Hey Everybody! Well, it's been five months, but at least that's better than the eleven months I took off a few chapters ago, right? Um, right? Haha, anyway, I'm glad to have this chapter up for you. I'm in my last semester at college now, thankfully, and oddly I'm having a lot more free time to write than I've had in previous years. I like to think it's because I'm so organized and acclimated to university life, but it's more likely just because I'm lazy and severely procrastinating till graduation. Either way though, it's good news for y'all as my readers. I'm working on an original story in my spare time, so I have to split between this and that, but honestly this fic is always my first priority because I love it so much.
Before y'all scroll down and start this chapter, I want to make an important announcement. This chapter is officially dedicated to Miss Starfire. This incredible fan, in the course of three days, reviewed almost every single chapter of my fic from start to finish! What a glowing endorsement of my ability to trick people into thinking I know what I'm doing with this story! Haha, but seriously, she's awesome, and I'm flattered to have not only her, but so many fans like her who have stuck by this story and reviewed chapter after chapter. So this one's for you, Miss Star! Please keep reviewing! Reviews – both positive and negative – are the entire reason I stay motivated to finish this epic.
Also, almost as important as her dedication, Miss Starfire was the one to write my TWO-THOUSANDTH REVIEW! YAY! Thank all of you so much for getting us to such a gigantic milestone. Hopefully, with your continued dedication, and my ability to update more regularly, we can hit three thousand before the story ends.
Anyway, I say all that to ask again that you please review this chapter. As most of you know, I always strive to respond to every reviewer who has a question or concern about the story, and even if you don't, just reading your thoughts regardless of length or connotation is uplifting and motivating. So, as always, read, enjoy, and REVIEW PLEASE!
Also, as a side note, part of the reason I was late to update is because I've been distracted by a little-known game I bought…Pokémon X! If any of y'all are fans, I invite you to add me as a friend! My Friend Code is 4098-2197-6667. I'm not the best trainer, but I love battling anyway, and I have a Normal Friend Safari, so just comment or PM your Friend Code if you wanna battle or trade with your favorite handsome author (me, not Nicholas Sparks or Ernest Hemingway).
Her curves caressed the warmth of the blankets. Her breath was silent; heartbeat slow and steady. Her entire body was shrouded in a state of pure calm – a state it had not experienced in a long time.
Had she expected her first time to occur like this? No. Not exactly anyway; though there were some embarrassing scenarios drawn up in an angst-ridden thirteen-year-old girl diary somewhere, and she was sure one of them came close.
Now that it was over, and the passion had subsided to a gentle tide, she realized how truly blessed she felt. That had been the greatest night of her life. Not just because of the physical release from months of unnerving tension. Not only because of the closeness it brought between her and Ash.
It was almost spiritual. She looked slowly around the room, and felt as if it were all a haze. Ash had left only a few moments ago, yet the moments felt like hours. The world stood still as she lingered in the vestigial delights of lovemaking. She couldn't describe it, exactly, but the tips of her toes tingled along with the tips of her fingernails. The Pidgey chirping outside seemed to be doing so just for her, and the sun peeking through the windowsill created a homey silhouette against Ash's walls.
Everything was so quaint this morning. Everything brought a smile to her face. Even Ash's absence was cause for some happiness – after all, he was out doing what he loved with his best friends. Was there anything that could ever be wrong ever again?
Then, a knock.
"Misty, dear, are you awake?"
Her eyes shooting open, she hurriedly pulled the sheet over her chest before answering with a shaky, "Y-yes ma'am!"
"Oh, okay! Well, if you and Brock wanted to, after breakfast I could use some help at the store with arrangements for this wedding."
Her breath suddenly rapid, Misty nodded to no one. "Of course! I'd love that!"
Calm yourself, Waterflower. No one gets that excited over flower arrangements.
"Um, why are you in Ash's room? Was there something wrong with the guest bed?"
Crap!
"Uh, no, Mrs. Ketchum! I just needed to sleep in here because…when I got home Ash was already asleep in the guest bed. I guess he was so exhausted he just fell in the first one he saw!"
"Really?" His mom sounded less skeptical than surprised. "I saw the sheets made and they looked almost untouched! I can't believe my little boy actually made his bed before he left."
"I guess you reminding him so often is finally paying off," she joked hoarsely, still slightly panicked, but relieved by Delia's tone. "Maybe he'll remember to change his underwear on his own someday too."
For a moment, she giggled. "You may just be right, dear. I'm going downstairs now. Join us when you're ready."
Jumping out of bed, Misty smiled at her good fortune and quick thinking. Too close! She got into the shower and quickly scrubbed herself down and dried herself up. As she dried she caught herself humming a little tune, and for a moment she paused - almost scaring herself at her good mood. A quick wink in the mirror, though, and she was back on top of the world.
Her hair wet, she wrapped a towel around her head and headed downstairs in a tank top and shorts.
"Do you want anything to eat?" Delia asked as Brock sipped on some coffee and read the morning paper.
Misty gave her a warm smile and nodded. "Yes please. I'm starved!"
"It's so good to see you in a good mood," she mentioned, motioning to the empty seat by her fellow gym leader.
Misty gave her an inquisitive look.
"Oh, not that you weren't in one before! Just that you've seemed so preoccupied…and, well, you had good reason to be! But I'm just happy to see such a genuine smile this morning."
"Aww! Thank you Mrs. Ketchum!" she answered, flying. "I know I shouldn't be, but I'm surprised you picked up on how I was feeling. I just figured we were all worried about Ash…I know I was!"
She shook her head. "That's nonsense. A mother always knows when something's wrong, even if it's not her child!" She quickly shuffled the hot cakes off the stove and onto a small blue plate. Placing the dish in front of Misty, she pointed to the syrup in the middle of the table.
"Thanks! These look great!"
"Trust me, they are," Brock assured, putting down the paper and checking out his phone.
"Who're you talking to, Brock?" Misty asked, her mouth half-full of pancake. She blushed instantly, realizing the faux pas and covering quickly. "Is Ash texting you?"
Looking a little startled at the question, he glanced up and immediately shoved the phone back in his pocket. "Oh! Uh, no! It's just a friend of mine from Sinnoh. You know how it is after you've worked somewhere a while!"
The strawberry-blond cocked an eyebrow, suspicious of his nervous response. "Uh-huh. So who's the friend?"
"N-nobody. Just some guy. You know."
"If it's just some guy then why are you acting all jumpy about me asking?"
"I'm not jumpy! I just drank too much coffee is all."
"Brock," Delia interrupted, putting a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder, "you should tell her. You need to trust them."
Misty's teasing grin disappeared. "Trust us with what? Is something actually wrong? I was just -"
Delia shook her head. "Oh no, nothing's wrong, dear. It's just that Brock has a secret and he's afraid you and Ash will make fun of him for it. But like I told him, you two are his best friends and would never make him feel bad."
Nodding, Misty gave the breeder an earnest look. "I'm sorry if you thought I would, Brock. You should know better, though! If something good is happening in your life me and Ash always wanna know about it."
He blushed. "Well, it's not that I'm afraid you're gonna bully me about it. It's just a little weird to admit to you guys since you've known me so long."
Now she was really curious. "What is it?"
"Well…"
"Oh, c'mon Brock! We won't tell Ash unless you say it's okay to!"
Gripping the edge of the table, the breeder looked pensive for a moment. Slowly, the thoughtfulness gave way to a resigned apprehension.
"Okay, I'll tell you…but only if you promise to keep it between us until I say it's alright."
Misty nodded eagerly.
"Well…" he began again. He paused, suddenly noticing the pained expression on the redhead's face. He would have loved to drag this out a few more minutes, just to further torture her. But unfortunately, he knew too well the price of aggravating Misty for too long.
Better to tell her before the mallet comes out.
"I have a girlfriend now!"
"What?!" Her jaw felt like it was going to hit the ground.
Blushing madly, he waved his hands. "You don't have to sound like I just announced I'm pregnant! It's not impossible for a girl to find me attractive, you know."
Blushing herself, Misty retracted the exclamation. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…well, wow! I can't believe it!"
"Thanks," he groaned. "Glad to know you and Ash believed so strongly in me."
"Sorry, but…I mean, you always strike out! That's who you are!"
He gave a small chuckle. "I decided to change it up and actually get a yes, for once."
"But, how?!"
"I'll tell you, but you have to promise something."
"What?"
"You'll get that shocked look off your face right now!"
"Deal."
"First," Delia interrupted, stepping between the two at the table, "though, I need to know if you two want to join me at the shop or not. It's a few hours' work and I'll pay for the extra help!"
Brock shook his head. "You know I'll do it for free, Mrs. Ketchum!"
"Me too!" Misty agreed, standing up. She'd only had a couple of pancakes, but Brock's revelation had quelled any appetite for food she had. Now she just wanted more information.
Wait till Ash hears about this!
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"So how'd you two meet?" The car ride to the shop wasn't long enough to begin her line of inquiry, so Misty had patiently waited for them to arrive at the store before drilling.
Brock smiled as he walked into the store's back freezer. "We actually knew each other from a long time ago, believe it or not."
"Oh! Like from when we were traveling together?"
"Not quite that long ago," he answered, coming out with a bouquet of frosted yellow roses. "But you're on the right track. Anyway, start tying these things up."
He put the flowers down on Delia's worktable in the back room before going in for more. Misty was supposed to be tying the dozens of flowers together using some decorative yellow ribbon, but she was bubbling with too many questions to worry about that now.
"Oh, don't worry about that. Mrs. Ketchum said the bride wasn't coming till three. We have plenty of time. So tell me her name!"
He laughed. "Fine. It's Lucy. We met about five years ago when I was traveling with Ash and May and Max." Another bouquet hit the table. "You really should get started on these. You have to cut off the thorns before you tie them, you know."
She rolled her eyes. "Brock, back at my gym I had to drain, scrub, and refill the salt and fresh water pools every week before we opened. Have a little faith that I can handle some measly flowers in the next six hours."
"Fine…"
"So what does she look like? You didn't lower your standards just to get a 'yes,' did you?" she teased, playfully hopping onto the worktable and kicking her feet.
He glared before going back into the freezer. "No! In fact, she's the prettiest girl I've ever seen!"
"Hey!"
"Yeah, I said that on purpose." Though she couldn't see him, she knew he was smirking.
"Well, I'll assume that's because I'm like a sister to you. Anyway, how's she look?"
"She's pretty tall; about an inch shorter than me. And she's got long black hair with red highlights, and she usually wears these red contacts, but in real life she's got hazel eyes."
She smiled. "Wow, Brock, you're actually describing her like a normal person."
"Huh?"
"You used to obsess over the weirdest things with girls. You'd talk about how they smelled and the size of their skirts! It sounds like you're different now."
For the second time that day he blushed as he dropped off more flowers. "I guess…I mean, I still notice those things, but since we've been together my hormones have definitely realigned some. Having a girlfriend kinda makes you less girl-crazy, you know?"
"Not really, but I'll take you word for it."
"Oh, just get rid of those thorns."
Misty picked up the small pair of scissors lying beside her. As she snipped away at the thorns, she continued her rapid fire questioning.
"What's she do?"
"Frontier Brain."
"Where does she live?"
"When we met, she was actually living near Fuschia. We met back up since she's working as a Brain on the outskirts of Jubilife now." He left for a moment to get more flowers. "She wanted to move and explore different regions, so Sinnoh was her choice by chance."
"Did she ever act like she liked you before when you guys met?"
"Yeah! That's the weird thing. She says I have the same eyes as some of her favorite Pokémon, so she instantly had a crush on me. When we first met, I knew she liked me, and when we finally started dating she told me about the Pokémon comparison."
Misty laughed. "Well, I met a Golduck that definitely shared some personality traits with you…almost drove me nuts!"
"Oh, ha, ha," he answered sarcastically.
"Well, how old is she?"
"Isn't that a little rude to be asking?"
"Not if she's our age!"
Rolling his eyes, he sighed. "She's a couple years older than me…and I don't wanna hear any jokes Ms. 'I'm a cradle robber myself.'"
Misty glared. "Oh, Brock! You need to learn to lighten up and just have fun! I'm only teasing you!"
"Fun like when you and Ash would sneak up and shove snow down the back of my shirt in the winters?"
Misty giggled. "Exactly!"
"You two are such bullies!"
"We were kids! You weren't exactly Mr. Innocent either, you know. Remember that one time you told Ash your No-Chew-Stew had Pikachu meat?"
He snickered. "He looked like he was gonna be sick mid-bite!"
She laughed along. "And you kept adding other random Pokémon to the recipe? Like Squirtle and Charizard?"
"Okay, well you can't blame me for having a little fun. Ash was always tempting to trick."
"Like I said, we were kids! Of course we tricked each other and played silly little pranks. You were the oldest of us and you were only fifteen to start out! I just hope you don't seriously let those dumb things get in the way of telling us what's happening in your life."
He nodded. "I know you two love me and want what's best. I shouldn't have been so worried what you would say, but old habits die hard."
She laughed and gave him a genuine smile. "So do you really like this girl?"
"Let's put it this way," he answered with a grin. "Since we've been together, I haven't hit on a single Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny."
"No way!"
"A Jenny actually lives in my apartment complex, and yet I haven't said more than five words to her since me and Lucy began seeing each other."
"No way!"
"You're gonna have to stop saying that."
"This must really be serious if you're giving up chasing Joys and Jennys."
"Yep…and I hope it keeps going this way. Being in a serious relationship is a lot of fun!"
"Well, it can have its ups and downs." She couldn't help but think of the fights she and Ash had engaged in since becoming a couple. "Sometimes there's nothing you'd rather do than beat the other person."
"I know what you mean," he agreed. "The other day she and I got in a two hour fight that started off with a disagreement over eating pizza with forks."
"Who does that?"
He scoffed. "Exactly!"
"I can beat that. A couple months ago me and Ash went out to eat and the waitress winked at him and I caught him staring at her!"
"Whoa…that couldn't have ended well."
"Not for either of them, actually."
Brock laughed. "What did Ash say?"
"I don't actually think he meant anything by it. He seemed more confused than anything else by what she was doing, but I still kept him up all night apologizing, then I made him get me breakfast to make up for it."
"Yeah, Ash doesn't seem like the type to ever be interested in another girl. Honestly, it's surprising how into you he is considering how obsessed with Pokémon he's always been."
She nodded. "It's nice to have a boyfriend you know would choose playing with a swarm of Butterfree over looking at a pretty girl. Still, I wasn't having any of that. He's a guy, and as you know, guys are stupid."
"Hey!"
"You know it's true."
"…well, yeah. Still…what did you say to the waitress?"
She smirked at the memory. "Nothing. When we left I wrote a little note on the receipt under the 'tip' line."
"Threaten the mallet?"
"Oh, she wishes."
"Yikes, you're still scary, Waterflower."
She gave a sickly sweet smile. "Only when I need to be."
Shuddering, he went back into the freezer, leaving Misty alone with her thoughts. She continued clipping away at the thorns, watching each one slowly flutter down to the concrete floor as her mind began to wander to the night before.
Soon, she was smiling goofily again, and when he reemerged from the freezer, Brock took notice.
"And what's up with you this morning, mermaid?"
"Hm?" She looked up, almost surprised to find him staring right at her.
"You were humming. You seem to be in an awfully good mood."
"I was?" Second time today.
She cleared her throat. "Well why shouldn't I be? It's beautiful outside," she pointed towards the sunny window, "and you have a girlfriend now!"
"Still, you seem a little too overjoyed. I don't hear you hum very often unless you just beat someone up."
"Brock! You always treat me like I'm twelve!"
He grinned. "You always will be to me. C'mon. You don't think in twenty years we'll still see each other as a girl-crazed teenager and a stubborn little girl?"
"I hope not!"
"I just don't think it'll ever change, but I'm happy about that! That's what friends are supposed to be like."
"I don't think I need friends who remember what a hot-head I used to be."
"Sure you do! And it's not like you don't still have your moments."
"Yeah, but I've matured, Brock. You can't just look at me and see the same stubborn little girl I was."
"When I told you I had a girlfriend, what did you say?" he asked, smiling.
She rolled her eyes. "Okay, yes I thought you were joking."
"Why?"
"Like I said, you always strike out."
"Based on how I was when we traveled together, right?"
"You still acted goofy sometimes when we were back together a year ago!"
"But not the same, right? You're still a hothead sometimes-"
"Hey!"
"-but that doesn't mean you're as severe as you were back then. But when I see you, a lot of the time I still see a girl on the edge of a tantrum!"
"Well I guess that means I just have more work to do," she replied, still agitated at the hothead remark. "Just like you!"
"But that's just it. Think about it. Lifelong friends like us will always know the true versions of each other."
"True versions?"
"When you get older you make new friends, but they only know who you are now. They know the mature you – the you that's hidden away all the rough edges. But lifelong friends like us…well, we know the whole story! We know how the other person really is, not just what they want the world to see them as now that they're an adult."
All was quiet for a moment as she considered his words. Despite her aggravation, she couldn't deny the truth. There was some comfort in knowing people who had known her for so long.
"That's actually kinda sweet, Brock," she conceded as he reemerged from the freezer. "And it's true. I guess that's why you and me have stayed friends so long even though we're so different, and why Ash and I get along so well. We already know everything about each other!"
"Exactly!" He gave a mischievous grin. "And it's why I know something's up with you!"
She blushed and looked back down at the flowers. No way is he finding out!
"You thought I was gonna forget, didn't you?"
"I'm just glad everything's working out so well for everyone. After Ash gets back, it'll start to feel like old times again. We'll go back to traveling Sinnoh, and maybe even see some old friends along the way. He's gonna help me train for the April scholarship competition, and I'm gonna help him finish up the Pokédex so he can face the Master."
"I guess you're ready for things to get back to normal again, huh?"
"More than that. I'm excited for normal. I've never been so happy thinking about a long, boring day out in the woods with Ash just looking for some stupid bug Pokémon."
He laughed. "I can believe that. One sec."
For a moment all was quiet as Brock hustled back into the freezer to retrieve the last remaining bouquets. Coming out, he shivered a little as he closed the freezer door and vaulted it shut.
He took a seat next to her and grabbed another pair of clippers. "So you're ready for normal, huh? I'm glad to hear that."
"Well yeah. We haven't exactly been leading average lives to begin with since Ash started this journey, but everything that's happened has just made me miss the good old days of last month."
"The temptation has to be strong to just act like none of this happened," he jumped, handing her the last dozen. "After everything, I know I'd wanna just forget it all."
What else is there to do? She cocked her eyebrow, but otherwise remained focused on her snips of the thorns.
"I mean, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably try to act like it never happened!"
"What do you mean? He's going there to confront Red about everything!"
Brock shook his head. "He's going into a battlefield. He may not completely realize it, but going to Mount Silver is going to be a tough experience for him and his Pokémon. Gary was the first step, but this is really going to test his faith in his team and himself."
Misty rolled her eyes. "Enough with the drama, Brock. Trust me, I've had more than my fair share of dramatic words the last couple of weeks to last a lifetime. Can't we just do some regular chitchat?"
"Misty, you can't ignore this. Ash is up there alone now. He's gonna be facing everything that's happened."
"Yeah, he is, but I'm not. I've already discussed it to death, Brock! There's nothing else for me to think about. It was a close call, but we both made it out okay. I'm very sorry for what happened to Venusaur and Heracross, and of course I feel bad for Ash about that, but honestly I just think it's time to move on."
"I agree."
"Then why are you still talking about it?"
"Because moving on means facing your past. Not turning your back on it."
"So I should dwell on the fact I almost died?"
"No. I mean, not that. I'm saying that you have to allow yourself to think about it, though. I've seen you lately. You talk about everything but what happened. I don't want you to dwell on it, but you shouldn't bottle up your feelings, either."
"Have I ever bottled my feelings, Brock?"
"Well, no, but like I said, you've been avoiding talking about it the last few days and it just worries me."
She sighed. "Don't you think there's a reason for that? Ash lost his team. I needed to stay strong for him."
"And this hasn't affected you at all?"
She shrugged. "Of course it has. You don't get over being drugged and taken to a secret lair overnight. Honestly, though, this wasn't the first time I'd been so scared. You know when I was a kid I lost my parents, so in comparison, this was actually a win for me. I didn't lose anyone close to me, and most importantly Giovanni was caught."
"Too bad they don't know what happened to him."
"Yeah we do. Red took him! Remember?"
"I mean, it's too bad we don't know what actually happened to him after that. Do you think there's any chance what the champions thought was true?"
"What? That Red is secretly with Team Rocket?" She took a moment to laugh at the thought. "Of course not! He's the Pokémon Master, Brock."
"Well, the bigger they are, you know?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so."
"Well what do you think he did, then?"
"I dunno. Maybe he brought Giovanni to the police or something…goodness knows they'd never catch him on their own."
"Still a little bitter about what happened to Ash and that Officer Jenny?" he asked with a humorous glint in his eye.
She flashed back a sarcastic smile. "Just a little."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Well these are lovely, but I'm starting to reconsider yellow," the anxious bride-to-be noted, closely inspecting each half dozen roses for any blemishes. "These are pretty, but it's getting later in the year and I'm not sure such light colors are appropriate for the season!"
Misty wanted to smack her. This was the same one who had threatened her and Brock the other night, and today she was being no less difficult.
"These are going to be tied to the ends of the pews, and I don't want to look too brightly decorated as I walk down the aisle…"
Just shoot me. Still, though, this torture did give her newfound respect for Delia. Though the mom had always been sweet to her son and his friends, Misty realized for the first time as she listened to an endless list of worries and complaints that her calm, loving demeanor didn't discriminate between loved ones and uptight windbags.
She just stands there and smiles and waits to reassure this lady. How does she not lose her mind being so nice all day?
Indeed, this wasn't the first difficult customer to walk through the doors. Earlier, a businessman spent twenty minutes unsuccessfully –and awkwardly - flirting with the brunette, and before that a couple strode in and asked about all varieties the store held and then walked back out without a single purchase. Misty personally had had to deal with several rude customers, and she wondered how Delia handled it by herself when they weren't around.
"I completely understand why you'd think that," Delia answered in her normal-calm tone and smile. "But I can assure you that this will be perfect. The seasons are changing but your wedding is only in a couple of days and it's still very warm. If this were a night wedding, or in December, then I would have suggested the traditional red, but at this point I don't see any reason to change it."
"I don't know…"
"Well, are there any other bouquets you would be more interested in? I thought we went through all of them, but perhaps there were a few we missed we need to look at again?"
"If I could just see the catalogue once more..."
"Of course."
Misty rolled her eyes and returned to the back. Though Delia said they could leave an hour earlier, both assured her they would stay and do whatever other chores she needed done.
"It's not like we have anything else to do, anyway!"
Brock was just reentering as well from the back entrance. "The trash has been taken out. I think I got pricked a dozen times from those thorns, though. How's bridezilla?"
"The same."
"That figures." He rolled his eyes. "It's about time to close, though. Let's hope Delia's paying attention to the clock."
"I don't know how she could with that woman changing her mind every minute."
"So what do we wanna do after this?"
She shrugged. "I guess we could catch a movie? Sorry, I'm really not sure what there is to do around here without Ash to show us."
"Yeah, we're just the supporting cast, after all."
"Yeah, right," she snorted. "Ash would be lucky to be our supporting cast. I just don't know what there is to do here. We keep talking about how much Pallet has grown, but I'm just as bored as I ever was when I stayed here too long."
"It's true. Even when we stayed here for those couple of months before Ash's run at Indigo we at least went to the beach and the mountains a lot. We didn't do anything here other than train."
Giving up, Misty sat down at the bench and cradled her head within her palms.
"You know any movies?" He took out his phone and started looking them up as he asked the question.
She shook her head with a sigh.
"Hmmm…there's a movie about some woman who 'find herself.'"
"Yuck."
"Yeah. There's a new Zubatman movie out!"
She stuck her tongue out and he rolled his eyes.
"Aww, c'mon."
"Nope."
"Fine. There's also some animated things if you wanted something light. One's about some kids who play card games."
"Like poker?"
"Uh, no, I don't think so. It looks lame. Disney stuff is out, of course."
"Do I look ten?"
"You know you still like those movies."
"Sometimes…but in the privacy of my own home."
He put his phone away. "That's all there is. I guess we could go eat again."
"We just had lunch an hour ago!"
He grabbed his gut. "I know, but I can't seem to stop. Something about when I'm bored makes me hungry…also, Mrs. Ketchum's cooking doesn't hurt."
She chuckled. "Well, I guess we could do that run we were talking about."
"Ugh, that sounded like a good idea when we were planning on doing it tomorrow."
"Tomorrow was yesterday, and we didn't. Besides, you have a girlfriend now. Don't you wanna look good for her?"
"Actually, I've been gaining weight since we got together. It's almost like my body knows I don't have to try anymore."
"Brock! You can't stop! Do you remember how long it took to find this girl?" She gave him a teasing glance. "What if she dumped you? You wouldn't find another girl till your forties at least!"
"Oh ha, ha, Misty. Look at you trying to look all good for Ash!"
"Huh?"
"Bikini season's over, you know," he retaliated jokingly. "He's not gonna see you till next summer, anyway."
She blushed. "I don't care about what Ash thinks!"
"Then why do you keep talking about working out?"
"Because it's healthy, obviously."
He doubted her, and the feeling was apparent.
"Really!"
"Uh-huh. I think you wanna look good for your guy."
"Take that back! I don't care what anyone thinks of me!"
"Aww! How cute!" he teased. "Little Misty wants to look good for her man – Ow!"
A quick slap to the back of the head silenced her friend. "Now are you gonna go running with me or what?"
"Told ya you hadn't grown up," he muttered as they got up.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Dying…no, really."
"C'mon Brock! We've only done a couple miles!"
"And we…still have…to run back!" Brock desperately gasped. "That's four miles! And you...made us do…those pushups and sit-ups before!"
"You're barely keeping up with a teenage girl."
"Nope. Nuh-uh, I'm not…being pressured to keep going." He came to an unannounced stop. He bent over and grabbed his knees. "This is as far…as I go."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay. I'm gonna keep going for a while, though, alright?"
"How can you feel good? I thought you said you hadn't worked out in forever either!"
"Well, yeah, I haven't. I used to run ten miles easy, and I did laps all the time back at the gym. I'm already starting to feel winded!"
Brock took another couple deep breaths. "You and I have very different definitions of out of shape. I'm gonna start heading back. Don't lap me if you see me up ahead."
"I don't make any promises," she winked. "But here, you can have my water bottle."
"See you back at the house!" he called as she turned back up her music and started running again.
Waving, she kept going.
I love having Brock around, but he sure is being a baby about this. I need to start working out again. My Pokémon were soft in the competition, and it all starts with the trainer. Look at Ash, he works out hard all the time, and his Pokémon reflect that!
At the thought, she felt a second wind come on and her stride grew a little more.
It sure is beautiful, she pondered, running down a dirt road headed out of town. Delia already lived in the suburbs, and it wasn't a long journey out of the city.
She huffed and puffed her way down the winding path. To her left and right forest encroached upon the clearing, and up ahead she could see and smell the not-too-distant seashore.
As the beat of her music continued, she thought back to her conversation with Brock earlier.
Could he be right? Am I ignoring everything that happened?
After all, she did feel exceptionally well for someone who had almost died not even two weeks before. Shouldn't there be some grieving period like Ash had?
Of course, he lost his Pokémon. As she had told Brock, she'd honestly come out of the Rocket hideout relieved despite everything. Though it would have been traumatizing otherwise, the fact that she and Ash both survived unscathed was more than enough reason to celebrate in her mind.
But shouldn't I feel sad?
On the other hand, what was there to feel sad about? Sincerely, other than worry about Ash's feelings, Misty hadn't considered that night in relation to herself.
She went back and forth as her running shoes pounded the dusty trail.
There were a few pedestrians she passed coming to-and-from the sea, and she thoughtlessly passed by each one as her mind continued to wander.
Though she knew there was no reason to be upset, she couldn't shake the feeling that Brock had struck some nerve. That somehow all was not well, despite how good she felt. Something in her heart just didn't feel right.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
She had worked out hard. That much was evident from a passing glance.
As she walked in the door, sweat dripped from her fingertips, and her cheeks were rosy from the exertion.
"You finally made it back!" Brock was fully dressed, minus his shoes, and sitting on the couch. "The guest bathroom is all yours if you need it. I already got showered."
"You're really lazy," she sighed, walking into the kitchen to get water. Grabbing a glass, she filled it and came back out.
"You're just an overachiever. I told you we had already done more than enough!"
Gulping down the glass, she took a moment. "Not for me! You know I'm trying to win that scholarship. No way can I do that if I'm not in good conditioning."
"I'd say you're in perfect conditioning if you were out there running that whole time! You went for almost an hour!"
"Yeah, but I want to start training with my Pokémon soon, like Ash does, and if that's the case I have to get used to doing this stuff again. Pokémon have to be inspired or they'll be just as lazy as their trainer."
"Which is why I quit battling," he quipped.
"And this whole time I thought you were becoming this expert breeder because you loved Pokémon so much."
"You know I do! I was just playing."
"I know." She walked to the foot of the stairs. "I'm gonna go take that shower now. What're the plans? Is Delia home?"
"Look at you using her name!"
"You did earlier today!"
"Yeah, well, it just started feeling weird still calling her Mrs. Ketchum all the time. I don't think I could say it to her face, though."
Misty made a face. "No way! Way too weird after all these years."
"It'll just be our secret."
"Definitely."
"Anyway, she just got in. She's taking a bath, I think. I don't know if we're really gonna do anything tonight after all. She seemed really beat, and I didn't wanna suggest going out after she's been working all day."
Misty nodded. "We could go out."
Brock smiled sheepishly. "Well, actually, since Delia didn't seem in the mood to go out, I told Lucy we could talk on the phone tonight. We haven't said more than good night or good morning to each other in a week! So I think we're gonna have a lot of catching up to do."
In spite of herself, Misty felt a little disappointed. "Aw, okay."
"I mean, I could cancel if you want!"
"No way!" She shook her head. "I can't have you ruining your best chance at a relationship!"
"Hey!"
"You know it's true."
"…well, yeah."
"Anyway, I'll find something to do with myself for one night. So is that why you're all dressed up and looking nice? For the video phone?"
Another sheepish grin. "Eh, yeah. I guess."
"Well you look nice," she winked. Running up the stairs, she heard Brock make a beeline for the kitchen from behind.
Jumping in the shower, she was disappointed to find the hot water almost used up after Brock and Delia's use. She soon adjusted to the cold water, though, and actually enjoyed the cool sensation after the warming run. As she rinsed off, she thought about what she should do with herself the rest of the day.
I guess I could just go out and explore on my own…there has to be something to do.
She decided not to waste any more time by washing her hair again, despite her lack of an agenda. Though she loved her longer red locks, she absolutely despised the time it took to wash and dry them, and once a day was already more than enough.
Getting out, she dried herself off and slipped into a comfortable t-shirt and jeans. She brushed through her hair a few times, but didn't spend too much time on it. It was naturally wavy, and she decided not to fight it with a straightener tonight.
He's not even here, after all.
Squeezing into some old tennis shoes, she hopped downstairs. To her left, she heard Brock giggling madly to the screen, and to the right she saw the TV was on, though no one was in the living room.
Flopping down, she flipped through the channels without interest.
I could work with Starmie, she realized. The rest of her Pokémon were with the Professor, but the starfish was a key component of her team, and she could easily think of some drills they could run through.
With that thought, she jumped up and headed for the door.
"Are you headed out?"
"Oh!" She turned around and found Delia stepping out of her room. "Yeah, I was thinking I'd go train Starmie some."
Delia looked surprised. "The sun's about to go down. Why don't you train tomorrow?"
Misty shook her head. "No, it's okay. Brock's busy tonight, so I've got some time."
"You didn't want to do something with me?"
Oops!
Misty instantly turned three shades of red. "I hadn't – I mean, I'm so sorry! I didn't even think you wanted to go out!"
"Don't look so scared!" Delia laughed sweetly. "I'm not going to hurt you! I was just wondering. If you really need to train, though, I understand."
The water trainer shook her head. "No, not at all! I mean, yeah I need to eventually, but Brock had told me you seemed too tired to go out tonight."
Delia moved closer to Misty and lowered her voice.
"Well, don't tell him, but I acted really tired earlier when he got home so he would make other plans. I didn't want to be rude, but I thought you and I should spend some time with each other alone. Brock and I already had a little dinner date a few days ago, but I hardly ever have alone time with my own son's girlfriend!"
Misty gave the brunette a sly grin. "Wow, Mrs. Ketchum, I didn't know you could be that sneaky."
"I have my moments," she winked.
"Besides," she raised her voice to normal, "I'm all dressed up and have nowhere to go!" With a slight flourish, she did a quick spin – showing off her light pink blouse and long navy skirt.
"Well, I'm not, but I'd still love to go out!"
Delia gave the water trainer a stern look. "What are you talking about? You look beautiful!"
As she turned back to her room, Misty rolled her eyes. She never turns off the charm.
A few minutes of preparation later, and the two girls were out of the house and on their way into town.
"I'm so glad we chose to walk!" Delia piped. "We have so few nice warm evenings like this left before winter comes back."
"I know. I love how close your house is to town. It's such a peaceful place to live."
"Well, I'm sure you'd prefer a big city for you and Ash, but I've come to love Pallet as my hometown. Ever since Jay passed away, I've never felt like I could leave here without leaving him too."
"Bless your heart!" Misty was taken by how quickly the conversation had become personal. "I can't imagine how painful that must have been for you!"
Delia gave a sad smile, only half her face illuminated in the orange glow of the intermittent streetlights. Misty could have sworn she saw tears welling in the mother's eyes. "Thank you…but you do know! I know about how you lost your parents. That's worse than even what I went through. To lose your parents at such a young age! I don't know how you've been so strong." With a reassuring squeeze, Delia grabbed Misty's hand.
Smiling, the redhead squeezed back. "Let's just call it a tie."
Delia chuckled. "Deal."
They walked on in silence for a few minutes as the neighborhood dwindled behind them, and the faint glow of the town's center appeared on the horizon.
"Do you have any ideas on where we should eat?"
"Oh no, dear! It's your choice. I'm honestly not very hungry. I just wanted a chance to sit and talk for a while."
"Then why should we eat? Let's go to that park I saw yesterday and talk there!"
"If you insist, but I have no problem going to a restaurant."
Misty patted her stomach. "Brock and I are trying to diet a little after all the time off from training we've taken."
"That's ridiculous! You're skinnier than a stick! You have to eat!"
"No, really! I promise I'm fine!"
Delia raised a worried eyebrow as Misty laughed off her concern. "…if you're sure…but I insist we get some ice cream, at least. You need to eat if you want to gain muscle for all your training!"
Misty relented, and the two made their way to Pallet Park. Idle chitchat consumed most of the walk, a pleasant departure for both women. From politics to reality television, they covered a broad spectrum and continued as they took a bench beneath a slowly exfoliating willow.
"Isn't this a beautiful park?"
The redhead nodded.
"I dedicated several of the flower gardens here, and little Ash – when he was eight – came with me everyday to help plant them. The gazebo is my favorite part, though. The little string yellow lights all around it remind me of Christmas whenever I come at night."
"It really is a pretty spot. I bet a wedding would look beautiful here."
Delia sighed. "Yes, it would. I used to imagine Jay and I getting married here after he was taken. I'd sit here for hours at a time and pretend every night Ash would be gone on a sleepover or at Professor Oak's. It would have been much nicer than our actual ceremony."
"I think Ash told me about that! Didn't you guys elope?"
"Something like that," she chuckled. "It wasn't that anyone disapproved. Our families loved us and each other…it was just we didn't want to wait another second so we went to the gambling district in Celadon and got married at three in the morning in a casino."
"Really? You?" Misty had to laugh at the thought.
Delia gave a hurt look. "What? Is it that unbelievable?"
"You lied to Brock earlier, and now you're telling me you got married in a casino secretly? Yes, it's very hard to believe! You're so perfect!"
"Oh my," Delia blushed as she broke into a chuckle. "You don't know me as well as you think if you believe that. No, I've made plenty of mistakes too, but they were just too long ago for you to remember!"
"Well, not as many as I've made, I'm sure."
Delia grabbed the redhead's hand again. "You keep speaking like you've done something wrong. Is there anything you need to talk about?"
Looking into her boyfriend's mother's earnest gaze, Misty suddenly realized where that tinge of guilt she'd been carrying all day alongside her bliss originated.
She trusts us so much. She only asked us to not do one thing.
It was true she and Ash had been through so much. And, in the same situation, many would have crumbled under the pressure or worse. But that was no excuse. As the two women sat underneath the willow in the evening's glow, she suddenly realized why Ash had resisted her before so strongly. His mother never exuded guilt or anger – only an innocent trust in those she believed.
We can't do that again.
Misty's heart sank at the thought, and she could only imagine how Ash would feel at the news, but it was the only thing to do. They couldn't sneak around behind his mom's back like that. She'd already been put through so much by the men in her life, and the last thing Misty wanted was to be added to that list of concerns.
"No, I'm okay. I was just thinking about what Brock said earlier. He said it seemed like I was suppressing feelings about all that's happened."
"Do you think you are?"
"Actually, no. I've been a little mixed up today, but that's just because of a rough night's sleep. I think I'll sleep much better tonight."
"A good night's sleep is the key to a good tomorrow," Delia quipped. "I always tried to get Ash to listen to that saying, but up until the day he left he never went to bed before midnight without a fight."
"I believe that. He probably never would sleep if Pokémon training and traveling didn't wear him out so much!"
A little laughter ensued, but Delia almost-immediately refocused. "But are you sure nothing's bothering you? I know you feel like you have to be brave for Ash after all he's been through – I felt the same way for Jay – but we're all here for you too. You were the one actually captured!"
"No, really." She shook her head and looked out to the wooden structure standing between two miniature lakes. "I'm just relieved it all worked out. I am a little nervous about Ash now though. In just a couple of weeks everything's kinda exploded about the G-Men and Team Rocket and me. It's gotta be a lot to handle at once, and it's just scaring me that he hasn't had a nervous breakdown yet."
"I know what you mean. He's had to do a lot of growing up recently…but maybe that's a good thing."
Misty was surprised. "You think so? Like this?"
She shrugged. "I'm his mother, and nothing would make me happier than for Ash to never be hurt or suffer a loss, but I know that's not possible. These last couple of weeks have given Ash a taste of the bad that's in the world. He's about to be a grown man, and I've always known he's meant to do great things, but he can't do that if he doesn't see what the world's capable of. He's talked to me so many times the last few days about how he can't believe all the stuff the police found at that Rocket hideout: underground Pokémon death matches, narcotic drug ring information, insider trading tips. He's struggling to believe all that was going on here and in Johto, but he needed to know it happens."
"He could have just read the newspaper," Misty muttered, half joking.
"You know Ash would never pay attention to the news," Delia noted lightly. "But seeing that ugliness up close, and the extremes Team Rocket and people like them are willing to go to get what they want, has opened his eyes, I think. It's hurting him now to lose his best friends like he has, but in the end it will make him a better man, and a better Pokémon Master."
A sad smile appeared on Misty's lips. "I just hope it doesn't break him. I don't want to lose the innocent boy I fell in love with."
"You love him?"
"Oops!" Misty covered her mouth. "Has he not told you that yet? We started saying it recently."
Delia rolled her eyes. "If I know my Ash, he forgot to tell me. But, I'm so glad to hear that you love each other! I mean, I knew, of course, but it's even better when people realize for themselves that they're meant for each other."
Misty blushed. Delia clearly had high hopes for this relationship…though, if she were being honest with herself, so did she.
"But, you don't need to worry about that," Delia continued, snapping Misty from her thoughts. "It's not just me being a naïve mother that makes me believe he's meant for great things. Ever since Ash was a boy, he's shown the kindness and empathy of a – well, a hero. He believes in right and wrong, and will put his own life on the line to defend that belief. With that conviction, and the obvious skills he has in raising Pokémon, it's obvious he's meant for great things.
Misty nodded. "A lot of that's thanks to you."
"I like to think I had something to do with it," Delia winked, "but I can't deny he has a lot of his father in him too. I'll give Jay a little credit."
Misty looked up and saw the stars shining brightly across the sky.
"Well, wherever he is, I hope he knows we're thinking of him."
Author's Notes: Yay, character development! Yeah, this will receive mixed reviews, I know, but I thought we needed to take a little of the spotlight off of Ash since the last ten chapters have been really focused on him. Misty is an equal lead for this story, and it's bothered me I haven't focused more on her feelings during this trying time for our favorite couple, so that was the purpose of this chapter. From here on out, we're in the final arc of the story, and I plan on splitting the focus more equally between the two, starting with this chapter. Also, with as dark as the last arc was, I decided it was time for at least a little more light-heartedness and happiness, and Pallet Town with Delia, Brock, and Misty is the perfect recipe for just such a chapter. Regardless, though, love it or hate it, REVIEW PLEASE and let me know! I'll get back to all reviews that have questions and plan to update even faster than five months for next time, haha! Until next time, later days!