Author’s Note: Yes…a return to the angst-y side of Pokémon that I always love. Mmmhmm good. The beginning of this story is sort of like the end of my last story “RingRingRing”. Italics in this story signify that something is being whispered. Bold signifies something that is being remembered.

- Remember -

- By Brian -

“So Ash, met anyone special on your journeys yet?” I ask teasingly, hoping to get him to blush. Even though we’re talking on a vid-phone it’s kind of like talking in person…except not.

He blushes deeply, causing me to smile. He’s such a cutie sometimes.

“Actually…”

What? What do you mean “actually”? You didn’t actually meet someone, did you?

“Oh? Met a girl huh?” I say, trying my best to hide the fear in my voice.

Please just be kidding, Ash. Please just be teasing me, Ash. Please-

“Her name is May….” he answers, blushing even more, “she’s really cute. She was the first person I met in Hoenn…and after that, I decided to accompany her, since we were both traveling the same way.”

“She sounds…wonderful…” I say, hiding the depression in my tone, “What does she look like?”

“Um…I’m not really good at describing her…since she’s so perfect…” he whispered happily, “hey! I know! I can show her to you!”

Before I could politely protest, he jumped out of his seat and out of my view. All I could do was sit there, straining to listen to their conversation, as he tried to persuade May to come and say hi.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea Ash…”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, she was your old girlfriend…”

“What? She wasn’t my girlfriend, May! I only love you!”

“I love you too, but what about her? Didn’t she love you?”

“Nah, we’re just friends. Now come on, I want you to meet her!”

He only loves her…?

Just friends…?

I feel my heart sink as Ash and May come sit down, with her arms wrapped around his neck as she sat on his lap.

“Well, um, this is May!” he exclaims proudly, “This is the Misty I was talking about, May. Why don’t you two say hi?”

“Ash has told me a lot about you, Misty.” she says politely, although I can tell she’s doing this just for Ash’s sake.

“Same about you…” I reply, struggling to keep my tone cheerful, “I take it that you and Ash are a couple?”

“Yeah, we are.” she answers bluntly, causing me to cringe inwardly. She attempts to snuggle closer to Ash, who smiles the biggest, dopiest smile I’ve ever seen from him.

“Oh.” I answer back, unable to think of anything else.

There’s an eerie silence for a few moments between May and I, which causes Ash to speak up.

“Well um, we really ought to be going Misty. Today’s the day I win a Heat Badge!” he announced proudly.

“Good luck Ash.”

“Later Mist! Can’t wait to talk to you next time!” he replies happily, before I hear a click and the screen turning blank.

All I could do was keep on staring at the screen, wondering what had just happened.

* * *

It’s 4 AM, and I can’t sleep.

How can I? One of my only friends has a girlfriend…

Since when did Ash actually look at the opposite sex, anyways? He was always so concentrated on the next town, the next gym battle, the next pokémon he’d capture and train-

I turn my head and notice that it’s raining outside, a real downpour. It looks so wonderful…all that water just beating down on you-

She is…pretty. Maybe that’s why he noticed her, despite the fact that I traveled with him for two years?

She’s skinnier. I bet she doesn’t eat half as much as I do…

She’s younger…probably by a year or two…yet she looks so much more mature then me…

She has bigger breasts. Mine are only growing…not nearly as big as hers…

Her hair is brown where mine is red, and stylish while mine is…boring…

I muse coldly to myself: does Ash have a thing for brunettes?

I sigh and hug my knees tightly to my chest, wrapping my baby blue blanket around myself. What am I thinking? Why am I feeling this way? Why can’t I be happy for him? Why can’t I just let this go?

The rain beating against the glass only gets louder, as I struggle to remember what went wrong…

* * *

“He’s a boy, and a friend, but he’s not my boyfriend!” I tell Melody in vain, hoping she’ll believe me, even though I don’t believe –me-. Tracey looks at the both of us with a weird expression on his face, as we continue running…

* * *

“Geez Ash, your –girlfriend- looks like a runt!” scoffs Gary, and for a minute there’s silence, as Ash doesn’t say anything. Just as I’m about to get worried that Ash agrees, he proves me wrong by decking Gary right in the face.

* * *

“Ahh, the two lovebirds are finally awake.” I hear Brock say heartily, causing me to clench my fist in anger. However, when I look towards Ash I notice he has a nervous smile on his face…

* * *

“Misty, thanks for taking care of me while I was sick.” Ash says quietly, a warm smile appearing on his tired face.

I blush, though I quickly shrug it off and punch him in the arm. “Well, don’t get used to it!”

* * *

“Do you ever think about love Misty?” Ash asks me out of the blue, a touch of nervousness in his voice as he looks at me.

“Yeah…” I answer back, unsure of what exactly to say, “like, I wonder when I’ll ever meet that Prince Charming, you know?”

“Oh.”

* * *

“On nights like these I wish I had someone to share it with.” I say, snuggling in my sleeping bag.

“Yeah…” he replies quietly, “I wish the same thing.”

I giggle a little. Since when did Ash ever wish of anything like that?

* * *

“Sniffle…another rejection…” whined Brock, as I held him by the ear.

“Oh, quit you’re whining. You know that Nurse Joy is too old for you anyways…” I say, causing him to weep a few tears that will easily be forgotten as soon as the next girl appears.

Ash is looking at me funny as we continue walking. What’s his problem? He’s been doing that whenever he thinks I’m not looking…

* * *

“Uh, Misty…can I ask you something?” Ash asks meekly, causing me to stop in my tracks.

I turn around and face him, wondering why he hasn’t already asked.

“Well…there’s this dance in town and I was wondering-”

“It’s the twerps!” interrupts a feline voice, causing all of us to turn around and see a few familiar faces.

‘Why can’t they ever bother something else?’ I think to myself, as I call out Corsola to deal with these losers…

* * *

“I’ll be seeing you around, Ash.” I say, pinching his cheek, “You try not to get in to any trouble now, alright?”

Instead of a smart aleck response or wisecrack, he moves closer and gives me the biggest hug he can muster.

“I’m going to miss you, Misty…” he whispers sadly, causing me to blush intensely.

He was going to miss me…?

I slowly release myself from the hug, feelings swirling around in my head.

Ash is nice, and…cute. I really am going to miss him, now that I think about it. It won’t be the same without him.

He’s been one of the only friends I’ve ever had. Maybe even more?

I smile at him, and decide to give him my handkerchief. Maybe when he’s older, we can talk about what exactly it means.

* * *

Drip-ity drip. Drip-ity drip.

The liquid continues to slide down my face, but I don’t care.

Here I am, lying down in a park in Cerulean that I used to visit as a kid, in nothing but a pink jacket and sweatpants.

The pain of realization is horrible…

Only after I had gone did I realize that I had feelings for Ash…but it was too late.

When all this time he had feelings for me. I was so blind…I didn’t see the signs at all until it was too late.

I wonder if Ash is going to remember all the good times…with me, that is. I know I treated him badly sometimes, but…I was naïve. He and Brock were my only friends in the world…I mean, who would want to be friends with a runt like me, when they could be seen with my “sensational” sisters?

I hope that he finds happiness with May. She doesn’t seem too bad. Maybe she’s right for him…after all, they’re the same age, while I’m two years older then him. She’s much better then me, and I bet she treats him better then I ever did.

But…will he remember the handkerchief that I gave him? Will he ever try to find out the significance of it?

Drip-ity drip. Drip-ity drip.

Some more liquid slides down my face, but I don’t care. I don’t care anymore.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

I really was starting to like you, Ash Ketchum. A lot.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

I’ll always remember you, Ash.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

I hope you remember me.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It’s kind of funny…where is all this water coming from if it already stopped raining hours ago…?

- End -

I know I left some parts sort of hazy, but that’s the part of the fun. Symbolism, yo. It’s all about the symbolism.

I hope whoever reads this enjoys the story, because as usual I had some fun writing it. If you find any mistakes plot, please notify me and I’ll correct them swiftly. I’m cool that way.

Angst is fun to write, hence why I seem to write a lot of it.

As usual, please review and tell me what you think. I love all feedback, good/great or bad/horrible, since it helps me with my writing. Of course, I’ll still be evil to the characters, no matter what…mwuahahhaha….

Next story: An AAMR with a delicious twist.