Vertical Luna
By Maia’s Pen

Disclaimer: Nope, I still don’t own Pokemon.

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	The music was loud. Really loud. There were dozens of speakers 
positioned strategically throughout the club; and each one was physically 
pulsating along with the electronic beat. Strobe lights were flashing in wild 
patterns; the erratic brightness caused everyone in the club to appear to be 
dancing in slow motion. As the techno music grew more intense a second 
lightshow bathed everyone within waves of neon pink and scarlet. These vibrant 
colors swirled in every which direction. 
	Between the dizzying lights and the deafening rhythm Ash Ketchem 
almost lost his balance. He was trying to make his way down the stairwell which 
led to the heart of Vertical Luna’s dance floor. 
	Vertical Luna was undeniably the most amazing club in Saffron City. It 
proudly housed the most massive dance floor in the entire Kanto region. And this 
dance floor currently had well over seventy youthful bodies grooving freely upon 
it. But the floor was not the club’s only highlight: the club also had an incredible 
bar. The selection of alcohol was second to none. You could order anything from 
run-of-the-mill beer to the finest imported wine from Johto. Vertical Luna’s 
barstools were always packed -- and tonight was no exception. There didn’t 
appear to be an empty seat anyplace. It was practically wall-to-wall bodies; Ash 
had just barely made it inside . . . in fact, he had to slip the bouncer a fifty to even 
gain admittance. 
	Everyone on the floor was basically forced to dance pressed against 
everyone else. Yet despite how awkward Ash found the closeness, nobody 
dancing seemed to care at all! As the current techno beat began to fade into 
another song, people began cheering excitedly. Never once did they stop 
dancing to even catch their breath. The dancers were undoubtedly having the 
time of their life! And, as soon as Ash located Misty within this crowd of spiraling 
bodies and lights, he was hoping that he would as well. 
	Tonight was the night. 
	Ash was finally going to tell Misty Waterflower how he felt about her. This 
was it. And nothing was going to stand in his way. 
	Misty was finally single . . . and she was here at Vertical Luna tonight 
without Gary Oak.
	Ash was not going to waste his chance. Misty and Gary were finally over – 
over for real this time. It was not a false alarm like all of their other breakups had 
been. And as far as Ash was concerned: this final breakup was long overdue! 
	In the eight months that Gary and Misty had been together they had 
broken up eight times. Now, granted, the longest of these eight breakups had 
only latest 12 hours . . .  but they had still broken up eight times . . .
	. . .  perhaps ‘break up’ was the wrong phrase to describe what so 
frequently transpired between Misty and Gary. Their ‘breakups’ could hardly even 
be called ‘breakups’ since none of them even lasted one entire day. Quite 
frankly, the more Ash thought about it (and he had thought about it a lot) the 
more he determined that the reasons for their ‘breakups’ were ridiculous.
	 Ash recalled one instance where Gary had refused to go dancing with 
Misty because he thought it was lame. Misty screamed and yelled because she 
didn’t want to show up at the dance club dateless. Gary stuck to his guns and 
refused to go with her. Misty threw a hell of a tempter tantrum and then – 
exasperated - dumped him for an entire twenty five minuets. She had called Ash 
in tears over the incident. The phone call began with her verbally bashing Gary 
for being too macho, but then, half way through the conversation she was grief 
stricken. She had suddenly come to some preposterous realization that she 
could not stand to be without Gary. Thus, she hung up with Ash, called Gary, and 
the pair was back together instantly.
	 Another time they broke up for three whole hours. This time Gary had 
been too indecisive while ordering at a restaurant. According to Misty he had 
taken fifteen minutes to chose been a ham sandwich and a plate of spaghetti. His 
lack of speed with the menu infuriated her and she wailed to Ash that she could 
not possibly be with someone so inconclusive. She was all the more upset 
because Gary had yelled back at her, proclaiming: that he could not possibly be 
with anyone so incredibly impatient and bossy. Well, that did it. Misty could not 
stand to have her ego challenged any more than Gary could. Henceforth: the 
three hour breakup ensued. It lasted no longer than three hours because Gary 
had shown up on her doorstep with a plush Squirtle and (to quote Misty) ‘an 
adorable sorry face’. That was the end of that ‘break up’. 
	Ash recalled a few other ‘breakups’ that ranged in severity from Misty 
being jealous over some bimbo that flirted with Gary to Misty eating the last 
cupcake off of Gary’s plate.
	 Just stupid, unreasonable things. 
	 These outlandish examples were the reasons why Ash never really 
considered them officially broken up to begin with. These momentary ‘splits’ were 
just Gary and Misty frustrated with each other. Ash decided that: declaring a 
melodramatic ‘breakup’ was the best way they knew to punish one another. They 
were just fights, really. And theses fights/ ‘breakups’ were - of course- always 
mutual. Neither one of their egos could possibly allow them to be the dumped 
one. 
	And so it went . . . and Ash was usually the first one Misty called to 
complain or cry too. He didn’t mind at first, he appreciated the fact that Misty 
chose him as a shoulder to cry on (even if it was always over the vidphone). 
Every time Gary and Misty ‘broke up’ Ash would begin to hope that  - this time - it 
would be for real so that he could finally tell her how he felt about her. Ash had 
been waiting for a chance with her for years. 
	Ash never meant to let Misty slip through his fingers. Over the years he 
had just become so consumed with his travels, his Pokemon, and his victories. 
The title of Pokemon Master was almost within reach of him now. 
	Only, all of his professional accomplishments hardly mattered to him 
anymore. The title of Pokemon Master paled in comparison to the title that Gary 
had had – the title of Misty Waterflower’s boyfriend. 
	Damn all the time that Ash had wasted! Damn all those years that he 
could never get back! So many years ago, when he was still just a kid, Ash had 
left for Hoenn without Misty. He had had a fantastic time traveling the world with 
Brock, May, and Max . . .   but he had left her behind in Cerulean City – never 
once telling her how he felt. He had just left her . . . left her there all alone for 
Gary to find her. 
	It was the biggest regret of his life. 
	His heart was certainly paying for it now. Day and night he suffered from 
the mental anguish. Day and night his heart ached for her. Ash’s regret stung him 
like venom. The writhing sting intensified every moment that he went on knowing 
she was with Gary and not with him. Ash would trade all of his Gym badges in a 
heartbeat if he thought he could rewind the clock.	
	Gary and Misty getting together was one hell of a surprise to Ash. Their 
union hadn’t happened anytime soon after he’d left for Hoenn. In fact, Gary and 
Misty didn’t actually get together until years after that. But it was his leaving her 
behind that ultimately brought them together. 
	Ash had heard about them from his mother several months ago. Delia 
Ketchem had told Ash the information over the phone as though it were exciting 
news – something he should be thrilled about! 
	Well, Ash was certainly not thrilled; but he managed to keep his misery to 
himself. His mother was very fond of Misty and she was very fond of Gary, so it 
only made sense that their togetherness would delight her. Ash had just always 
assumed that his mother would be rooting for her son and Misty to get together . 
. . but apparently, she, like Misty, had forgotten him. It all gave potent meaning to 
the expression “out of sight out of mind.”
 	Ash had been living at the Indigo Plateau for the past three years. He had 
spent every waking moment training his Pokemon and battling against the 
toughest opponents in the world. Ash was renting a suite on the plateau and his 
rigorous training regiment had him confronting every trainer who came to 
challenge the Elite Four. By living on the plateau Ash has access to an almost 
constant flow of eager combatants. 
	He was seventeen now and almost feeling confident enough to challenge 
The Elite Four again. The key word here is ‘again’ – Ash was nearing his fifth 
attempt in the past three years. It wasn’t as though Ash was out of his league 
against the Elite Four; every time Ash attempted the challenge he faired 
amazingly well. And every time he would make it as far as Karen – the challenger 
right before Lance the Dragon Master. The problem was: every time Ash reached 
Karen he would panic. He would actually freeze and become too nervous to even 
choose a Pokemon. Ash desperately wanted to defeat Lance and become the 
new Pokemon Master. It was his dream! And Ash KNEW that he was good 
enough to achieve his dream. 
	Despite how much he wanted to win, Ash always ended up losing his 
battle to Karen. Perhaps he just wasn’t ready for the dramatic life change that the 
title of Master would bring? Perhaps he was worried about living up to everyone’s 
expectations? His whole life had revolved around achieving this dream, and now 
that he was faced with it he was a pathetic wreck of nerves. Pokemon was his 
life; it didn’t make sense to him.
	And then . . . when Ash heard about Gary and Misty everything changed. 
Everything got worse. Ash’s priorities took a drastic turn. He constantly felt as 
though he were walking through a suffocating fog. He could not concentrate on 
the most basic of tasks. Simply mixing up Pokemon food – a chore he’d done 
everyday since his tenth birthday – took forced effort and attention. All he could 
think about was Misty . . . Misty and Gary.  .  .  them.
	 Ash began losing battles against trainers that were mediocre at best. 
Prior to his mother’s phone call he had been virtually undefeated. The media had 
begun to buzz around him; there was talk that this would be the year that Ash 
Ketchem would dethrone Lance.  
	Only now the year was almost over and Lance was not dethroned. Ash 
continued down his steady losing streak and the media had no trouble finding 
another trainer to gawk at instead. 
	Ash lost so many battles in such a short span of time that he was forced to 
leave his suite at the plateau and rent a small apartment in Viridian City. He 
desperately needed to recollect himself in private. He struggled to accept what 
he could not change, but that noxious fog followed him everywhere . . . he 
couldn’t see straight, he couldn’t think straight . . . his own obsessive thoughts 
resounded in his mind, pestering him day in and out. His mind was a screaming 
jumble of regret, dismay, and denial . . . these feelings swarmed around him, 
until, Ash realized that the fog was born of these dark feelings; and that it would 
not free him until he either let go of Misty or found her again. 
	The trouble was: that Ash’s denial was thicker than his rational. He 
couldn’t believe that Misty was in a serious relationship with Gary – GARY of all 
the guys in the world! What could they possibly have in common? Misty wasn’t 
even Gary’s type! Gary certainly wasn’t Misty’s type . . . Misty liked humble, nice 
guys, right? Guys that were sweet, sensitive, and thoughtful . . . a guy like him. 
Not a snobby know-it-all researcher; not some materialistic womanizer like Gary 
Oak! 
	Ash had mildly kept in touch with Gary over the years. Even though Gary 
had matured considerably since their youth, he still had an ego bigger than his 
wallet. 
	It just didn’t make sense at all. How did Gary even have time for a 
relationship? He was working fulltime at a research laboratory in Pewter City; and 
in his spare time he was supposed to be writing a book on Kabutops evolution! 
He was NOT supposed to be making out with Misty! 
	The mere idea of it . . .  of them . . . together . . .  it was impossible! 
	And yet . . . they were dating. 
	Ash remembered telling himself that they would never last one week in 
that doomful sham of a relationship. But, somehow, eight months later Gary and 
Misty were still a couple. 
	Ash hadn’t really paid much attention when his mother told him the story 
of how Gary and Misty had gotten together. But Ash gathered that Misty had 
stopped by Professor Oak’s lab to borrow some of his water Pokemon. Gary was 
only there visiting on a whim. Somehow the two hit it off. They began dating 
almost immediately and were seeing one another exclusively by the end of the 
month. 
	And so began their eight month long on-again-off-again relationship. Ash 
cringed just thinking about it.
	Ash had been in touch with Misty via the vidphone over his three vacant 
years from home. But he really only saw her a small handful of times. She, like 
Gary, was a busy person. She was busy with the gym, busy with her studies, and 
busy with her sisters incessant drama. Ash had convinced himself that he had all 
the time in the world to tell her how he felt about her. He assured himself that 
they were destined to have a future together so it didn’t matter how long he was 
away or how long it took him to confess his feelings. He had just assumed that 
she was secretly waiting for him all this time - that in her heart she would stay 
single until he realized his dream of becoming the Pokemon Master. He thought 
that she had been eagerly waiting for him to confess his undying love for her . . .
	. . . Ash understood now – far too late - how absurd his fantasies were. If 
Misty had ever felt anything for him she had clearly moved on. It was wrong of 
him to assume how she felt and to expect hat she would give up her own life to 
quietly wait for him. 
	He was so idiotically naïve. So stupid! The realization slammed him like a 
wrecking ball -- shoving him further back into that overpowering fog of regret. 
	But, now, for the first time in eight months, Ash was beginning to see 
through the dense despair around him.
	His mother had called him just last week with the official news that Gary 
and Misty were really over this time. They had been broken up for nine days now. 
	Nine whole days. 
	This was serious. 
	This was no senseless petty fight over what movie they were going to see 
at the theater. This was critical. Nine days was critical. And nine days also meant 
hope for Ash.
	Ash didn’t know the details of the breakup, but he knew that this was most 
likely his last chance to ever tell Misty how he felt.
	He left his apartment in Viridian at once and took the first bus home.  
	These were the events that lead him here - to the Vertical Luna club 
tonight. 
	As usual, Ash’s mother had been his source for Misty’s whereabouts and 
activities for the evening. Apparently her sisters had convinced her that she 
needed a girl’s night out – a night filled with dancing and drinking. Her sisters 
wanted to take her mind off of her breakup. Ash had to admit: those Cerulean 
girls sure knew how to pick a party spot! Although Ash had heard many 
spectacular things about the club, this was his first time actually going inside 
Vertical Luna. He loved the place already. The very air seemed to sizzle with the 
electricity from the techno music. 
	Ash lingered on the edge of the dance floor, watching with great 
amusement as countless partiers danced madly before him. Although he was 
new to this scene, he couldn’t help but rock along to electronic beat himself. The 
club D.J. was amazing -- he was spinning all the hottest dance mixes from 
across Kanto.
	 It had been a long time since Ash had gone out drinking with his friends; 
he was beginning to get truly excited about spending some time with Misty and 
her sisters. He knew that Misty would be excited to see him even if it was a girl’s 
night out. He was looking forward to surprising her with his visit home, and more 
so, he was looking forward to what - he hoped – would happen once he told her 
how much he wanted to be with her. Ash wasn’t much of a dancer, but he 
couldn’t wait to hold Misty in his arms as they danced their first dance as a 
couple . . . 
	. . . oh geeze, Ash caught himself day dreaming again. He really needed 
to stop assuming and hoping so much . . . after all, there was a chance that Misty 
might not want to be with him . . .  No! Ash could not allow himself to be 
pessimistic! He had waited far too long as it was. At this point he had nothing to 
lose and everything in the world to gain.  
	Ash shifted anxiously. He hoped that he looked alright. He had passed the 
club’s strict dress code, but he couldn’t help but wonder what Misty would think 
about his new outfit. Ash had purchased a pair of dark pinstriped slacks and a 
black button down shirt for the occasion. He was use to only wearing ratty jeans 
and t-shirts, so this whole dress to impress thing was slightly uncomfortable.
	Ash’s concerns were amplified as a couple accidentally bumped him as 
they carelessly shook their bodies to the music. He really hoped he would be 
able to dance like that guy was dancing . . . Ash gulped. His nerves were 
beginning to climax again - he felt as though a dozen Butterfree’s were inside his 
gut partying along with the dancers.
	The pressure was really on . . .  he was finally going to spill the emotions 
that he’d been carrying around since childhood. It was going to feel so good to 
get it all off of his chest. It was just getting to that point that was the hard part. 
Ash only hoped that he could gather the wits to speak once he was face-to-face 
with Misty. 
	Ash inhaled cautiously and pushed through the crowd before him. His 
eyes swept back and forth; keenly searching for any sign of Misty. So far he did 
not see any girls that resembled Misty or her sisters, but he wasn’t too worried 
about finding them. No doubt they were the most gorgeous girls in here . . . all 
Ash really had to do was locate whichever area of the dance floor that occupied 
the most men – no doubt every guy would be dancing within arms length of such 
a lovely quartette of single girls. 
	Ash made his way deeper into the masses of dancers. He was starting to 
sweat from being in such close proximity to so many heated moving bodies. Just 
advancing a few feet was like running an obstacle course; Ash had to duck under 
one chick’s outstretched leg, then leap over a guy who was spinning on the floor!
	 Ash suddenly yelped as he felt a hand smack him on his back side. He 
whirled around, hoping that perhaps it had been Misty who so freely frisked him. 
But to his blatant disappointment it was just some random flirtatious girl. Ash 
deliberately ignored her advances – there was only one girl in the world for him . . 
. and . . . 
	. . . There she was.
	Ash’s assumption had been correct. The Cerulean sisters were all dancing 
together in a small circle. And, around them was positioned a much larger circle 
of ogling guys.
	Ash’s breath immediately caught in his throat. Misty looked . . . beautiful. 
And, damn, she could dance! Ash watched in awe as her ginger hair swayed 
along with the music. The long strands of hair seemed to tickle the backs of her 
shoulders as she moved. The way she maneuvered her body with the rhythm 
was incredibly sexy. Her hips twisted hypnotically, her head rolled seductively 
from side to side; her very body seemed to ride the music like wave. Ash was 
mesmerized; he no longer had any control over his eyes -- and the sleeveless 
black dress Misty wore was not helping. Her dress was so form-fitting that it left 
very little about her figure to the imagination.
	 Ash’s heart was pounding against his ribs like a war hammer, and all he 
could feel was his own icy sweat as it dribbled down his back. The effect she had 
on him was amazing . . . but unsettling. He didn’t know what to do. He was 
intimidated beyond words! Misty had never been such a daring dresser before. 
Ash had always known that she was beautiful, but he’d never seen so much of 
her before. He had certainly never seen her so carelessly show off her figure to a 
bunch of strangers at a club. Ash knew that her clothing choice was a bit out of 
character, but he assumed that her sisters had probably talked her into adorning 
the skimpy dress . . . not that Ash was complaining or anything. 
	Certainly her sisters were also exceptionally lovely, but, Misty’s beauty 
was unmatched in Ash’s eyes. Daisy, Violet, and Lilly were clothed in party 
dresses that were equally revealing, but there was a clear difference between 
them and Misty. A difference that unnerved Ash on a level far more profound 
than his own insecurities. 
	Misty’s sisters were all smiling and laughing as they danced . . .  but Misty 
simply looked . . . sad.
	Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be off in her own private world 
with the music. Misty’s expression was forlorn. It didn’t make sense to Ash . . . 
Misty was having a night out on the town with her sisters, she looked stunning, 
every guy in the club was practically drooling over her, and yet she didn’t seem to 
care at all. She didn’t seem to care about any of it. She just danced alone with 
her subtle sorrow. Her silent grief physically hurt Ash as he watched her. He 
would do anything to take her pain away. 
	Ash forced himself to take three deep breaths and then he took a tentative 
step towards Misty. Every step he took caused his nerves to grate agonizingly 
against his courage. Those cursed dancing Butterfree’s in his stomach were 
threatening to make him gag. Ash seriously needed to calm down at once. He did 
not want to approach Misty and become so flustered that he started stuttering; or 
worse, be unable to talk or move at all. No, that would not do – that would be a 
disaster! Ash wanted to sweep Misty off her feet . . . to charm her . . .  to hold her 
in his arms and dance with her . . . okay, sure, admittedly Ash wasn’t much of a 
dancer – but his lack of experience was not going to deter him. He convinced 
himself that if he were confident and relaxed that he would somehow manage to 
pull off his plan to woo her. After all, he’d faced seemingly impossible situations 
before and come out on top. And Ash did not believe that being with Misty was 
impossible . . . but he really did need to relax his nerves.
	Ash glanced tensely from side to side. Misty was too immersed in her 
dancing to notice him among the heaps of other people. Ash decided that he had 
time to dash to the bar for a drink. A quick shot of scotch was just what he 
needed to help him relax. 
	Nodding assertively, Ash pried his eyes from Misty and rushed toward the 
closest bar. He reached into his pocket to fumble with some bills; he knew that 
the drinks were insanely over priced here, but at this point he would gladly pay. 
As Ash glanced upward from his pockets he saw someone familiar . . .
	. . . he recognized that spiky brown hair at once!
	There, sitting at the bar with a beer in one hand and a sexy brunette 
clutching his other, was Gary! 
	The curvy brunette was clinging to Gary’s arm like a wrinkle to fabric. Her 
other finely manicured hand was resting on his left thigh. Ash had to make a 
conscious effort to keep his jaw from dropping: not only was the girl insanely hot, 
but she was here at this moment in Vertical Luna WITH Gary! 
	Gary was here! NOW! 
	Ash’s thoughts spun woozily inside in skull. He instantly wondered if Gary 
knew that Misty was here? And if so, was this was an attempt to make her 
jealous? Ash immediately banished that idea from his mind. If jealousy had been 
Gary’s intention then he would have been on the dance floor with the brunette, 
not sloped over the bar. Also, Gary would have been watching Misty, not just 
glumly chugging his beer. 
	Ash took a closer look at Gary . . . despite the vivacious girl on his arm, he 
was the personification of Misery in its most crude and utter form. 
	The brunette was chatting up a storm in his ear but Gary was not the least 
bit interested. In fact more than once he – rather rudely – shrugged the girl off of 
him, but the girl merely giggled in her drunken stupor and continued flirting. 
	Gary was certainly not meeting Vertical Luna’s dress code. He was 
clothed in a pair of baggy cargo jeans and a grey hooded sweatshirt. Ash figured 
that Gary must have had to pay an extra admission to gain entry dressed so 
casually. 
	Ash frowned thoughtfully, here he was dressed to the 9’s and Gary was 
dressed as though we were going grocery shopping. But did the girls seem to 
care? Hell no! It wasn’t fair. Besides the brunette it seemed like every girl that 
went up to the bar smiled flirtatiously at him or checked him out. And still, with all 
of this attention, Gary could not have looked more depressed. He just sat there 
wretchedly, holding his beer as though it were his only friend in the world.
	Ash was convinced that neither Gary nor Misty was aware of the others 
presence in the club tonight. This was a pure coincidence. 
	Man, o, man did Ash have some kind of rotten luck. 
	Ash nearly buckled over as he realized that Misty was only dancing about 
fifteen feet to Gary’s right . . . if Gary even turned his head to the side he would 
be sure to see her! And then what? What would happen if they saw one another? 
Should Ash go warn Misty? Or should he go to her at once and just convince her 
to leave with him? That way he could spare her from seeing Gary at all.
	Ash didn’t have time to formulate another option. Gary and Misty had 
tempted fate long enough. 
	While trying to ignore the brunette Gary turned his head away from her – 
to the right. Ash looked on helplessly as his old rivals eyes snapped open with 
surprise. On the dance floor Misty suddenly froze in place. She and Gary 
became a duo of deathly still statues with in a crazy arena of life. Their eyes 
locked, fusing together with unspoken emotions. At last Gary’s lips fluttered into a 
timid smile, and Misty also seemed to magically breathe easier. The lonesome 
suffering that had - only a moment ago - been consuming them had somehow 
vanished. But this joy was fleeting . . .
	 Misty’s eyes abruptly flicked to Gary’s left -- towards the clinging brunette.
	Emerald flames seemed to jolt from her eyes. The heated fury in her stare 
was so potent that both Ash and Gary physically flinched! It was as though they 
had actually been singed by her anger.
	Misty instantly forgot all about her sisters. She charged, fuming, toward 
Gary! Misty was yelling and screaming. But Ash could not hear her precise words 
over the thundering music. Misty tore towards Gary like a tropical storm; she was 
literally shoving people out of her path. Nothing or nobody was going to keep her 
from getting in his face. Gary bolted upward from his bar stool. His expression 
was rigid, but his bright blue eyes held an air of pleading. Misty pointed an 
accusing finger at Gary and the brunette. Gary held his hands up defenselessly; 
he turned toward the brunette and pointed her to club’s exit. The brunette 
shrugged awkwardly and seemed eager to get away from Misty’s crazed tempter. 
	Misty continued to yell even after the brunette escaped from the club. 
Gary’s face softened, he tried to reach out to Misty to calm her down. The bar 
tender approached them and was ordering them to cool it. They were beginning 
to attract some negative attention from the other dancers. 
	Gary reached for Misty again, but she swatted his hands away. She was 
far outside the realm of normal anger; she was giving new meaning to the word 
‘furious’.
	She was screaming so much that her face was beginning to flush from 
lack of oxygen. Gary clenched his jaw and threw his hands in the air. He was 
exasperated. He turned his back to her, noticeably struggling to steady his own 
temper. With Gary’s back to her Misty began to cry. The tragic tears fell freely 
from her eyes; she buried her face in her hands and fled towards the exit.
	 Ash was still battling his own paralyzing stun; he could barely absorb this 
dramatic scene before him. This was not at all how he had hoped this evening 
would go. Ash’s knee-jerk reaction was to punch Gary in the face and rush to 
Misty’s side; but a nagging instinct told him to hang back a few more moments. 
What was transpiring now was not his business. He needed to let them resolve 
and accept their breakup once and for all. If they did not come to terms with their 
separation then Ash would never have a chance with her – ever.
	 Gary’s eyes followed Misty as she rushed toward the exit. For a moment 
Gary only grit his teeth with frustration; he lingered at the bar as she left him. 
Then his face began to crumble. His usually so confident expression completely 
shattered with an emotion Ash could only call . . . fear.
	Faster than the techno beat, Gary was chasing after Misty. 
	Misty’s sisters were now also watching the theatrical scene. Lilly made a 
gesture to catch up with Misty, but Daisy held her back. The three sisters shared 
a knowing glance – they decided, like Ash, to hold back and wait.  
	Ash followed after them cautiously. Gary and Misty had both made it as far 
as the stairwell. Aside from Ash and the Cerulean sisters, everyone in the club 
seemed to have already lost interest in Gary and Misty. The dancers had already 
resumed their partying; and since the yelling had stopped the bartender was also 
no longer concerned.
	Misty was facing the wall, sobbing mournfully. Gary placed a gentle hand 
on her shoulder, but Misty stiffened at his touch. Gary was speaking to her 
calmly, but of course Ash could not hear him. Misty refused to turn and look at 
him. Gary’s emotional state was failing more rapidly with every second that she 
snubbed him. He seemed totally lost without her . . . 
	Misty’s pride kept her facing the wall. Gary’s blue eyes seemed to dim 
from exhaustion. His composure was fading fast . . . sighing; he reluctantly 
removed his hand from her shoulder and slowly took a step away.
	 Misty’s posture tensed. As though she were unable to survive without his 
touch, she instantly turned around. She spun on her heels and threw herself 
fervently into Gary’s arms.
	Ash froze.
	Gary and Misty held each other. They held each other as though the fate 
of the world depended on their love. 
	Ash’s breath hitched in his throat.
	Misty nuzzled freely into Gary’s chest as though it was the safest, most 
wonderful place she’d ever known. Gary’s lips pressed soothingly upon her 
forehead, he was speaking to her as he gently stroked her hair. Misty glanced 
eagerly upward to face him; and the two shared a brilliant smile . . . and then, 
they shared a kiss. It was not a carnal, fiery kiss . . . it was tender and slow . . . a 
passionate kiss that whisked them both away with the genuine longing that it 
held. When their lips parted they both flashed enticing smiles. Gary winked at 
Misty playfully; taking her hand and leading her onto the dance floor. 	
	The D.J. began spinning another popular techno mix and Gary – although 
he disliked dancing- held her as they moved together and disappeared beneath 
the whirling lights. 
	Ash felt as though his heart had been trampled by a herd of Taurous. But 
Misty had never looked happier to Ash than she did in this very moment. 
	Ash stifled a conflicted sob as he slinked backward; up the stairs and out 
of Vertical Luna.
	Ash was drowning in confusion, raw bitterness ravaged his thoughts. What 
the hell happened back there? He wanted to be with Misty. She and Gary were 
supposed to be over. They were not supposed to get back together! Ash had 
thought that Misty was going to tell Gary off . . . not fall into his arms . . . why did 
that happen? What happened! What the hell happened? Ash saw their fight play 
out before his very eyes, he watched them kiss . . . but he just couldn’t 
understand why they could not let go of one another . . . unless . . .
	Did Gary and Misty really love each other? Were they really that much in 
love?
	Ash’s heart was engaged in a furious struggle with his morals. He wanted 
to be happy with Misty. He wanted her to want him and to need him. He wanted 
to finally have his chance with her. But . . . Gary and Misty seemed to only need 
one another.
	Ash shut his eyes, the artic sting of disappointment and heartache 
consumed him now. 
	He was too late. 
	Misty had fallen wholly in love with Gary. And Gary had fallen in love with 
her. Somehow, someway, Gary and Misty had discovered a side of eachother 
that was precious. 
	Jealously twisted inside Ash . . . the envy was painful. But the pain was 
not lethal; and that perplexed Ash all the more. 
	Misty was so happy inside Gary’s arms. Gary was so happy inside hers. 
	Yes, they fought. But . . . Ash wondered . . . did they fight so passionately 
because they loved so passionately? 
	Did their verbal wars somehow help them to keep their relationship in 
check? Ash had just witnessed Misty level Gary’s ego like a bulldozer. There was 
no other women alive who would ever be bold enough to put Gary Oak in his 
place. Misty wasn’t afraid to let him know when he was being an arrogant jerk. 
And, in turn, Gary never hesitated to alert Misty when she was being a whinny, 
bossy, brat. 
	They humbled one another; they knocked one another’s pride down a peg 
or two when it was starting to tower. 
	Was it possible that - because they did love so deeply - they had the 
freedom to challenge one another like they did? 
	Yes, they fought. That was what Misty and Gary did best in every aspect 
of life. They were both fighters - they were use to having to assert themselves to 
succeed. That was what they did best. 
	Yes, they fought. But their fights did not even occur that often in the grand 
scheme of their relationship. As much as Ash hated to admit it: eight times out of 
eight months wasn’t really all that bad. Ash thought back to his youthful travels 
with Misty – they had fought nearly every single day; hell, she was not an easy 
girl to be around. If Gary had managed to only have a serious fight with her eight 
times then that was something else . . .
	. . .a tiny wave of admiration of swelled within Ash. Maybe Gary was more 
patient than Ash had ever given him credit for? Ash also reflected upon his 
childhood with Gary – they too had also fought regularly. Gary was not an easy 
person to be around either. Somehow or another Gary and Misty needed one 
another . . . they balanced one another out. Their blazing personalities were 
going to clash, that was just inevitable. But they cared about each other enough 
to push through it – even if they had to yell and scream to do so. They were 
willing to fight to be together. Their relationship was much stronger than Ash had 
given either of them credit for. 
	Their tempers burned together, but their feelings for one another always 
overpowered the flames. They loved eachother . . .
	A rush of hot tears escaped Ash as he walked through the club’s dark 
parking lot. It was nearly two in the morning; he needed to flag down a taxi to 
take him back to his apartment in Viridian City. He didn’t belong here. He had 
been a fool. First he over estimated Misty’s feelings for him, and then he 
underestimated her relationship with Gary.
	Ash wanted to hate Gary for being with her. Again he was compelled to 
rush back into the club and punch Gary for ever making her cry. But Ash could 
not banish the image of Misty’s face from his mind . . . when Gary held her she 
was filled with more happiness and hope than Ash had ever seen in her before. If 
Ash cared for Misty then how could he hurt the one person who brought her the 
most joy? 
	Gary caused her happiness. And Ash knew that he would never be 
capable of making her as happy as Gary could.
	Happy . . .
	. . . Misty was incredibly happy. Even when she was fighting with Gary, 
even when the tears spilt from her eyes . . . even then just his mere presence 
ignited her spirit. When Ash had watched her dancing she seemed lost, lifeless. 
When Gary had been at the bar he seemed dulled to the very world around him. 
Together they were alive.
	The realization was excruciating, but Ash could not scorn their fortune. He 
cared for them both, and he was glad for them. He had been too foolish to go 
after Misty when he had the chance; Gary had not been such a fool. Gary had 
fallen for her and had not hesitated to let her know.
	Ash exhaled slowly as a bright yellow taxicab pulled up to the curb. 
	Ash pulled open the passenger door. “Please, take me to Viridian,” Ash 
breathed, averting the drivers probing eyes. 
	The elderly driver nodded as Ash climbed into the seat beside him. Ash 
was retaining the most neutral front he could muster; he did not want this 
stranger to see how emotional he was. “Wait, Sir,” Ash glanced up, his tone 
taking on an air of confidence. “Can you take me to the Indigo Plateau instead?”
	The taxicab driver nodded, seemly slightly annoyed that he was going to 
have to drive such a distance. “Why do you want to go there? You a Pokemon 
trainer or somethin’?”
	Ash smiled softly, clearing his remaining tears with a sleeve. “I’m going to 
challenge the Elite Four and defeat the Dragon Master,” he stated this matter-of-
factly, as though he were reciting his daily household chores. 
	The driver snorted with dry amusement. “Is that so?”
	“I’m not going to put off any more of my dreams, Sir. I’ve waited my whole 
life to become the Pokemon Master.”
	The driver frowned awkwardly. “Um, okay. Sure, kid. Whatever you say.”
	Ash smirked at the man’s clear disbelief in his abilities to defeat Lance. 
Ash wasn’t irritated with the man. The driver probably heard an identical boast 
from Pokemon trainers everyday. Besides, Ash didn’t exactly look like the trainer 
type -- what with his attire that of a party-loving teenager. 
	Ash sighed as the taxicab turned onto the highway – taking him farther 
away from Misty. He wasn’t sure that his feelings for her would ever fade. But he 
now realized that he had spent months cursing Gary for stealing away a heart 
that had never belonged to him to begin with. 
	The title of Pokemon Master still paled in comparison to the title that Gary 
had. But Ash was ready for the change that becoming Master would bring to his 
life. The fog was lifting and Ash could see clearer and breathe easier than he had 
been able to in eight months. 
	Misty was happy and, given time, Ash knew that he would find away to be 
happy for her and Gary. But more importantly: he was going to be very happy for 
himself when he defeated Lance. 

The End.