Thanks For Being There
Part 5

     Brock was still freaked out by Ash but decided to come anyway, if he was right about Brock's life now maybe he was right about everything else. He followed him through the aquarium of the Cerulean Gym. Ash longed now to see Misty's face, her green eyes sparkle at the sight of him, with overwhelming joy. He walked into the gym only to find Gary there.
     "Who's he?" Asked Brock walking beside Ash.
     "Gary," he said coldly. "What are you doing here?" Gary's head turned to him and grinned.
     "I'm here to see my girl," Gary told him in a snotty way and walked over to him and stared him dead in the eyes. "What are YOU doing here?"
     "Um... I..."
     "Come here to battle, eh? That's how I met, Misty, when I battled her sisters. Sure, she wasn't as pretty as her sisters. But the little runt won me over. Her being use to accepting orders from her sisters made it no surprise I could easily control her, like putty in my hands, and whenever she gets out of line and decided to stand up for herself, I'm sure one of my Pokemon can put her in her place!" He grinned.
     "That's terrible, Gary," Ash said in a glare.
     "Yeah, I don't even know her, but no one deserves to be treated that way," Argeed Brock.
     "I bet Giovanni would agree with me. 'If you want to control your Pokemon, you have to teach it obedience,' that's what he always says," reminded Gary.
     "Yeah, well, first of all Misty isn't a Pokemon and second of all Pokemon aren't our slaves, they're our friends."
     "Are you kidding, loser, what do you know about being friends with a Pokemon? Your Pikachu hates your guts!" Reminded Gary. Ash had remembered the way Pikachu stared coldly at him, his heart sank and he let out a sigh. Then footsteps came forward. Ash looked over and saw her and stared, it was Misty and she looked different but beautiful. Her red hair fell a little past her shoulders and had a flower in her hair, she wore a knee length red flower dress as if she just came from a Caribbean Island.
     "Wow... No wonder you wanted to see her," said Brock staring with the rest of them.
     "Yeah, she use to look terrible, she'd wear suspenders and shorts and a stupid pony tail, but I ordered her to change it and like a good girlfriend, she did," he whispered. Ash couldn't believe what he saw, she was amazing. But she seemed so shy and quiet. Misty walked over and stood beside Gary.
     "This is my girlfriend, Misty," Said Gary wrapping one arm around her waist, Misty seemed a little uncomfortable about it.
     "Hi," she said gently looking to the floor. This wasn't Misty, the Misty Ash knew would have immediately pushed Gary away the moment he even thought to be so bold.
     "Hi," said Ash simply, not knowing what else to say. Misty's head lifted and the moment she saw this boy's face, she was completely taken by him. He was so handsome, from his blue jeans to his hat. She couldn't stop staring at his beautiful brown eyes as they stared back.
     "Hi," she said again in a daze as if she really meant it this time, wanting to know everything about him, she finally turned her head to Gary. "Who is this?"
     "A loser, believe me, you don't want anything to do with him, he's this kid I know from Pallet Town and-"
     "Thanks for introduction, Gary, but I can speak for myself," grinned Ash, he looked at Misty. "I'm Ash and this is Brock."
     "Hi," said Brock dumbfounded. Misty gave a coy little smile.
     "Ready for our date?" Gary asked Misty, she nodded. Ash immediately felt and unknown fire in his heart, but not the fire he was use to when it came to his dreams. But a fire that burned the minute he realized Misty was Gary's girlfriend, he wanted to grab him by the neck and choke him with his own two hands, repeating that he didn't deserve her, that she was too beautiful and talented to be with him and he'd do anything in his power to keep him away, even kill him. But most of all Ash was just burning to grab Misty forcefully by the wrist and yell to Gary she was his and his only. And Gary could never have her and to seal this announcement by kissing Misty deeply showing every ounce of affection for her. When his thoughts were finished he realized they were gone.
     "So that's Misty... What is she? Some kind of an ex-girlfriend of yours?" Questioned Brock.
     "No, she was a friend of ours," Ash explained.
     "Friend! She's a knock out, how could anyone just be friends with her and not want anything more. She's pretty, nice and seems to be loyal, You'd have to be crazy not to want her," shouted Brock in disbelief.
     "I know," sighed Ash thinking about the old Misty. "At least I do now."


To Be Continued...