Hi there, thanks for tuning in. I've been stuck on this chapter. It's short again, but I didn't want to mix it with the next part.
Chapter 7
"Ash! Ash!" Misty giggles as water splashes across her face.
"Nuh uh!" Ash continues to splash her. "You're the one who insisted I join you and then dragged me in!"
"Okay!" She screeches with a laugh. "I'm sorry!"
"You're what?" Ash asks as he stops splashing her and swims closer.
Ash and Misty had spent the entire day in the gym arena. Misty had been busy for four straight hours of battling, of which she won two of three. At closing time, Misty suggested they go swimming together and had jumped up on Ash's back and steered him straight into the pool.
"I'm sorry." She says, but her mischievous grin deceives her.
"I will only accept a hug as an apology." Ash says, sticking out his bottom lip.
Misty rolls her eyes, but lets him lean down and hug her.
"But fair is fair." He whispers devilishly in her ear. Then he grabs her waist and hoists her into the air. She yelps as she is tossed towards the deep end of the pool.
Ash watches smugly as she surfaces a moment later.
"Ash," she whines, "I wasn't going to get my hair wet tonight!"
"I wasn't going to get my clothes wet either, but here we are!" Ash remarks while shrugging his shoulders.
There are no feelings hurt between the pair. Their week together had been filled with fun and games. They were always poking at one another and pushing each other.
Misty stops and leans against the side of the pool to rest.
"It's been so great having you around, Ash." She smiles with sincere warmth.
Ash wades towards her and leans on the ledge over her. He grins down at her. He is so close that Misty squirms nervously below him.
"I've had so much fun catching up," Ash tells her, pushing an orange strand of hair behind her ear.
"I was wondering if you might stay a while?" Misty asks shyly, biting her bottom lip lightly.
"Like another week?" Ash asks, grinning cheekily. "Sounds like fun!"
"Well maybe longer…" Misty ventures, tracing her fingertips up his bicep.
"Longer?" Ash repeats, starting to feel a lump form in his throat. Her fingers on his arm send shockwaves throughout his entire body. Butterfrees swarm his stomach. He hadn't stayed anywhere this long since he left home. What does it mean if you stay with a friend - maybe more than a friend - for longer than a week or two?
"Yeah, since we've been getting along so well." Misty tells him hopefully.
"Misty, I-" Ash stammers. The lump in his throat grows exponentially.
"It would be a lot of fun, and it would be really helpful to have another great trainer to help with training the gym Pokemon." Misty interrupts explaining herself a little more.
"Well hey," Ash snaps his fingers together, "why don't you come with me?"
"Come with you where?" Misty asks in confusion.
"I don't know," Ash shrugs his shoulders, "we could go anywhere! Ash and Misty exploring the world together again."
"That does sound nice," Misty admits while biting her lip, "but I can't leave the gym right now."
"Why not?" Ash asks, furrowing his eyebrows together.
"You know how important my work is here," Misty tries to explain, "I take care of all the Pokemon and keep the license for the gym up to date."
"Why can't your sisters do that?" Ash questions lightly.
"You know how they are." Misty says sardonically.
"Yeah, but I also know they were capable of it last time you traveled with me." Ash points out.
"It's more complicated than that," Misty says, chewing on her lip, "I have a reputation to uphold and build. I want the world to take me seriously!"
"I think you could do that out in the real world, Mist." Ash argues; his pitch rising.
Misty pulls back from him with building anger.
"Real world? You don't think I live in the real world? I have a job and Pokemon that depend on me. It's not as easy for me to just pick up and go anywhere I want like you do!" Misty returns heatedly.
"Couldn't you at least talk to your sisters about it? Don't you think it's worth asking?" Ash pushes.
"I told you it's more complicated than that! Why can't you just trust me? I need to stay here for now - why can't you stay here with me? You haven't said you had new plans!"
"Mist, I am so close to my dreams right now - how can I even think about stopping now?"
"You don't have to stop. Why can't you continue to train here in Kanto?"
"I've done Kanto before -twice! I need something new!" Ash explodes.
"New huh? Well then you might as well go to a new region and find yourself a new pretty showcase performer to follow you around just like all the other girls after me!"
Misty fumes as she swims over to the pool ladder; no longer interested in playing around in the pool with Ash.
"You know what, I only invited new people along with me because my original friends left me! I never wanted you to leave! So maybe I will just go find a new pretty showcase performer because that would be better than staying here in Cerulean City!"
As soon as the words fly out of his mouth, Ash knows that he should have bit his tongue. The hurt that crosses Misty's face is unbearable to watch, so he turns away from her. She is already out of the pool and drying off with her towel.
"Well then, Ash," Misty says lowly, "I wouldn't want you to stay if that's how you feel."
"Misty I-" Ash attempts to retrace his steps.
"No, Ash," she snaps, "you don't want to be here so I don't want you to be here. Leave."
"Mist, I didn't mean it that way." He rests his hand on her shoulder.
"It was pretty clear to me! You won't stay and I can't leave. Just go!" Misty screeches at him, smacking away his hand. Flames blaze in her eyes as she breathes fire at him.
He hesitates for a moment, but shakes his head angrily as he pulls himself out of the pool. Misty leaves the arena down the steps to the dressing rooms. He grabs his own towel and dries himself off. Anger burns inside his stomach at Misty's rigidity, but even more at himself for his own stubbornness.
The first time Ash wakes up, his vision is blurry and he struggles to process his surroundings. He is tired, and his energy is depleted from blood loss. Images of his fight with Misty four years ago stings in his memory. Someone with strong hands is cleaning the scrapes across his face while gentle hands hold him down tightly. He growls at the stinging sensation.
"Ash," Misty's soft voice floods his consciousness, "you need to let us help you."
The stinging continues, but Ash relaxes against Misty's chest. He soon feels tugging as a needle sews wiry thread through the gashes in his cheek to bring the ragged edges back together.
"Misty?" He whispers when the rough hands are done tending to his face.
"Yeah, Ash?" she asks gently.
"I'm sorry," he tells her softly.
"It's alright," she soothes, stroking his hair back.
"I mean I'm sorry for our fight," he whispers, "four years ago."
"It doesn't even matter anymore, Ash," she assures him, "I'm just so glad you're alive."
"It does matter. I should have stayed with you," he insists quietly. "I should have told you."
When Misty doesn't respond, he continues.
"I was so afraid," he admits, allowing tears to drip down the sides of his face onto Misty's shirt, "I was afraid that I would give up everything - all of my hard work. I thought staying with you wouldn't be enough, but now I know it's everything."
Misty kisses his forehead and strokes his uninjured cheek. Tears stream from her own eyes at his confession. He does not speak again, but instead falls unconscious due to the painkillers that he has been given.
Ash becomes aware of voices again before he can open his eyes. Pain sears across his face and he groans.
"It was Team Rocket!" He hears Misty's hushed voice. "They destroyed my gym!"
"The media is claiming Ash did it." A man's voice responds. Ash thinks it is familiar, but he can't place it. "They are saying he kidnapped you after a lover's quarrel. Apparently you were spotted arguing near the Cerulean cape late the other night."
"That's ridiculous," Misty scoffs, "well, I mean we did fight, but they are probably just using our fight as an attempt to cover up the fact that Team Rocket was in Cerulean City. The police don't want to panic the whole town."
"And it's all because of that egg?" A second deep voice asks. Ash recognizes this voice as their good friend Brock.
"They said it was rare and valuable." Misty informs. "They are probably looking for us right now. We can't stay here long, but how can we move Ash?"
"Are you going to go to the police?" Brock asks.
"I don't know who we can trust." Misty huffs crossly. "They might just try to lock him up in jail."
"Misty, I'm worried about you." The mystery man tells her gently. "This sounds dangerous."
At the affection in the man's voice, Ash groans again louder.
"Ash!" Misty is by his side immediately.
Ash opens his eyes and looks around the unfamiliar room slowly. He is lying on a couch in what appears to be the living room of an apartment. Misty gently helps him into a sitting position and stuffs pillows behind his back to make him more comfortable.
"Where-?" Ash tries to ask, but regrets moving his mouth. The stitches are tight and sting when he moves.
"Ash," Misty's eyes soften with concern as she scans his face. "You're hurt. Don't try to talk."
"Where are we?" He manages to ask slowly without moving his mouth too much.
"You're safe at the Viridian City gym." The mystery man informs him. Ash finally recognizes Reggie Tate.
"You lost a lot of blood after that Raticate scratched you. You passed out on Charizard," Misty explains warily, "we were close to Viridian and you needed medical attention."
"Misty called me to come clean you up," Brock informs him. "I was very careful to make sure I wasn't followed."
"I didn't think it was safe to bring you to a hospital or a Pokemon Center." Misty explains.
Brock leans over Ash and observes the stitches in his cheek and chest.
"I don't see any sign of infection," he hums looking closely, "and only a little swollen."
"Thanks Brock," Ash says quietly.
"Don't mention it," he waves it off, "I think I will have you take antibiotics for two weeks considering you might not have access to medical care for a while."
"We have to go into hiding, Ash." Misty says, sitting next to him on the couch. "The police think you are behind the attacks. Apparently, they think you're a scorned lover. They don't like that you dropped off the face of the Pokemon world for the last four years. They are saying you've gone rogue."
"You should go to the police," Ash suggests, "and I will hide with the egg."
"No," Misty shakes her head vehemently, "we're in this together."
"I'll go to the police when I leave here." Brock offers. "They will at least have to consider my statements. Plus, I am sure your sisters are denying that story too."
"You can stay here." Reggie tells them.
"Reggie," Misty says, "we can't ask you to put yourself at risk."
"It's no problem." Reggie assures her.
"Maybe just for another day or two." Misty contemplates aloud.
"I really appreciate you taking us in." Ash says sincerely. "I could have died."
"Of course," Reggie nods respectfully.
"I'm gonna make us some lunch," Brock says while looking at his watch, "Reggie, can you help me find what I need?"
Reggie agrees and follows Brock out of the living room area to the kitchen where they gather ingredients for lunch.
With Reggie and Brock out of the room, Misty moves closer to Ash and makes a spot for herself on the couch next to him.
"Ash," Misty breathes gently, "I've never been so scared of losing you."
"Hey," he says, moving his hand to rest on her thigh, "I'm good now, Mist, thanks to you."
"You should thank Brock." She insists, placing her hand on his arm.
"Misty, what happened to your arms?" Ash asks, just now noticing that her arms are bandaged in gauze. The gauze extends from her wrists to her elbows.
"Burns." She says softly. "It's not as bad as you think though. Brock says it's barely second degree. It probably won't even scar."
Acid burns like fire in Ash's chest.
"Team Rocket." He mutters, grinding his teeth angrily. The tense muscles in his face cause his cheek to sting, but it only fuels him more.
"Ash, rest." Misty pleads. "You need to get better enough so that we can leave if they come looking for us."
"They'll be running from us when I'm done with that fucker, Giovanni." Ash growls, but lays back against the cushions.
Misty pulls her legs up onto the couch next to Ash's body and lays back against the cushions with him.
"Misty…" Ash whispers curiously. Misty scoots closer to his side and leans into him.
"Rest, Ash," she insists; leaning her head on his shoulder.
The warmth of her body against him is satisfying. Her comfortable proximity calms him and lulls him back to sleep.
I hope you enjoyed! I think maybe we're getting somewhere finally!
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