Inevitable Originality

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: I decided to take a break from 'Nightmare Syndrome' and write another one-shot AAMRN. I guess I need to rest my head from one idea and start up something fresh, which is the way this came up... What boredom can do to the mind..!

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Summary: Not the usual 'Fight, apologize, kiss, the end' scenario. This does involve the normal Ash and Misty behavior but with a slightly different way to end it when they say 'I love you'. I tell you now... You have been warned...

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Ash: 17

Misty: 17

Brock: 21

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The sun was shining, the water in the lake beyond the way was glistening uncontrollably, and the clouds were drifting lazily along the sky bank. The tranquility was so great that nothing could disturb it at the moment. Or so was thought by the forested inhabitants.

The peace was broken as the trees shifted and trembled, the Pidgey that lay there nonchalantly beating their wings to escape the area. This was not a result of the wind; more of a conclusion to the shouts that had started to ring out from the depths of the wood.

Two teens, a masculine looking male and a very feminine looking redhead were duking out the most that they had, pouring out all of their anger, pretty much yelling uncontrollably at each other. They seemed to have no intention of stopping any time soon so a third, another young-yet matured-looking male kept away from them, hoping that their quarrel would go no further than insults.

There was nothing wrong with their fighting as they did so all the time. It was just how these two seemed to be. Now, more than 1/3 of the people that these three met on their journey seemed to think that their behavior deemed a higher quality than that of two who loved nothing more than to make the other miserable. More like a type of "Flirting". Needless to say, the oldest agreed with them.

The first one, the youthful male Pokemon trainer was not used to a feeling such as this. It was entirely new to him. He happened to sense it when around the female, that the boy seemed to lose interest in anything else. It was familiar to him... as he felt it whenever he was around a staturing human of the other sex. He knew that the girl was something special to him and, though she had become very attractive over the years, had kept his tongue from slipping, locking in mind that if he tried to say anything, the other would probably murder him. Not to mention that the girl would lose her cool and take out an "Ever-faithful mallet", as she liked to call it. It had never failed her before.

Anyway, back to the couple (Well, not yet... But don't worry!). The girl for her part, had always had something for her male counterpart. At least, so he thought. She happened to sneak glances his way every few seconds and had even given up her seclusion to her own mind, just to get to know him better. She had changed everything about herself, form her outer appearance to her flaring temper... And she had gotten good at it, but sometimes slip-ups were made, not only on her part, but his as well.

" You good for nothing, swollen-brained, egomaniac!!!" She yelled, her eyes glaring ferociously at him from across their small battlefield. Nothing had seemed to make her as angry as this before.

The male-or Ash-stared back at Misty. He seemed to grow even angrier then she had been a minute ago, " You scrawny-necked, poorly-controlled, raving lunatic!!!"

The name-calling continued for a while. The oldest, Brock, checked his watch. Any second now, Ash would make his slip up and it would all end with Misty's mallet. Just like it did every other time.

" Misty..." Ash growled; you could tell by his tone that he was pissed off.

Here it comes, Brock thought wildly and jumped behind the large rock he had just been sitting on. He didn't want to be in sight of Misty while she launched her ruthless and cunning attack on Ash.

" You are no more than a burden, an illness with no sense of reality! You float in those little dreams of yours all day, thinking of someone who would just appear as if in a fairy tale and learn to love you", He snapped his fingers, " Just like that... Well, guess what Misty? Keep on dreaming, because no one-not even the ugliest, poorest, most desperate man on earth-could love you. And you want to know why? Because you're insane, you're an indescribable pain and I can hardly stand to see your face anymore..." He broke off to take a deep breath and was opening his mouth to shout more at her, but her mallet connected with it, shutting him up and throwing him into the dirt all at once.

" You selfish, ignorant, neglectful brute... I can't believe that I've stayed and tried to befriend you so long... Just to receive this..." She turned away and Ash picked his head out of the dirt to see the sun setting. His next words followed Misty, even as she left the trail for a few moments peace while taking a walk.

" Sometimes, I don't know why I like you..." He whispered, though the wind seemed to carry the expression to Misty. She had halted and-though no one had said they were stopping here for the night, she knew-and suddenly ran into the wood. Deeper, leaving her Pokemon with the others in her small, red knapsack.

*************

Misty calmly, though hazardly, stalked through the woods. You could literally see the anger setting her mental frame on fire, blazing in front of the darkened clouds lifting in the sky. She wanted so badly to kill that stuck up excuse for a human at the moment...

But, at the same time, her anger ebbed away as she thought of those words he had said. For some reason, they had seemed more venomous than ever before. He must have meant it. She could see where he was coming from with the whole dreaming thing. She had to admit that most of those fantasies that were based in the back of her mind were more wishes and hopes than anything else. Depression finally set in. All her life, she had been waiting, watching everything that passes her by with her expression of full determination. She had been wanting her eyes to land on someone who would love her compassionately for the rest of her days...

Those wonders were put on hold when Ash had shown his face. She had been stuck traveling with him for more than enough of her time, but had somehow lost the idea of ever leaving him. It pained her to see him hurt, made her laugh to see him enjoying himself, and more than once, had felt something similar to 'love' when he was happy being around her and the others.

Now, those memories seemed like fake pretences. He obviously felt nothing more than utter hatred, at least, after his last words, that's all she could think of it as. She felt her fingernails gripping dramatically and painfully into her palms. Small tears stung her eyes, if only a few. How could she have let this happen? Over the years she had poured her heart out to this man! And in return she had received snide and reproachful remarks. Nothing was to stop her from leaving if she wanted to.

Accept for him. Over time, she had actually gotten to know this person and had started to grow accustomed to waking up next to him every day, hearing his voice call happily to those they met on their journey, acting with out thinking...

That bastard! She could hardly stand to think of him now. Probably smirking at how he had finally ticked a nerve. It made her want to lay down and die. That would just make him enjoy the moment even further.

She kicked at the ground furiously. He hated her so much. And to know that, also made her notice how much it hurt inside, how much she wanted the exact opposite from him. She wanted nothing more than to hear him console her when something bed had happened or to feel him draping his arms across her shoulders and holding her close while he whispered sweet things into her ears...

Of course, that would only happen in her dreams.

***************

" Brock! Can you believe what an ignorant fool she is?!" Ash raved again, throwing his arms into the air to emphasize his point. Sometimes having the redhead was a deliberate pain.

" Ash, I know that you're angry. But don't you think that you guys waste too much time on petty arguments such as this?" Brock replied. He didn't feel like being wrapped into the center of things.

Ash turned to him and Brock could see the deep-set fury in his eyes...mingled with something else. Suddenly, Ash noticed that Brock had started nodding his head and laughing under his breath. He, himself, couldn't see what was so funny but obviously his male friend was having the time of his life.

" Can you please tell me what is entertaining you so?" Ash stated ruefully. You could tell that this brought no joy to him.

" You.. Are so... Funny... Do you know that?" He said in between snickers.

Ash was ready to blow a gasket. He stepped forward and was about to "kill" Brock when the slightest shock hit him in the limbs of his leg. He looked down to see Pikachu pulling on his pants and talking in his native language.

Ash pulled away and Brock heard the words " Bastard" and "Lucky" before he started another conversation, " What do you mean?"

Brock couldn't help but smirk again, this time being cautious as to the obviousness of where this would be going any second now, " Ash, do you know why Misty treats you the way she does?"

" No", He stated in a clueless, short and simple answer.

" And do you know why you treat her the way you do?"

" No..." He repeated, completely left in the blue. Brock was near ready to fall off of his sturdy seat from the suspense he had purposely posed at the moment. Laughing wouldn't even console him well enough to let loose all he had to.

" ASH! Misty loves YOU! You and you alone! Man, no wonder she gets so angry and frustrated... Do you know how long she's wanted you to notice her?!" Brock took a deep breath while Ash digested this new info.

" Misty... LOVES me..? Brock... Are we talking about the same Misty?" Ash seemed to be having trouble taking this in.

Brock sighed. So young, so innocent, and such a conceited fool, " Ash, let me introduce you to the later trials in life..." He trailed his arm over his friends shoulder and started into what would undoubtedly be one hell of a long lecture.

***************

Misty waited dejectedly. Obviously no one was going to come looking for her and by now supper was probably finished so she should head back. She dragged herself to her feet and began to trail her feet across the dirt track back to camp.

She really didn't feel like going back, she just wanted to stay there on that small, jagged rock forever, awaiting her fate. But her stomach disagreed. It was growling uncontrollably and she now took the time to remember that she hadn't eaten lunch due to her eyes continuously roving in Ash's direction. How long would she have to wait to be noticed?

She approached the edge of some overgrown brush and-by the look of glimmering flames and the smell of wafting food-she knew that her group had put up camp on the other side.

She took a deep breath and pulled the bushes apart with trembling hands. Now, under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have felt so-so vulnerable but at the moment the last thing she needed was to catch Ash's eye. Who knows what else he would start spouting her way. After his last comments, she didn't have the heart to take anymore.

She walked over to her friends and waited for her bowl before going to sit on the opposite side of the grounds. She could stand to eat alone for a night. Though she hated to look like a rough, there was nothing that these two didn't know about her already. Well accept for Ash and... You know.

She had been sitting there, staring at her steaming bowl of ham and potato stew for ten minutes and had hardly touched it. She hated to admit it but without the usual chatter her friends used to share with her at mealtime, it didn't seem natural. She couldn't bring herself to touch Brocks cooking without having to force it down her own throat.

She heard some pattering steps and a sudden launch of dust before Ash-the last person she wanted to see-sat next to her. She looked that other way and noticed something wet land on her hand. Without noticing it, she had begun to cry. This wasn't a Misty kind of thing and she could tell Ash had seen the tear because he had taken in a deep, sudden breath. Though, you could tell he wasn't more shocked than Misty was.

" Hey..." Ash said in a calm voice, moving his arms toward her in gesture, " You haven't started on your food... How come?"

He obviously knew the answer already but Misty replied anyway, " I have other things on my mind..." She said in a shaky voice. It croaked softly and she halted abruptly in fear that it would give away the fact that, now, the tears wouldn't stop.

" Anything in particular?" He questioned and he seemed genuinely interested.

" ... Just-just some questions that I can't seem to find the explanations for..." She said in that same voice.

Ash drew in another deep breath before turning her to face him and laying his hands on her shoulders, " Misty, I'm sorry for what I said. You know I didn't mean it. I could never mean anything like that..."

" But-but you said yourself", She broke off, " You said that you don't know why you like me..." Her voice trembled again and she wiped a few stray tears away.

" And, sometimes Misty, I don't", He had to be careful, had to choose his words discreetly, " But then... I think of all the reasons why. And somehow, it changes my mind... Mist, you gotta believe me, I'd never do anything to hurt you..."

" Then, tell me Ash!" She shouted suddenly, " Tell me why you like me, why do you like me? You seem to think that the only way to say it is 'I hate you'!"

" Misty, I don't really know every reason. You're just special to me. You care for more than yourself, you're different from any other girl I've met, you mean more to me, you understand me, and no matter what, I know that you'll always be there... There are so many other reasons, but no matter what, I just can't bring myself to hate you... I don't know why... I'm sorry, but if you want more of an explanation, you'll have to turn to somebody else..." He looked to his lap, where his fingers were twisting his clothes nervously.

She couldn't say 'no' to a decision like that. Maybe there was hope for a renewal of relationship.

" But Ash..." She said, even more doubt coming to mind, " If you can't say you hate me, then why did you? Why do you always say that you can't stand me?!" Ferocity had taken control of her formally quiet and shy demeanor.

He couldn't exactly answer her in words... so he did the next best thing to come to mind. He pulled her into a soft, comforting hug, one that she'd wanted for such a long time then took it to the next level.

He tipped her head up and-caressing her cheek to keep her from freezing in a state of panic-kissed her ever so gently on her lips. She seemed to drop everything and the world started to melt away. There was only he and she. Only them and nothing could have been better. But before she had even adjusted to his new sense of style, he pulled away from her, much to her discomfort.

" Now do you think I hate you?" Ash whispered in a VERY embarrassed voice. She didn't know why but his cheeks seemed to be even brighter now that he had expressed what was needed than they were before.

She shook her head, more of an involuntary movement and jumped at him again. He wasn't exactly ready for this so the both of them went tumbling to the ground. She kissed him more fiercely in a way that stated that she wanted to show him how it was supposed to be done and he gladly let her.

It just felt so right, them being this way. They were lying there, together, for about ten minutes before reality emerged again and they noticed the quiet of their surroundings.

" Maybe Brocks training isn't so bad after all." Ash said thoughtfully.

" Yeah, it must just be him", Misty laughed to herself before looking around, " Hey, where is he?"

" Oh, well, when you came back, I wanted to talk alone... So I sent him away to gather something."

" What?" Misty asked, she definitely wanted to know what Brock was trying to locate.

" Oh, nothing special... Just a dozen roses..." Ash said in a sneaky voice.

" But Ash! The only floral shop in Johto is by Silver Cave... You do know that we aren't anywhere near there right?!" She asked incredulously.

" Oh, we aren't? Must have slipped my mind..." Ash said in that same offhand, sneaky tone.

" Wow, you're good. But shouldn't we try to find him?" Misty said in a half-sympathetic voice.

" Not now", he stated in a whisper before dropping next to her and snuggling her to him and breathing in her scent.

Misty did nothing but giggle and comply.

*************

Brock walked through the wilderness, searching for the closest flower store. Ash should have mentioned where one was stationed. The worst part was he had forgotten the map so he had no idea where he was.

He looked around him and took in his surroundings. Nothing that looked man crafted was for miles around. He was in the middle of nowhere.

" Damnit Ash! This is the last time I try and help you any! Next time you want to impress a girl, take the necessary tasks yourself! Out here by myself! I'LL NEVER TRUST YOU AGAIN!!! ASH KETCHEM!!!"

There was a long silence before many rustling sounds came from the brush all around him. He froze in fear and stood very still.

A few Persian and Ursaring came out from the deeper wood and Brock started to tremble uncontrollably.

" Nice kitty-cats, good little cubs..." That was only what he wished they were. Instead they were at least six feet tall and advancing quickly. Brock started to move back, twirled around, and dashed in the opposite direction.

" HELP!!!"

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A/N: That was it, not exactly what I wanted but I had no choice but to finish it quickly. Anyway, hope you like it. If you have any comments, please put them in the review. I need the encouragement of my fans. I tried so hard on this fic and it took me about four days to type up.

Anyway, review! AAMRN 4-eva!!!