Shadows on the Heart Window to the soul
by Flygon
Chapter 20

Brock stirred the stew and looked toward the lake. He could just make out the outlines of Ash and Misty sitting on the shore, and he sighed.

"What's wrong Brock?" Susie asked putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Nothing, I hope." He answered, looking again to the lake as the sun dipped behind the tops of the trees. "I've been with Ash since he came to the gym where I was the leader. He had Misty with him then, and I saw her hiding in the shadows cheering him on. I've seen those two during unguarded moments more often then they realize. I've had to play the fool sometimes so neither would realize that I knew that they loved each other. I used to go starry eyed over any female in front of Ash so he would not catch on. It was something I felt he had to learn for himself. Now I wonder if I was too clever, and did the right thing?"

"Then take a look," Susie said, pointing toward the lake. "And see for your self."

Brock looked up and saw Ash and Misty slowly approaching. Just as they crested a small hill, the sun sent a single final beam from between the trees to shine on the couple. Their heads leaned toward each other, touching as they walked slowly, their hands joined. They seemed to be talking and Brock heard them as they drew closer.

"As a pokemon master," Ash was saying, "I can get married as long as I am fifteen."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Misty asked with a small smile. "I was starting to worry about you. You were acting like a man possessed."

"I wanted to surprise you," Ash answered, stopping a moment and kissing her once again. "And I am possessed. By love for you, and by you." He smiled and then they continued to walk. "Even though we can get married by that age, we can't," he blushed a moment. "Consumate it, as some say, till we are at least seventeen, but We can begin to share our lives together."

Brock watched as their hands separated, went around each others waist. He heard Ash comment that he had wanted to do that for years, and Misty's answer of me too. Then Brock felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into the eyes of Susie. She was smiling.

"Susie, I don't have a ring, yet," Brock began, only to have Susie silence him with one of her fingers over his lips.

"You don't need a ring right now, Brock." She said as she drew him up to stand in her arms. "You'll only need one ring, and that will be the last ring that you will ever need for me. Does that answer the question that you were going to ask?"

He smiled and nodded in answer to her then slowly drew her nearer to kiss her as tenderly as he could.

Ash saw Brock and Susie kissing and commented to Misty that looked like fun, and began to kiss her. Both couples continued to kiss until they heard a small voice.

"Eeeewwww, mushy stuff." Eddie said and promptly went back into the tent.

After dinner was eaten, and Eddie reassured that mushy stuff would be held off for his benefit, Brock and Susie asked Ash his plan.

"To win." Ash said with firm tone. "I need three more badges, then I have to train hard with all my pokemon. Pikachu is the only one that I keep with me at all times. I need to get all the pokemon that I have up to the best they can be at, by the time The Sinnoh League starts. And if I win here." He stopped as Misty gave him a playful whack on the back of his head.

"You'll win Ash, I've never seen you this determined." She said

"I was confident at Indigo Plateau." Ash retorted

"No," Misty corrected him. "You were cocky at Indigo plateau. You never trained this hard at Indigo Plateau. And you didn't take much advice there either. You've changed so much since then, I know your going to win."

"You go, brother Ash." Tommy exclaimed and Eddie seconded it with a loud 'Yea'.

"I believe that you can do it, Ash." Susie added.

"Make that two of us." Brock stated with a smile at his friend. "And after that, what next."

"Then it's on to Kanto and the Indigo Plateau games again." Ash continued. "If I win here, and have four championships I get a free 'bye' into their. That means I don't have to worry about badges. The award ceremony date is set for Misty's birthday, her fifteenth birthday, and Lance and Chad both said as a Gym leader she can marry at that age." He looked over to Misty, "I want to make The time after the Award Ceremony, our wedding day."

"Would you mind it much," Brock said, with his eyes on Susie, "If we turn it into a double wedding?"

"Congrats Brock." Ash said with a grin. "And no, I don't mind at all."

"Ash?" Tommy said looking at him. "You just said that Gym leaders can get married at fifteen, and since your a tri-champ, you're the equivilent of a gym leader now."

"Lance explained it to me." Ash told his brother. "Only an established gym leader can get married at that age. For me to qualify, I would have to stop journying now, set up a gym, get it certified, and then have it running for at least eighteen months. I would actually have to wait a bit longer, then if I tried to become a pokemon master. And I don't want to have to wait any longer then I have to before I start sharing my life with this woman I love." He looked deep into Mistys eyes.

Eddie turned his head quickly as there was a bout of 'mushy stuff' and he coloured slightly when they all laughed at his reaction.

"Youngster, you'll be into that mushy stuff too someday," A deep baritone voice said from the darkness. And the owner of the voice came into the camp area with a grin.

Ash stood and stared at the man. It was Drake, one of the Elite Four from Hoenn, and a dragon master. He wore a Naval officers coat, open, and a captains hat. He had snow white hair, a large moustache, and steel blue eyes that were twinkling now.

"Drake," Ash exclaimed. "What are you doing here."

"I came here to check the accommodations for the pokemon that I am putting up as a prize for the Junior league competition and saw a familiar bunch of folk that I had to say hi to." He answered. "And I am assuming that this young man is going to be competing in the league?" He indicated Eddie. "They look a bit big to be within the five to eight range for the Junior League."

"I'm eight," Eddie said looking at the rather tall man, "And Tommy is nine. We're a bit big for our age though."

"What?" Drake exclaimed, shocked at the statement. "I haven't been that far off in over twelve years." He smoothed out his moustache. "But anyway, I am putting up a trapinch and a bagon to be given to the winner,"

"Lance said that it was only a bagon." Ash responded.

"It was until I discovered that my flygon had an egg with her." He frowned slightly. "I don't have the time to raise many more pokemon with all my other duties."

"Pardon me sir," Tommy began, "But just what do the Elite Four do? I've heard of them, but they don't seem to battle, and I never heard of what they do."

"Some people think that we don't do anything at all." Drake laughed. "Truth is, we check out and inspect gyms, investigate pokemon incidents, do public appearances, act as police for the League, certify trainers, and gyms, act as team leaders whenever there is trouble with pokemon entering areas that they shouldn't. We also dicipline trainers who abuse their pokemon, but generally The Elite Four, is the visible arm of the league in each region."

"Wow," Eddie stated, his eyes wide. "That's a lot of stuff."

"If you think that's a lot," The big man laughed again. "You should see what the Region heads have to do, or President Goodshow. They have so many things that they have to do, it would make your hair fall out. Which reminds me, I have to get to the area near the Safari Zone on Route one twenty one back in Hoenn. They are opening a new pokemon center just outside the zone and I have to do the ribbon cutting ceremony."

They watched as he called out his salamence, hopped onto the back of it, and waved.

"Good luck in the Conference to the both of you." and he was gone, flying into the distance.

Canaclave City

Ash and company lounged, swam, and enjoyed the three day break. But even then, they still tried to catch some pokemon. With the aid of Misty, who supplied them with some high quality fishing gear, and advice, the spent some time fishing. Ash was the first to get a bite, and it turned out to be a magikarp. Soon the rest of the group had pulled out a total of twenty six magikarps before Misty pulled out a buizel and found that the net balls they had worked extremely well on the water pokemon. Eddie and Tommy both landed a shellos each but couldn't seem to get a buizelEddie also managed to get three finneon. Ash on the other hand landed another shellos, though this one was a different colour then the one that he had gotten earlier, a buizel, a pair of finneon, and a lumeon. Brock and Susie managed to get a finneon each and called it quits at that point, saying that they would be focusing on them. Tommy landed a psyduck, and everybody laughed as the pokemon seemed to want to be caught rather then fight his pichu.

Then on the fourth day they broke camp, policed the area and set out. They made it to Valestone with just enough time to make the train for Jubalife City. On the train they talked about the pokemon they had caught and how to train them. Then Ash brought up a point.

"When I get that badge," He began, after he laid out a map on the table. "We have to figure out how we're getting to Snowpoint City. We can take a train from Jubalife; the ferry from Valestone, or we can walk it." He was about to continue when an elderly man interrupted him.

"Trust me youngster," The man said, pointing at the walking route, "You don't want to walk that route in the fall or winter. Snow squalls hit that area quite a bit, and folks who live there don't measure the snow that fall in inches, but in feet."

"Temperatures are also a concern," A woman from across the aisle told them. "in the fall, it can get to be fifteen below, in the winter try thirty to forty below, and then kick in the wind chill effect. It can reach close to fifty to sixty below or more. They found one poor soul out there this last spring, He was in his tent, frozen solid, and he had a quilava with him. The news report said that he left the Eterna city pokemon center close to early fall."

"I will give you young folk some advice," The elderly man added. "If your going to walk it anyhow, double up in the sleeping bag. Get a big one that can sleep two, and share. Learn to change your clothes in the bag with your partner. The trick is to share your body heat. And that means modesty goes out the window, or tent flap in this case."

"Why's that, Sir?" Tommy asked, then added with a questioning look. "And what does it mean?"

"Well Youngster," and he grinned. "If your trying to share body heat to survive the cold nights in that area, then anything that you are wearing is going to stop that. So you want a big heavy sleeping bag, get into it with your partner, then you both take off as much clothes as possible. Most of the clothes that you would wear in that area is designed to keep in body heat while your moving, but it pretty much loses that ability when you have to sleep. And you have to remember to set up any tent on the windward side of any rocks, otherwise one heavy snowfall will bury you."

"What about the ferry?" Misty asked, her face white.

"In summer, great," The old man answered. "Fall, not so great, and not moving in winter. The water in that area freezes pretty quick. You don't want to be in a boat when the pack ice starts forming. If that boat get locked into the shallows by the pack ice, you can figure your there till the spring thaw. And the only thing between you and the north pole in that area is the open sea; some frozen tundra, and some wild ice type pokemon. Take my advice young ones, the train is the only thing that is worth taking this time of year."

It took them less then ten seconds to decide on taking the train, and it took two days to arrive in Jubalife City. They arrived in the early morning, and took the ferry to Canaclave that afternoon. Ash arrived and figured that he would go for his badge the next morning. That next morning dawned rather dismal, but the gang felt as if it were sunny and bright as they exited the gym one badge heavier. Ash's infernape and pikachu proved to much for the steel type gym leader.

"Is it my imagination, Misty," Ash asked her in the cafeteria of the pokemon center, "Or are the gym leaders easier to deal with?"

"You just could be the best, Ash." Eddie supplied with a grin.

"Far from it, Eddie." Ash countered.

"You really have changed, Ash." Misty commented. "I can remember when you would accept something like that and actually preen yourself."

"I have changed." Ash replied. "It took the Indigo Plateau disaster, and loosing to four gym leaders at least once each to do that. Not to mention several trainers that beat me along the road. I have skill, and some damn good pokemon," He scratched the head of pikachu while she snacked on some ketchup. "I will admit to the skill part, and show some pride in it, but I don't ever want to get over confident and lose like I did at Indigo. That was embarrassing, and the stakes now are far more then just a trophy." He reached over and held her hand with the ring. "I don't want to wait until I'm seventeen to get married, if I can help it."

"That's sweet, Ash." Misty blushed and looked down at the heart ring, as she called it. "You know, this is the second time you gave me a heart..." Her eyes began to fill as she remembered what she had done with the first one and what it had led to.

"Mist, no," Ash Exclaimed, tightening his grip on her hand. "Don't think about that. It happened and it's past. don't let the past run your life."

"But I pushed you away," she was nearly in tears. "You almost died, because I hurt you. If I hadn't done that, you would never have run into Butch."

"I think that Butch would have found me anyway." Ash said softly. "Think about it, he was half a mile from us, according to the report. I think he was following us. He wanted his revenge for what I did to his plans back in Pallet Town. I think I remember him saying that he wouldn't have to hunt me down."

"Your not just saying that?" Misty was nearly begging.

"You remember me telling you that I would give you complete honesty, back in the hospital?" He asked her, then saw her nod. He was also aware that the others were listening but not interfering.

"I meant every word." Ash lent strength to his words by holding her hand in both of his. "I'll only hold back on the truth if for something like a surprise, but other then that, I never will. I think that Butch would have come after me at some point, and I am glad I was alone at the time, otherwise you could have gotten hurt. Or Brock. Or Susie. And I couldn't have dealt with that. So promise me, no more guilt. It would have happened anyway. Remember, Cassidy said that Butch seemed to have an appetite for killing near the end."

"I'll try, Ash." Misty replied sniffing slightly. "I can't promise you anything, because I keep thinking that if I hadn't pushed you away that day, we could have lost him. And I almost lost you."

Ash looked at Misty and nodded. Then he told the group that they would leave on Friday. He said that he wanted to check out a book store near the gym to see if he could find some of the books that would show him how to teach different moves to his pokemon. He didn't tell them that his real reason was to allow Misty some time to rest up. He would keep some things from her. He got them three room at a local motel near the pokemon center since it was packed solid due to the contests and all, and handed out the keys. At first he tried to get the girls together in one room but Susie and Misty stopped that. Susie wanted to be with Brock, and Misty threatened to sleep in front of his door. So Misty and Ash got one, Brock and Susie, another, and Tommy and Eddie got a room all to themselves. They noted that all the rooms were furnished the same way: king-size bed; soft blue-green sofa; a small table with four chairs around it; and a bathroom with a gigantic shower.

He and Misty had pizzas delivered to the rooms and then settled down for the night. As he slept he felt Misty behind him on the bed cuddling closer and putting an arm around him. Pikachu curled up next to him where she could rest near him and yawned. He made sure that his alarm clock was under his pillow and drifted off to sleep. The alarm woke Ash quickly and he saw that Misty was still asleep, with a smile on her face. He Managed to get out of bed, without waking either her or his pikachu, grabbed some running shorts from his backpack before going to bathroom to put them on. He had gotten into the habit of running at least five miles each day, until he had gotten put into the hospital. He hadn't run since that day, and now he felt the need to. He needed to get himself in shape as well as his pokemon, with the Sinnoh League competition coming up. He left a note on his pillow telling Misty that he was going to do his morning run and left the room.

An hour and a half later he returned to the motel, tired, foot sore, and his legs were aching. He didn't even do his normal five miles. He got a mile and a quarter out and started back because he was getting winded and his side were aching. The four weeks he spent in the hospital and the time afterwards when he didn't run had taken its toll on him. He was back to his old starting point. He stretched, and glanced around. He thought he spotted Misty going into an outfitting shop that was across the street. He raised his hand and was about to call to her when he got a whiff of himself, and wrinkled his nose. 'First order of business,' he thought to himself, 'A shower'

He entered their motel room and noted the scent of shower gel in the air and the sounds of loud radio music from the bathroom. 'Ah,' he thought, 'Misty had her shower already. Hope she left enough hot water.' he mentally hoped. Pikachu was curled up on the table with a small bowl of pokemon food crumbs, and four packets of ketchup. She was sound asleep. He took off his shoes, once again wrinkling his nose at the stink and added a new pair of gym shoes to his mental shopping list, then added an antiperspirant deodorant to it too. The music from the bathroom was playing a nice quick tune, so he thought that he could be done with his shower before Misty got back from her shopping. He stripped off his clothes, putting them into a bag for laundry pick up and pulled out a fresh set for himself before heading into the bathroom for his shower and froze in the doorway.

The radio was just starting another jaunty tune, but the music was the furthest thing from his mind. The shower was going, and Misty was apparently midway through her shower. The music had drowned out the sound of the water running. He turned instantly crimson from his feet to the roots of his hair just as Misty glanced in his direction. He began to shake.

"SORRY," He shouted to be heard over the music and then bolted from the room closing the door behind him.

He went to the bed and sat on it, quaking all the while. He remembered the last time he had caught a glimpse of her in the nude. At the hot springs, back in Kanto where they stayed at the Big Riddle Inn. That was just accidental but it had cost him dearly. Misty stopped speaking to him for a few days unless it was really important. Now he walked in on her in the shower. She would probably want separate rooms from now on. He heard the bathroom door open, and grabbed a pillow and covered his groin with it. His traitorous body was reacting and he turned crimson again.

"Ash," Came her anxious voice. "What's wrong? Your so red, and shaking." She sat down next to him, a towel wrapped loosely around her under her armpits. "Oh my god, Please don't tell me that the poison is still..." Her voice trailed off and she gripped his shoulder, her towel forgotten for the moment.

"No," Ash managed, averting his gaze as the towel dropped. "No poison..." He swallowed audibly, "I'm sorry about busting in on you in the shower..." he began in a rush. "I thought I saw you go into a store and could grab a shower. It was an accident. Please don't stop talking to me..."

Ash felt his chin gripped by Misty as she used it to turn his head towards her. The look of relief in her eyes was clear, as well as a slight twinkle. He didn't know whether to be relieved or wary.

"Ash Ketchum, you silly ass." She started, leaning in and kissing him soundly.

Ash felt as if he were heating up.

"We're engaged," She continued when she broke the kiss, "Not to mention we share a bed," She smiled as Ash colored a bit. "We don't do anything but kiss and sleep in it. Shareing a shower is ok, we just have to remember not to do more then scrub each others back." She grabbed one hand and tugged him to a standing position. "Now come on, it's a pay shower, and I put in a buck and a half to get a half hours worth of hot water. Let's not waste it." She chuckled when she saw he was still clutching the pillow over his midsection. "And leave the pillow, You can't sleep on it, if it's soaking wet." She laughed.

Ash summoned all his courage, dropped the pillow, trying to ignore the stare that Misty was giving him now. Still blushing from head to toe he went to his pants where his money was and pulled out a dozen quarters, and then walked towards the bathroom.

"For any other showers that either of us want or need later." He explained.

Forty minutes later they were out and about with pikachu on his shoulder. The others wanted to look the town over so Ash and Misty went out on their own. They hit the book store first, and Ash lucked into a knowledgeable clerk and managed to get all five of the books he was looking for. Plus he found a cook book that he bought, and Misty found a book on pokemon care that she wanted. With the books in hand Ash told her that he needed some new shoes, since his stunk. It took them fifteen minutes to find the store and get his shoes, after which he pitched the old pair in the garbage can that was outside. He also got a gel version of a speed stick on the way back to the motel. He was informed that their clothes would be laundered and ready in the early afternoon by the man behind the desk.