes interlocked in a fiery passion. His warm eyes melted her armor, which usually was made of steel. How could she leave this man? When would she see him again? She had fallen too deeply in love with him to leave now. Yet, she had a duty to fulfill. She was concentrating on finding a solution when the idea struck her.

"Why don't you come back with me?"

"Huh?"

"I mean it. You could come back and help me out at the gym. I'm sure my sisters would be happy to have someone else take on gym duties, so they can focus on the shows. You aren't doing anything right? So what do you say?"

"I guess I'll have to bring my swim trunks, huh?"

Misty smiled, hugging him as tight as she could. He returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, taking in her scent. Misty's heart soared. She would have remained like this with him forever, but she settled for the couple of minutes of bliss before returning to the fun of the party with the rest of her friends.

End of Part I