Mrs. Ketchum watched as Ash pushed Misty on the swing in their backyard. She smiled. “Ahh, young love is so sweet.” She said to Brock, who was helping with the dishes. “Yeah,” Brock replied. “Just look at those two. They’re so happy.” Mrs. Ketchum smiled again. “How did it happen Brock?” Brock laughed. “It was like it happened overnight!” “Please, tell me!” Mrs. Ketchum persisted. “It must be so interresting!” They went to sit on the couch. “Okay,” said Brock. "It was like a month ago. We were on our way back here through the viridian forest when...” **Flashback** “(Just tell her, Ash!)” Pikachu prodded “No, I can’t! It’ll destroy our friendship now!” “(Then what are you gonna do?)” “I don’t know. I can’t tell her. Not now.” Ash fingered the package he’d bought for Misty. He REALLY liked her, but didn’t know how to tell her. “I’ll try, later Pikachu. Not now.” Ash and Pikachu walked over to join the group “I just wish he felt the way about me the way I feel about him, Togepi!” “Toge, Toge!” Misty sighed and looked at the package she’d bought for Ash. She really REALLY liked Ash, but how to tell him? Misty sighed. “Let’s go, Togepi!” They walked over to join the group. The group was silent as they walked. How to tell her, how to tell her. Ash snuck a look at Misty and turned fiercely red. He rolled up his collar and ducked his head. Misty stole a peek at Ash and turned as red as her fire red hair. She tried to hide her face in the map. Brock noticed none of this, he had one thing on his mind:Nurse Joy. Ash stopped. “I remember this place. I think we should go that way.” Misty laughed. “The last thing we need now is getting lost, Ash.” Ash shifted on his feet. “I won’t get us lost...” Yeah, come on Misty,” Brock replied. “Let’s just try it.” Misty sighed. “Fine.” The three headed off. Ash leading the way. As Ash walked along he thought of every possible way to tell Misty he loved her, but couldn’t come up with one good one. Pikachu gazed at his trainer. “(I wish there was a way I could help.)” What was I thinking? Ash thought. She probably hates me. Meanwhile, Misty was getting irritated and chose this time to start ranking on Ash. And it was the worst possible time to choose. “I knew we’d get lost!” She retorted. “This is what happens when we listen to Ash Ketchum, human compass.” sh was at a low point, and Misty was pushing him down further. “I didn’t mean to...I’m sorry..” He said quietly. Brock knew the freakishly hyper boy never got this quiet unless he was totally down, and tried to stop Misty but it was too late. “Sure, yeah RIGHT, you little idiot. You can’t do anything right! You’re not good for anything, I don’t know HOW I put up with you! You’re so stupid, dense, egotistical, idiotic, moronic...” Misty’s feelings for Ash were coming out, but in the wrong words. Poor Ash was heartbroken. “STOP IT!!” He screamed. “STOP YELLING AT ME!!” Misty, Brock, and Pikachu stared at him, stunned. Ash looked at Misty with eyes full of tears. "How could you treat a friend this way?" He pounded down the path. The kids just stood there, not knowing what to think. “(It was all he wanted.)” Pikachu said quietly. “(He just wanted you to like him. He loves you Misty.)” Pikachu ran after his trainer. “Oh Brock, what have I done?” Misty exclaimed. “You broke his spirit,” Brock said. “He really likes you.” Misty turned and tore down the path, after Ash and Pikachu. Brock slowly followed. “She hates me, She hates me, She hates me” “How could I do this to him?” “She hates me, She hates me, She hates me” “How could I be so creul, so bloody, so heartless. The one person I love loves me back. And I hurt him.” “She hates me, She hates me, She hates me.” “I hate myself!” Misty slowed down and dropped onto a rock. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. “Ash...I love you...how could I have hurt you? How COULD I!!! I never wanted to hurt you. Not ever!” She got up and started running. She had to find Ash. As she was running, she saw a small package lying on the ground. She picked it up. “To Misty, From Ash” It read. It had fallen out of Ash’s pocket as he ran. Misty sobbed harder, and ran through a haze of tears. She had to find Ash. Ash stopped in a clearing in the forest. He sat on a log that face a pond and began to throw rocks into it. “Pika pi!” Pikachu ran up to his trainer. He jumped into Ash’s arms and licked his chin. “She hates me, Pikachu. She hates me.” Misty came running up behind Ash and Pikachu. She hid behind a tree and listened. “(No she doesn’t, Ash.)” “Yes she does! You saw what happened! I just wanted her to like me, like I like her. It was a stupid dream. A really stupid dream. Stupid people have stupid dreams.She’s too good for me. I’m too stupid, and useless, and good for nothing, and...” Misty couldn’t take it. She’d hurt Ash more than she realized. “....idiotic..moronic..dense..” Misty couldn’t watch Ash cut himself down, with her words. Her words. It was all her fault. “...dimwitted...egotistical..” Misty couln’t take it anymore. It was ripping her apart. “Ash,” she said quietly as she stepped out from behind the tree. Ash looked behind him, and seeing Misty, jerked his head back around and stared at the ground. Pikachu jumped off Ash’s lap and stood next to Brock, who was watching from behind a bush with binoculars. “Popcorn? It’s salty.” Brock whispered. “(Thanks.)” Pikachu replied. “(Got any really soft tissues? I think I might need them.)” Misty sat next to Ash. “Ash,” Ash raised his head and looked quickly at Misty, and back at the ground. He looked so pitiful, so drained, and empty. I think I’ve killed him. Misty’s eyes began to shake. “Ash, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She began to sob, and looked at Ash with red, puffy, eyes and tear streaked cheeks. “But how can I tell you that I love you?” Ash stared at her, unbelieving. This is not happening...She cupped Ash’s chin in her hand and kissed him softly on the lips. Ash smiled. “Thanks Misty.” He said. “All I ever wanted was for you to like me.” Misty’s tears flowed harder. “But Ash, I do like you! From the day we met. I know I’m sometimes mean, but Ash! I think I love you!” This time it was Ash, who slipped his arm around Misty’s shoulders and she cried into his shirt. He ran his hand throuh her hair and kissed her gently. “It’s okay, Misty. It’s okay. I...I love you too.” Pikachu finished his second box of tissues. “(This is sappier than watching the Golf channel,)” He sniffed. Brock and Pikachu watched a while longer, than stepped out from behind the bush. Okay Romeo and Juliet, lets break it up.” Ash and Misty stood up, half blushing, half laughing. Ash wiped a tear from Misty’s face. Misty smiled and her face lit up brighter than the sun. Finally she was truly happy. “Let’s go.” Ash said. “We gotta get to the Pokemon center.” “YEAH!” Brock yelled. “NURSE JOY!” He took off running. The others followed. A few feet in front of the center, Pikachu and Brock went in, but Misty stopped. “Hey, Ash, wait a sec!” Ash turned around. “Huh?” Misty pulled a package out of her pocket. “I found this.” Ash blushed bright stoplight red. “It-It’s for you.” Misty opened it. It was a tiny locket. Inside was a picture of her. On the other side, there was no picture. “I know what to put here,” Misty smiled and stuck on a picture of Ash. Ash’s face turned pink. "Thank you so much, Ash.” She gave him a hug. Ash’s face was cherry red. He gave her a shy smile and turned to walk into the center. “Ash, I have something for you, too.” She gave him a chain, with a pendant on the end. “It says, Pokémon Master.” Misty said, shyly. Ash gave her a huge hug. “Thanks Misty! This is great!” Ash and Misty walked hand in hand into the Pokemon center to save Nurse Joy from Brock. **End of Flashback** “What a great story.” Mrs Ketchum dabbed with at her eyes with tissue. (She likes the pink flowered kind.) She looked outside to where Misty was throwing grapes into Ash’s mouth, who was bouncing on the trampoline. Ash and Misty played outside all day, including a water gun battle with the only one getting wet being Mrs. Ketchum (Don’t ask). Finally they watched the sun go down on the porch. Misty leaned against Ash, who slipped his arm across her shoulder. “Forever.” She whispered. "Yeah,” Ash whispered. “Forever and ever.” THE END