Left Behind

"YEAH, it's me," said Ash, stunned. "Hi Misty."

"Mm." Without another word Misty stood up and brushed the dirt from herself.

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu leapt happily toward her. Misty laughed as she caught him.

"Aw, hey Pika Pal!" She grinned as she lightly pushed him onto her shoulders and extended a hand down to Ash who was too stunned to move.

"Here." Ash took it. Her hand was soft and firm all at once, probably hardened by all the time she presumably spent swimming. She was also noticeably short, or maybe that was just because he had never processed their height changes the last time he saw her in Alola.

As he stood up, exhaustion seemed to have finally caught up with him as he felt disgusted upon realizing how sweaty he was.

"Sorry about running into you like that. Are you hur— ow!" Ash winced as he felt pain in his shoulder.

Misty cricked her back and grunted. "Yeah, no surprise there. A fall like that would do something. Besides, I think that fall got me in the knee." She pointed toward a slight cut in her left kneecap.

"I'll call a hospital then."

Misty waved her hands. "It's not that serious. Probably just need a rest. Come on, we can rest under that tree."

They dragged their bikes off the path and both hobbled wearily toward the tree before heaving sighs as their backs met its strong trunk.

As he caught his breath, Ash took the time to look at her. Despite their ages, she still maintained a youthful look as if she never left her teenage years. Ash bit his lip – he had thrown the odd thought about her here and there back when they were traveling together but now the word beautiful seemed to come to mind too easily.

Meanwhile Pikachu happily snuggled against Misty before hopping off and then climbed up the tree. Misty watched him go before pulling out a Pokeball. "Azurill!" smiled the Polka Dot Pokémon before it noticed Pikachu and happily scampered off to join him

Misty turned to Ash. "Jeez, what was that crash about? You were doing quite the mileage climbing up that slope."

"Er, yeah… I was just really trying to get up it."

"My fault for stopping in the middle of the road anyways."

"Don't blame yourself. I wasn't really paying attention anyhow."

"Well, what happened, happened. So, it's been a while since we last saw each other! I didn't expect to find you here. What were you even doing?"

Ash scratched the back of his neck wearily with his other arm before he decided on, "I just wanted to take a ride, get out of the house, y'know."

"Heh, I get that," smiled Misty. "It's so boring to be couped up in doors."

"Not least when there's a whole world out here to explore." Ash paused but decided against spilling his heard over his present concerns. "It's more fun to be out and about. Routines are dull frankly."

Misty didn't reply, so Ash continued. "So what brought you this way? You're quite a ways away from Cerulean." He hadn't noticed before where they were.

"Ash, we're outside Cerulean City," said Misty blankly.

"…"

"We're near Rifure Village, it's near the city. A district if you will."

"Oh, I see… Um, what are you doing here then?" said Ash.

"An elderly man here makes my Cascade Badges. I needed a fresh supply." She pulled out a case and revealed the blue teardrop items. "See?"

"Huh, I had no idea."

Misty chuckled as she stuffed them back into her backpack. "It's not the sort of thing that every Trainer would know. Just nitty-gritty stuff that Gym Leaders have to. Anyways, what have you been up to? Last time I saw ya was in Alola. Mrs. Ketchum says you're a research-something!"

Ash's eyes lit up. "A Research Fellow as Professor Cerise puts it. Me and a friend, Goh, go out around the region and abroad to get data on Pokémon. It's a lot of fun. I could show you some of the footage I've been able to get."

"Oh, dude, yes please!"

He pulled out his phone and showed the various things he and Goh had captured for the Professor. She asked all sorts of questions and Ash did his best to answer them.

"Wow, that's awesome, Ash," said Misty after a while. "I bet you love this job."

"I do!" said Ash as he pocketed the device. "Always fun to get up close and personal with all sorts of Pokémon!"

"Pika!"

"Even better than training to become a Pokémon Master…?" smiled Misty smugly.

Ash glared at her. "Yeah right! I still have becoming a Pokémon Master on my mind. I intend to beat the current best Trainer in the whole world Leon someday you know."

"Good to know some things stay the same with ya, which is a relief," laughed Misty as she hugged her legs, feeling up her kneecap. The comment struck Ash as odd but refused to think further of it. "I assume that you're not working right now?"

"Yeah, Professor Cerise put me on a two-week vacation," said Ash quietly. "He won't listen to me even when I said I'm fine. Something about being officially banned from the job. So I've been spending time back home in Pallet Town."

"What do you make of all the developments that have been going on there lately?"

"I'm not a fan of it, to be honest," replied Ash flatly. "Makes the place seem less like the hometown I knew once."

"Yeah, it sort of makes the place a bit too cramped. Haven't seen it myself in-person but I heard it's quite the big change."

Ash grimaced and huffed a sigh. "It's a change for the worse if you ask me. I got quite the shock when I saw it."

"I can imagine it would be if you weren't expecting it at a place like home."

"It wasn't just Pallet Town that changed either," sighed Ash. "Not long ago I found out Clemont and Serena have been married for a while. I was surprised because it turned out that I'd missed the announcement about his proposal to her and then after that I found out about…" And Ash continued from there, spilling to her all his recent revelations that had caught him off guard and all the anxieties it gave him.

He hadn't intended to open to her about it, she was, after all, one of those things he was anxious about. Yet somehow knowing he was saying it to her made him feel like he could. He could get his thoughts across with ease.

"…so, Gary and this Leaf girl were getting married, and no one thought to inform you about it – is that right?" Misty asked slowly.

"Yeah."

"Damn. That…that is rough. I'm sorry to hear that happened." She paused and considered for a moment. "I understand how you feel. Daisy just ran off a few years ago because a family friend was getting married, and I wasn't told either. Still, though, crap like this happens a lot, and we just tend to miss out on it."

"I…I know," he sighed. "I just…I don't…I don't mind that all of these things happen. Serena, May, they can get with whoever they want. I just…" He struggled to find his words but couldn't.

"You just…?" She raised an eyebrow; unsure what Ash was thinking. "I mean…they don't need to tell us everything."

"I know that. I just don't like how I'm only told about it afterwards. It feels like none of my friends or family want to tell me anything. Like me knowing stuff is just an afterthought." At that moment tears began to well in his eyes. "I just feel…lonely."

"Like you don't matter?"

"Like being left behind," he muttered as he knocked his head into his knees.

Misty slowly nodded. "I see. That…that's understandable. It's a real crappy feeling, isn't it? I get it, I totally get it…" She stretched her hand toward the sky as some Pidgeys flew ahead. "It's like a feeling of contentedness standing in a peaceful flower field, and then – BOOM – a stampede of Pokémon just storm through, ruining the peace and it throws us for a loop and it's ugly and it makes us uncertain. Like a Pokémon battle and never once are we sure if we'll win the battle or not but it's so close yet so unattainable." Ash gave the slightest of smiles in amusement at the analogy which Misty was pleased to see. "And it sucks, and I get feeling upset but at the same time I wouldn't call it the worst thing ever and that it means the people around us are leaving us behind."

"Then what would you call it?" said Ash as he turned to look at her. His countenance confused and still looking hurt. "It still feels weird not to be told or given a heads up about marriage or rebuilding a house."

"There's always more to it than that. It's not uncommon that people don't always say every little detail about their lives and relationships, it's upsetting but it's not a bad thing."

"It's not?"

"No, cause everybody's an individual, and sometimes there are things they're going through and focusing on that we have no input on whatsoever." They both turned to watch their Pokémon playing on the grass in front of them. "Life's just stupid like that and we're all just playing catch up with it."

He paused to consider what she said. It made sense even though he couldn't fully grasp it just yet. "Yeah, I guess so. Still sucks."

"Understandable," she replied. "Here's my advice and I wish I could say I follow this precisely, but I can't. Regardless, I'd encourage you to keep a more active presence in everyone's lives. That's the best way to establish that you want consistent involvement with their lives."

"Does…it work like that?"

"Absolutely." She paused and then shrugged before throwing two Pokeblocks at Azurill and Pikachu. "Or at least in theory. I do the same with my sisters and a few of our friends but things with the Gym have been so busy this year because of the League that I haven't always been able to keep up with everyone."

"Mm," said Ash as a cheeky grin emerged. "Well, that explains your lack of any social media presence."

"Oh, lay off it!" she replied with a benign slap to his right shoulder.

Ash couldn't help but pretend to be wounded. "Ow. Help, I've been mortally injured!" The two laughed at their antics. "No, but seriously, Misty," Ash went on. "Does what you say work?"

Misty smiled. "I can't guarantee anything, but it's a start. Keep your head up high, Ash Ketchum. You just need to have a bit more courage to say what you feel and I'm sure our friends will respond to those feelings."

"Thanks," he replied. He then noticed her going into her backpack before pulling out some snacks and offered some to him. "So," he said with some crackers still in his mouth, "things have been really busy at the Gym, huh?"

"Yeah, the League's got more and more Trainers registered than ever before. I've been busy with matches and then having to do all the maintenance. Then couple that with me being involved in the business side and the occasional on-stage performances of shows for Daisy and Lily and that's me tuckered out every week. Not to mention all my personal affairs."

"Mm, I get it." The last thing she said worried Ash. Hearing 'personal affairs' sounded like code for something more going on in her life. "Not to mention all your recent TV appearances, right?" Misty's face was slightly shocked before she smiled at the observation. "Must be tough being one of Kanto's internationally known beauties, right?"

Misty's face went scarlet and hid it in her hands. "You jerk!" she squeaked playfully.

"Hey, I'm not the one who referred to herself like that."

"Says the self-proclaimed Pokémon Master," she replied as she peaked out of her cupped hands.

"Only I don't let it get to me."

"Touche. Though I will say, it's sort of been paying off. A magazine recently asked if I'd pose for them in their new line of swimsuits."

Ash stared and felt himself going red. "Y-you're a swimsuit model?"

"An amateur really. I don't think I have the bravery to really do it for long. Though doing so has opened me up to new people and connections, so that's nice."

"Bet that's been making you popular."

"Yeah…as if I wasn't already popular enough as a Gym Leader. Blood connections to the Cerulean Sisters and now this. I'm sure you're popular too as Alola's first champion but as a girl…I get a lot of unwanted attention."

Ash nodded awkwardly. "Yeah, I…I bet." An awkward silence followed. It was followed by an uncomfortable thought. "So, popular as a girl now, eh? A…first for you, in a way."

"I do recall complaining about that when we journeyed together. It's sort of fun now that I'm reaping the benefits."

"I bet," said Ash as he turned away. Her smile sent a weird feeling into his heart. "A lot's been happening for you like everyone else."

"Yeah, a lot of changes. Of course, I never meant to keep it a secret. All of its recent and I've just been too tired to address it online."

"Understandable," replied Ash. There was still one burning question for him, however. "Hey Misty, do you have a boyfriend?"

He said it calmly and without feeling, but deep-down Ash's heart raced with hesitation. "I don't," she replied.

"Oh," he said. He wanted to be surprised but he held his reaction down, he didn't want to say it outright, "I'm surprised."

"I haven't had the time to with all my duties. Besides, I haven't really found the right one just yet." Ash blinked slightly as he found the syntax odd and gave an 'oh.' "You're asking me because of the whole things with all our friends getting together and stuff, right?" Misty went on.

"Yeah."

"Well," she said slowly as she looked at him, "there's no need to worry about me dropping that kind of bombshell on you anytime soon, Ash. I just haven't found my soulmate yet. Maybe one day…" she added wistfully. She stood up and stretched, rubbing her knee. Ash stood up too. "Right, just about recovered… I should be getting home now."

He watched her walk toward her bike as Pikachu ran up and onto his shoulder. "Hey!" he called. "Are you opening up the Gym when you get there after all the traveling you've been doing?"

Misty looked back at him as she raised her bike. "Always excited about a Gym battle, aren't you? No, truth be told I'm too tired to accept a challenger. I was just planning on checking in, eat lunch, and spend the rest of the day off. Why?"

His fingers twitched slightly as he felt sweat forming on his palm and forehead. "I-if you're not busy then – um…would… would you consider going on a date with me?"

"Eh!?"

"Pikapi!"

"Uh." Ash faltered. The words had come out before he'd even time to properly think about it. He racked his brain in confusion when his stomach growled. "Well – er – see I-I was just wonderin' if you'd like to go and have lunch with me a-and seeing as we're a boy and girl I thought it'd be weird if it wasn't classed as a…date." He never wanted to disappear any more in his life!

"U-um…y-yeah – sure. W-we can do that."

"Huh?" Now Ash was just left staring at her and raised his hands halfway, shaking nervously. "Y-you're sure?"

"Yes. I said yes, we can go do that. You're hungry, I'm hungry. Your logic works out in this instance," she said calmly, despite her red cheeks.

Soon they were biking enroute to Cerulean City. Ash was in a daze as he followed behind. Still not quite sure if he was having a dream.

"By the way," called Misty from up front, "since you dubbed this a date, you know that you're paying for me, right?"

"Er, yeah, that's fine by me," replied Ash. He paused and just allowed the sound of bike gears moving with the crunching of their tires on the dirt path to fill his ears. "Hey," he said after a few seconds, "erm, why'd you agree to going on a date with me…?"

"Just because," she replied. "I mean, we're not total strangers…and – well – why not? Could be fun if it's a date."

"Oh." Ash went silent then. He wasn't sure but he certainly felt a lot better than he had that morning.

OoOoO

Before Ash was a large seaside fairground. A large Ferris wheel at the end of a pier, food stalls, fairground games, and a menagerie of other attractions laid out in front of him.

"Wow," he exclaimed as Misty walked up alongside after storing away their stuff. "When did this show up?"

"A few years ago," she replied as they walked along. "I think you were in Kalos when they finished. It really doesn't take too much time to set one up, or so they say."

"I think I remember seeing something like that in Hoenn. Me, Brock, May, and Max watched one being set up in a matter of hours."

"Hey, look at you exercising your memory on something like that!" smiled Misty.

"Oh shush." Eventually Ash set his sights on a dried Slowpoke Tails frying place. "How about here?"

"I love Slowpoke Tails!" she exclaimed. She gave him a sly look. "I guess we think alike."

"Um…" Ash and Pikachu blinked with wonder before smiling. Misty had already eaten five orders of Slowpoke Tails. Now Ash and Pikachu weren't entirely better at seven between them, but this was flabbergasting.

"Can I have one more?" she asked.

Ash blinked out of his stupor. "Sure thing." He was about to go do so but then he saw that Misty hadn't bothered with a slop of sauce on her cheek. He was going to tell her about it but then remembered that technically this was a date. "Hold still for me." And gently used a napkin to wipe it off.

"Oh. Thank you," she said kindly.

"You're welcome," he smiled. "Although it wasn't a bad look. Shows you enjoyed the food."

"Um, okay…" Ash was taken aback by the sudden glare she was giving. "Weird thing to say to a girl on a date."

"Uh, well, s-see… I-I didn't mean it like… Well!" stammered Ash, but Misty merely giggled.

"Ha! You're fine. You're fine! Let's just write it off as the joke you probably meant it as," she said with a wink.

"Yeah, ha ha…" Ash rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment whilst Misty just smiled.

He got her her extra helping, and soon both made a mess of their respective trays. "Gosh, you and Pikachu look ridiculous!"

"ME?! How about a mirror, Mist?"

"At least I didn't get any on my shirt."

"Huh…? GAH!" He rubbed at the stain furiously! Misty, Azurill, and Pikachu couldn't help but laugh.