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Misty felt herself being
shaken, and again there was to poke of the
package she had slept with. She mumbled at whatever had reawaken her,
her
words partly pleas for mercy from awakening, and partly threats. Although
Misty would normally have controlled herself, it was too early for
her. So
what if it was noon. She was still half asleep.
Misty squirmed at the relentless
shaking, and heard Brock calling her
name. "Misty, get up! It's past noon!" Misty tried to ignore the rock
trainers
persistent voice, but to no avail. As a defensive tactic from the conscious
world, Misty pulled herself to the bottom of her sleeping bag and rolled
into
a fetal position. She closely grasped the opening to the bag so she
could not
be dumped out.
"Brock, I know how to get
her out.", Misty heard Ash say. "Watch this."
Misty prepared for something
simple, like a bucket of ice water. She
gritted her teeth against the sure onslaught of cold. Instead of icewater,
however, Misty was treated to something significantly worse. She heard
a small
squeal, and opened her eyes just a crack to see something crawling
into an
unclenched spot in the top of her red and yellow sleeping bag. It was
a
pokemon, that was for sure. Until she woke up all the way, she knew
she
couldn't identify it, and waking up was what she was avoiding.
The pokemon made a whirring
noise, and something clicked in Misty's
mind. It was small and green. It slithered. It made whirring noises,
and it
was supposed to get her out of bed. Misty screamed. The caterpie ran
out in
fear.
Misty exploded from her sleeping
bag in a raging fury of arms, legs,
and vengence. She entirely forgot her resolution to be nice to Ash
today, and
flew directly at the laughing young trainer, who soon stopped laughing.
The ensuing fight was quick
and short. Misty had an angry strength to
aide her, and Ash was weakened by his prank. Although usually stronger,
Ash
was quickly defeated, pinned to the ground by a frothing Misty.
"Ash Ketchum if you EVER
put one of those -disgusting- bugs anywhere
near me, I'll tie you up in a knot and shove YOU in a pokeball!" Ash
quickly
stopped laughing, to Misty's relief.
"Gee, I'm sorry Misty."
Misty was taken aback by
the apology. Under normal circumstances, Ash
would have retorted with something witty and mean. Misty quickly resumed
her
angry glare at the boy she was sitting on. "Honestly, I don't know
-why- I
keep following you around."
"Maybe it's because you
like him. Geez, why can't you two go make out
in a utility closet? It's right around the corner down the hall."
Misty suddenly turned her
attention to Brock, who was not done
speaking.
"It -is- valentines day,
you know, so..." Misty made sure Brock didn't
finish. Rather than use the standard issue Secret Agent Cloth Gag,
Misty used
the Secret Agent Foot Gag. She made sure it didn't miss, and Brock
soon found
himself with a mouthfull of dirty slippers. Misty cursed herself for
not using
her shoes, because now her nice slippers would have Brock slobber on
them. At
least it made the older companion quiet, though.
Misty realized her mistake
too late. It was Valentines Day. Today she
had planned on confessing her love for Ash, but habbit had gotten the
better
of her. She had already wrestled Ash to the point of exhaustion over
his,
however disturbing, method of waking her up. Misty didn't think that
was a
good way to start the day.
Misty looked at her fellow
travelors, both still recovering from the
morning's, or afternoon's, rather, beating. She threw her face into
her hands
in despair, and started to cry. She thought she heard Ash start to
say
something reassuring, but she didn't listen. Instead, Misty turned
and fled
the pokemon center lobby. Misty ran down the hall, nearly crashing
into a crew
of Chanseys rolling a stretcher. Misty continued her angry sobbing,
furious at
herself, and anything which would happen into her way.
At the end of the hall was
a women's restroom. Without thinking, Misty
rushed into it. She needed some privacy. Regaining some control, she
half-walked to a stall, went in, and locked the door. She sat down
on the
toilet, to think. Misty was especially glad these toilets had covers,
otherwise her half sitting, half slamming herself on it would have
really
hurt. Misty put her elbows on her knees, and her face in her hands,
where she
wept.
The day was awfull already.
This was supposed to be a day of lovers, a
day -for- lovers. So far, all Misty felt was self hatred. She had already
botched anything that could bring her and Ash closer together. Misty
stopped
her sobs to take a long sorrowfull breath, letting her chest fill in
then
releasing the air. How was she supposed to tell Ash she loved him?
She was
sure that Ash must really hate her. They were always arguing. In fact,
Misty
couldn't remember going an hour without a brawl.
Misty tried not to think
of anything. It was just too painfull.
Misty's sobs subsided to an unsteady stream of quiet tears, and then
stopped.
She had still not moved. Misty couldn't help herself, and ran through
the
day's short list of events in her head.
Misty remembered the package
and gasped. It was probably on the ground
somewhere, most likely blown out of her sleeping bag when she had erupted
from
it at the sight of the Caterpie. Misty pondered the caterpie for a
moment,
then relented. She had already forgiven Ash, but bugs were just something
she
couldn't take.
Misty returned her thought
to the now exposed package. She had left it
back in the lobby. She had managed to grasp that. She had left it in
the lobby
with Ash. That was a bit harder to accept, but she managed. Misty had
left a
Valentines Day present for Ash in the lobby, where he was probably
opening it
right now. Misty felt a wave of nausea sweep over her. She had wanted
to
introduce her feelings to Ash slowly, carefully. Misty had no idea
if Ash had
feelings for her in return, but she thought he probably didn't.
Misty started to cry again,
this time a steady stream of sadness,
without the wracking sobs of before. Her predicament was awfull, and
its
severity was amplified in her mind. Misty couldn't think, no, -wouldn't-
think
of what would happen if Ash didn't love her. Probably she'd run away,
maybe go
back to Cerulean. Rejoining her sisters was a definate low on Misty's
scale of
fun, but it beat hanging around with Ash if he hated her. In her emotionally
warped mood, Misty decided that, if Ash didn't reciprocate her love,
she would
probably rather be dead than live up to the humiliation she knew would
come.
Misty's lamenting was broken
by a knock on the door to the restroom.
Misty stood up and walked out of her stal in the row of five, trying
to regain
her composure. She took a deep breath and held it, then let it out.
Misty also
tried washing her face, and found that that worked wonders. The knocking
at
the door became incessant, growing louder and louder, then it stopped.
"Misty? Are you okay?"
The sound of Ash's voice
brought a stab of hope into Misty's chilled
heart. His voice was shaky, and sounded worried. Misty hoped the tone
was
because he cared. She wasn't sure.
"Misty?" Ash's voice seemed
to grow more desperate, and Misty snapped
out of her temporary trance. "Misty, are you in here? Please?" Misty
could
feel the aura of worry he projected. He cared. She was sure of it.
Misty put on a halfhearted
smile and walked to the door of the
restroom. She heard Ash mumbling to himself, or maybe to Pikachu. Pressing
her
ear against the door, Misty could make out words.
"...she's alright. I'm really
scared for her." Ash made an audible
sniffle. "I just wish I had a present too. Can you believe it, Pikachu",
Misty
now knew who the boy was talking to. "I entirely forgot about Valentines
Day.
God, what an awfull way to begin."
Misty leaned away from the
mettalic door, significantly cheered up.
She pulled it open on her side, preparing to walk out and hug the trainer.
At
least, she thought she would. She wasn't quite sure how she'd react.
Misty soon found out that
Ash had been leaning against the door,
focusing all his attention on listening for Misty. This was apparent
because
Ash fell on her when she opened the door. She -did- open it rather
quickly.
Despite Ash's lack of balance,
Misty was not knocked over by his
impact. She was glad of it. Ash had fallen right into her open arms,
which
caught him then wrapped the boy up in an embrace. Misty felt Ash try
to regain
his steadiness without unlocking himself from Misty, and, somewhat
cumbersomely, he soon succeeded. Upon his regained posture, Misty felt
Ash
return the hug. Misty rested her head on Ash's shoulder, and sighed.
"Hey Misty?", asked Ash
in a tentative voice, "Know what?"
Misty looked up at Ash and
watched him smile lovingly.
"I love you too."
An enormous weight was lifted
off Misty's mind. Suddenly she felt
free, alive, and happy. She felt better then she had in a long time,
probably
too long. A single tear of Joy escaped her left eye, and She felt Ash
tenderly
brush it aside. Ash had a look to him that Misty had seen only once
or twice
in her life, and then only on people who were unrelated to her. This
was
Misty's first love. This was more than first love, though. Misty felt
certain
of that. Absolutely positively certain.
As if to verify her deduction,
Ash leaned his head forward, putting
his face only inches from hers. Misty heard Ash whisper three words,
three
words which were probably the most commonly spoken three words in the
world.
Those three words held something special now. Something magic. "I love
you."
Misty shut her eyes and felt Ash kiss her on the lips. What had started
as a
symbolic first kiss soon blossomed into a contest; who could kiss better.
Misty tightened her grip around Ash's waist, never breaking from that
first
kiss.
Misty was startled by someone
laughing down the hall, and she somehow
sensed that it was directed at her. She opened her eyes and broke the
passionate moment with Ash, then looked to the source of intrusion.
Misty saw Brock and Pikachu
at the end of the hall, Brock with a bag
of popcorn, munching it noisily. Brock was still giggling at some joke
he had
made to Pikachu, who also had refreshments to watch the show. Misty
first got
a look of embarrassment, but that quickly faded to one of annoyance.
"Do you mind? I'm kinda
busy here."
Brock responded with his
typical wit, but Misty forgave him instantly.
This time his wit was a good idea. "Sure. Don't forget, the closet
is to your
left."