Ash: 14

Misty: 14

Brock: 17

N. Joy: 19

A/N: I told you that I'd write this and I never lie... Okay, maybe once, but it was for good reason! Or, you know, not. Just don't mention it to my mom, she'll probably root through my entire room for illegal substance or something. And then she'll find--DUM, DUM, DUM--artwork! And Shonen Jump! And InuYasha! And cheap Internet newspaper clippings! Uh... Yup, like I said, illegal. I'm real bad, aren't I..?

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Misty continued her rush towards the Goldenrod Train Station. The only thought running through her head being that the sooner she got there, the better. And then she could leave everything behind... Including her heart. Probably not the best thing to lose in another part of the continent but it wasn't like she could help it. She felt a soft pang in her chest but she was unsure as to what it signaled.

... That was, until she heard the last voice she expected to calling her.

" Misty--!"

'... Ash..?' She turned with a thought.

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

" Misty--?!" Ash called, running as fast as his legs would carry him. Which (Though unnoticed by him) was faster than they ever had before. 'She must have used some sorta psychic Pokemon to get this far ahead!' Ash thought as his breath began to catch from his speed battling against the bitter early wind. He didn't stop, though, no matter how dry his body became. Just as he felt the sun begin to take its toll on his sight, he happened to see a blink of orange-red ahead that definitely didn't resemble the sun. Knowing this, and guessing what it was, he continued to make his feet dash across the dirt path and shouted again, "Misty--!"

The being (Which he now noticed it take shape) stopped in their tracks and turned to face him with shock plastered on their face. They didn't say anything, at least not loud enough for him to hear, but Ash could tell that they were going to wait for him to draw alongside them and he pulled to a stop, feeling his feet drag across the ground and bringing up dust.

The being, now obviously distinguished as Misty, still said nothing but the look on her face was more than enough for him to realize that she wasn't expecting him to follow her. So now it was his turn to explain. Otherwise she might as well continue to walk out of his life forever. Knowing this didn't help him to talk faster so he placed his hand onto her shoulders in order to prevent her from walking away from him.

" Misty--! Please--I'm sorry--" He emphasized his apology and watched her shock soften into the same expression he felt like showing if it wasn't for his breath laboring him too frequently, "I'm... an idiot for... not realizing that... you wanted to stay... I just can't be... believe that you want... to stay with me. I never wanted to lose you... Or forget you either. That's why I was so against this. I don't know what's come over me these past few days... Just you stating that you wanted your bike so that you could get up and leave... Stating it, that wasn't the big deal... But saying it to someone who didn't need to know... It was like you wanted to make sure everyone knew you were only here with me for one reason. And for that I doubted--" He was stopped as she lifted his hands off of her shoulders and held them in her own.

" --Ash, I know what you mean. There have been plenty of times where I've doubted us and how you feel as well... I know I must have hurt you but I figured that you'd know by then that I was never really serious when I stated anything about my bike... I mean, I really wanted to up and leave at first but... Ash, do you realize how unique you are..? It was that uniqueness that made me understand that there was more to you than I thought. I wanted to see more of that, to see if it was just for show, to let people think of you as the Golden Child... But then you kept on at it, no matter how easy you got off, no matter how much whatever was pressured onto other people... You always helped them, or you stuck by them for support. I'd have liked to experience that more often back home, to tell you the truth." She broke off to laugh a bit, "But, Ash, just understand that I would never really wanna hurt ya on purpose. You know, maybe knock some sense into you a few times but nothing too literal." She pinched his cheek and forced it into a half-smile as he grinned back at her.

" I get it, Myst, I get it... So..." He placed the hand on his cheek in his and held it there, "So... We're okay, right? I mean, could you ever forgive me for trying to rid myself of the best thing that has ever been introduced to me in my life..." He broke off and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it, "Cause, you mean more to me than anything. And I'm sorry that it took Brock, a near-fatal argument, and a goodbye kiss to show me that." He gripped her hand more securely, like he was hoping that she'd never let him go.

" Ash... I-That's so sweet... I-I..." She placed her head under his chin and stood there like that, neither that willing to budge from their position as she thought of something to say in reply, "I think you just caught me deeper in your trap Ash... How do you do it..?"

" I make good use of Brock's lingo. Comes in handy more than I thought it would, I guess." He laughed when she looked up at him with an expression that clearly stated 'I'll kill you if you're being serious with me', "C'mon, Myst, you know I love ya." This changed the entire atmosphere and they found themselves in a web of heated tension as Misty felt his grip weaken on her hand, "I-I'm sorry, maybe that came out wrong... I-I meant to say that I really-I mean that I do care for--" Again she broke him off by throwing her arms around him and he felt himself release a breath he hadn't even known he'd been holding.

" I'm so glad that you love me... I've always wondered what it was like. God, I love you too..." When he didn't reply, she lifted herself off of him and looked into his eyes, trying to decipher whether he was telling her the truth or not, "... You're not joking are you..? Do you really--?"

" --More than you know, Myst, more than anything. And don't you ever, ever, ever forget it." This made her feel more secure and she pulled him into her arms, where they resumed their walk back towards the Centre where Brock and Pikachu were waiting for them to return.

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

" So, we're ready to go for real this time..?" Misty asked with enlightened glee in her voice while her arms snaked around Ash's back.

" Uh... Yeah. Listen, you guys. Are you planning on doing this the whole way through the League?" They remained silent for a moment then turned to look at each other, seemed to come to an answer, and nodded as they turned back to him, "Fine, cause me and Pikachu figured you would come back all, you know, huggy-lovey-dovey like so we made a list of restrictions when you are within our sight. One, no kissing. No way am I gonna let you do that around me, and Pikachu here feels the same. Two, try not to get into anymore compromising situations, all right? Otherwise I may be forced to call your mother Ash, and your sisters Misty. They might like to know where you two stand together anyway... Three, no feeding each other. That always made me kinda wanna puke when I saw it in the movies and everything so--"

Ash interrupted him, "--Can I make a suggestion Brock..?" Their older companion nodded and he grinned lightly before replying, "Bring some barf-bags. That's all I'm gonna say." He turned towards Misty, who was trying desperately to keep from laughing and they began to walk down the path, Misty having to hold her new bike in her arms, restraining her from holding onto Ash. Pikachu lay propped on his shoulder as always and Brock blushed red, knowing that he was gonna be in for the ride of his life (Not literally).

They continued traveling towards Goldenrod again, this time Ash and Misty in the lead, no map currently in hand (They had been told that it was a straight walk towards the city) when they came to a bridge (A sturdy bridge, don't get me wrong). Ash suddenly snapped his fingers and a smile appeared on his face as he looked at Misty and the position of her bike in her hands.

"H-Hey Myst, can I see that model for a moment, just wanna be sure I got the best one..." Misty saw no problem with this so she handed it over to him without a second thought and watched as he mercilessly pulled the weight up over his head and walked to the side of the bridge. Before she could stop him, he threw the thing over the ledge, but his grip still lingered on it for a moment, "Well, I guess we won't be needing this..!" And Ash took one last glance between Misty's now appalled face (Though she was too shocked to move) and the glistening new bicycle that he was about to rid them of and dropped it into the water below the bridge they were on.

" ASSSHHHHHH--! How could you--?!" Misty shouted in rage and jumped to his side, hitting him upside the head and looking like she was ready to jump in after it.

" Myst, I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Ash said with an idiotic grin and gripped her upper arm tightly before turning to his rodent-like buddy, "Pikachu, fry it for me, will ya?"

" No! No, Pikachu, don't--!" Misty shouted one last time, hoping that Ash's little friend would still cling onto some sanity but she was sadly mistaken as he completely ignored her and with what looked like an exact replica of Ash's smirk, faced the water and jumped into the air.

" PIIIIII... KAAAAAA... CHUUUUUU--!" It shouted and all that was left of another one of Misty's bikes was a smoldering pile of, well, ash. She collapsed onto the floor of the cobblestone bridge and settled for watching the smoke of her new model float into the sky before Ash slipped down next to her.

" Awe, c'mon Myst. I did it for good reason. I just don't ever want you leaving me behind." He watched as her eye level secured with his and backed away, now a little fearful since he'd seen a heated, devilish, red glow in them. And stated quite clearly was the word 'Slaughter'. He yelped when she made contact by mallet with his head, forcing him onto the ground again before he'd even gotten a chance to run, "WAAAAAGGGHHHHH--! I'm sorry Myst! I just didn't want you to up and leave, even for a bit! I didn't wanna do it to spite ya, you should know that!"

" Ash, I do know that." Her voice had become like a piece of string, thin and fragile, strange for her, "But you didn't have to fry it!!!" She shrieked, causing him to tremble under her foot, "Tell me, idiot, how much did you pay for that model..?" He gave a nervous chuckle and ducked as her fist clasped at his collar in fury, "C'mon, Ash, tell me?! I really would like to know--!"

" Ya know, Myst, it's rude to ask how much your gifts cost..." He said hopefully but she obviously wasn't buying it, which he realized when she slammed her mallet about an inch away from his hands where they sat, propping him up off the ground completely.

" TELL ME--!" She yelled whiningly.

" ... Six hundred..." He murmured and tried to ignore the all too well-known feeling of Misty's eyes boring holes through the top of his head.

" I'm sorry, repeat that..? I'm afraid that I didn't hear you clearly enough to murder you yet."

" I SAID SIX HUNDRED! WANT ME TO SHOUT IT THROUGH A MICROPHONE TO THE WORLD?!"

" No, but you could have at least saved it long enough to sell it back. Even at a reduced price, we could have eaten well for-for--Probably a month." She sighed and knelt to the ground beside him. They both sat like that for a moment and let the thought set in their minds fully before Ash erupted.

" WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER?!" Ash shouted and watched as Misty got to her feet, just as angry.

" Not that it matters now, Mr. Pokemon Master, but how could I when you just ripped it from my hands and threw it over before I could object?!"

" --Hey guys, I think Goldenrod's just a mile ahead, we can make it by morning!" Ash stated brightly out of the blue.

" --Huh..?" Misty asked incredulously, ready to boil at the fact that he'd left her standing in 'Argument mode' to start walking ahead. She growled but eventually let it go. It was getting old for them to fight so much when they had finally admitted everything and were together.

She fell back in step with Brock, who was surprised that she hadn't gone to cuddle up next to Ash but figured not to bring it up in case she was sorta emotional on the subject or something. Nevertheless, he did want to know why she came to walk next to him.

" So, uh... Is there any reason why--"

" Brock, why didn't you try and hook up with Joy this time..?" Misty asked him. She was sure she knew the answer, that he'd wanted to try and help them too much for his infatuation to get in the way, and now she was unsure how to break it to him that Joy had been interested in... Well... Him. She was still baffled as to 'How'.

" You know, I do know when to get serious, Misty! You two are much more important to me than any woman... At the moment." He finished in a murmur so she couldn't hear him and her eyes got all starry-eyed like she was reading a wonderful novel. She had obviously never guessed that her and Ash's relationship had meant so much to their older comrade. Next moment, however, her expression turned to that of badly suppressed indecision. He caught sight of this and asked her what she seemed so uncertain about.

" Well, it's just that... In your haste to help get us together... You never hit on Joy. And she, this one, I mean, well, Joy really liked you this time. She was hoping that you'd show your hormonal side to her so that you two could get together and go out on a-a date..." With that, Misty walked ahead, hoping that Brock's reply to her answer wouldn't be too bad.

She turned back and noticed that he had stopped in the middle of the path and pulled on Ash's shirt to halt him as well. They both turned and looked on at their older friend in sympathy as his eyeless face contorted into and expression of pure wretchedness.

" GOD, WHAT HAVE I BECOME--?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO--!"

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A/N: There we go, I'm finished with this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Look forward to the epilogue as soon as possible. I all ready wrote it but I learned long ago not to post every chapter at once so I'll wait about a couple months and then--Okay, I'll settle for a week tops. Don't worry, you'll be seeing it soon enough.