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On a hot day like this, it was the perfect time to be taking a dip in the nearby lake. Ash and Misty were taking advantage of this and having fun playing around in the refreshingly cold water, splashing each other and laughing merrily. Pikachu had also joined them and he was content to float along the surface in a rubber ring.
Misty ducked beneath the surface of the lake to avoid another attempt by Ash to spray her with lake water. She burst forth from the surface a few seconds later, laughing heartily. Her red hair was plastered down and she reached up to push back the soggy clumps.
"Now you're going to get it!" Misty sent a cascade of water directly at Ash.
"Whoah!" Ash threw up his arms to shield himself from the liquid onslaught. He shook his head, sending droplets of water spraying from his soaked hair.
Misty was about to do it again when she caught sight of a small Pokémon skimming across the surface of the lake.
"Oh! Look, that's got to be a water Pokémon!" Misty stared at it in rapture, entranced by the sight of a water type. "I don't think I've seen that one before though. What's it called?" She started swimming over to get a closer look.
"Hmm. Oh yeah, that's a Surskit, isn't it? It's native to the Hoenn region." Ash sank into his thoughts, trying to remember what else he knew about it. "It's a water type... and a bug type too, actually."
Misty froze in place. All colour instantly drained from her face and her eyes grew to the size of saucers. Was such a thing really even possible? How in the world could her favourite Pokémon type ever have ended up combined with the type that she hated most of all? It just defied all belief for her.
"No way." Misty let out a short laugh and shook her head. "You're just kidding, right? That's not funny, Ash."
"No, it's true. I can even check it on the Pokédex if you want."
Misty stared at the Surskit with her jaw hanging open, struggling to comprehend this insanity. That was what she believed it to be... sheer, utter insanity. She just didn't want to believe that it was real. How could a water type be a bug type too?
"That can't be... it's ridiculous..."
Ash exhaled in exasperation. Misty was having a very hard time believing this. Maybe he would have to whip the Pokédex out after all.
The Surskit turned around, fixing its beady eyes on Misty.
Misty screamed and swam at high speed right into Ash's arms, continuing to scream as she flung her arms around him and held tightly on in an embrace that almost threatened his own life.
"Misty?" Ash looked at her in disbelief. So her fear of bug Pokémon had won out in the end. It was hardly surprising. As much as she loved water Pokémon, loving one that was part bug type was just far too much for her.
Misty was suddenly painfully aware of their close contact, their wet, warm skin pressed together, and the feeling of Ash's heart beating away in his chest. What was she doing, holding onto him like this while they wore nothing but swimming clothes?
Her face turned scarlet and she quickly let go of Ash.
"Uh... er... heh, I'm just gonna get out now... I think the sun's getting to my head..." Misty swam back to the edge of the lake. Now she was so embarrassed. What had she been thinking?
"Misty, where are you going?" Ash watched her with a confused look. "It's not even that scary." He couldn't understand why Misty was suddenly acting so awkward.
"Yeah, well, I just don't really feel like swimming anymore," Misty lied, standing at the edge of the lake. Drops of water dripped from her skin, splashing to the ground below. Her face was still red. "I'm going back to the house now. See you there." She put on her sandals, grabbed a towel and hurried away.
"Man... Misty is so weird sometimes," Ash muttered, glancing at Pikachu and shaking his head in bewilderment.