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Trainers in Love
(Alternative Prompt: Ash Vs. Misty)
As it was customary for every battle in the World Coronation Series, the two trainers facing off always met in the middle to introduce themselves and shake hands, but the two trainers standing in the center of the battlefield needed no such introductions.
It'd been a while since she'd last seen the trainer everyone was talking about. He'd certainly come a long way from the boy who'd started the first day of his pokemon journey in pajamas. Now, he was sporting a pair of worn jeans that she hated to admit fit him in all the right areas, a dark blue t-shirt hidden under a black training vest, and of course, one of his trademark hats forced to fit over his rattata's nest of hair. The look was only further completed by Pikachu standing on his shoulder with his paws curled into fists, an equally determined look on its face.
When their hands met in the middle, the familiar roughness of a well-worn pair of gloves brushed the palm of her hand. She'd heard that sometimes a feeling or sensation alone could take you back to a long-forgotten time. Whether or not it was true, at that moment, she fully believed it as her mind was flooded with memories of camping out under the stars, running from wild pokemon, blasting off Team Rocket, and more as moments from their travels blended together.
Ash must have noticed her falter because he squeezed her hand. It went unnoticed by everyone else, but Misty glanced up, recognizing the small gesture as a question. A quick squeeze to ask if she was okay. To reassure her that no matter what, he was there. It was going to be okay. Even in the midst of their impending battle, he would always put their relationship first.
She nodded in an attempt to brush off the feeling and stood up straight. Squeezing back, her eyes danced with a renewed spark not seen in the Cerulean Gym Leader in years.
"Scared, Mist? My team is pretty tough," Ash baited her. She did her best to remain steadfast, but the way his face broke into a playful grin paired with his special nickname for her left her body feeling flushed. "You can give up now, you know? I'd understand."
Misty scoffed, quickly bouncing back. "Why? Afraid I'll beat you?"
Ash smirked, and for a second, Misty swore her knees would buckle from underneath her. "You beat me? Sorry Misty, but I'm not that little kid who earned badges out of pity." Misty couldn't help it, but she gave him a quick glance over, her eyes lingering on his toned muscles, dark brown eyes, and a five o'clock shadow. No, you most certainly are not. "I came here to win."
Misty bounced back quickly and sweetly smiled back before releasing their hands. "Aw, that's real cute, Ash, but I'm afraid this is where it ends for you."
Thanks to the mics hooked up to each trainer, the whole audience could hear their conversation, but it didn't take a trained eye to see the crackling tension between the two trainers. From his seat, however, a less than enthused audience member groaned and rolled his eyes at the antics of his two best friends.
In front of him, a young woman typed frantically on her phone, gushing at the scene before her. He wasn't intentionally glancing at her phone, but it was hard not to notice the messages written in all caps she and someone named Maria were exchanging.
OOO
Maria: Oh my god, oh my god!
Girl: I know! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Girl: He even has a nickname for her. That's so freaking adorable. I can't.
Maria: I wish Dave had a special nickname for me.
Maria: I swear to god, you can actually see the sparks flying between them.
Girl: You mean the sexual tension? 😉
Brock sighed. The girl wasn't wrong. Anybody who wasn't Ash or Misty could tell all their playful banter was really just flirting. A sort of foreplay before the big event.
OOO
Just then, the referee stepped forward and pulled out a coin. "Today's match will be a six-on-six battle with no time limit. Both trainers may substitute a pokemon at any time. The trainer whose pokemon is last left standing will win. Are the trainers ready?" Misty and Ash nodded. "This coin toss will decide who chooses their pokemon first. Heads will be the Cerulean City Gym Leader, Misty, and tails will be the challenger, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town."
Both heads turned to watch as the coin soared into the air before landing on the referee's open palm.
Tails.
Misty beamed victoriously. "I hope you brought some burn heals, Ash because you'll need them after Starmie and I destroy you."
Ash quirked his eyebrow and stuck out his tongue. "Starmie? That thing doesn't even have a face."
Misty gritted her teeth. She would not let Ash get to her. "Just don't come crying to me when you lose to the Water Pokemon Master."
Ash shielded his eyes and glanced around the arena. "Really? I don't see Wallace."
Well, she had tried.
Misty flinched, narrowing her eyes before stepping forward and into his space. She was going to kill him before the match even started.
The referee glanced worriedly back and forth between them, likely never having faced a potential fight between the two trainers and not their pokemon.
Misty extended her finger to push against Ash's chest, catching him off guard with an oomph. A chest she couldn't help but notice was much more toned than she remembered. Leaning forward, she punctuated her words with a simultaneous poke of his chest. "Listen here, Ketchum. You may be my friend, but I have a reputation to uphold. I hope you've been training hard because I won't even blink when you and your pokemon succumb to the most powerful element."
"You wish," he shot back. "We've been preparing for this match all year. Right, Buddy?"
"Pika!"
Misty's eyes briefly softened, and her hand relaxed. All year? Was it silly to think that meant he'd been thinking about her then, too? She shook her head. No way. With Ash, it was all about his pokemon and how to make them stronger, how to get better. It had nothing to do with her specifically.
"Well, let's hope it was worth it," she said. "Because my pokemon and I are ready."
"You ready, Pikachu?" Ash called to the pokemon on his shoulder. "Let's give it our all and make this a battle we'll never forget, okay?"
"Pika!" the pokemon cried back, more electricity crackling around him.
Misty laughed. Those two were certainly fired up, practically feeding off each other's energies. Then again, she wouldn't expect anything less from Ash and his lifetime partner.
The referee coughed loudly, slightly catching Ash and Misty off guard. "If both trainers are ready, please return to your battle positions, and we will begin the match."
Misty gave a curt nod before turning toward her side of the field. As she stepped foot into the trainer box, she turned to face her opponent, various strategies already running through her head. She'd always known this could happen. Ash had always been a strong trainer, and she'd always believed in him, so it was only a matter of time before he made his way through the ranks of the Normal, Great, and Ultra classes. A victory against her would likely catapult him into the Master Class and put him one step closer to his dream, so she couldn't be too upset if she ultimately lost. But that didn't mean she would go down without a fight.
Misty steeled herself, a pokeball gripped into her hand, ready to counter Ash's first pick.
This would be a battle she'd never forget.
OOO
The girl in front of Brock squealed once more before returning her attention to her phone.
Girl: Are you watching this right now?
Maria: Duh! This is SO much better than reality TV. I'm serious. I'm curled up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, and my jaw's been glued to the floor the entire time, and they haven't even started battling yet.
Girl: Right? I'm fangirling so hard right now. I think the guy behind me thinks I'm crazy! I'm like, come on, Heather, get a grip.
Maria: I've screamed at the TV at least three times. I think Dave thinks I've officially lost it, but, oh my god, this is SO FREAKING HOT. I'm going to need a cool shower after this.
Heather: (fans self) Who knew pokemon battles could be so…stimulating.
Maria: Amen. 🙌
Heather: Do you think they're dating? Would it be weird to start chanting, kiss, kiss, kiss?
Maria: I don't know, but If these two aren't perfect for each other, does true love even exist?
OOO
The battle had been nothing short of exhilarating. The audience watched in awe as blow after blow, attack after attack, Ash and Misty's pokemon continued to get back up, giving it their all and fighting until they reached their limits. Misty's corsola was the first to be knocked out, followed by Ash's meganium. Next, both Meganium and Noivern were taken out by Misty's kingdra.
Back and forth, the two fought, the number of pokeballs under their names on the big screen depleting one by one as yet another pokemon was knocked unconscious.
Halfway through the battle, Misty's starmie, unfortunately, succumbed to Ash's pikachu, but not without having first spun itself into a powerful psychic attack that ended its grueling battle against Ash's sirfetch'd.
When battling with Ash, one couldn't simply play the book. Although at times unconventional, Ash's battling style had always reflected his daring and inventive personality. He could adapt a moment's notice, pulling strength from those moments when he was backed into a corner or the chips were down. She'd watched him battle this way for years, so she knew that people tended to underestimate Ash's pikachu. Surely, an unevolved pikachu could only get so strong, but if there was one thing Pikachu excelled in, it was overcoming his weaknesses and using them to his advantage-not so unlike his trainer.
"Whatcha going to do now, Misty?" Ash called from across the field, his cocky grin on full display.
Now faced with how to take down one of Ash's strongest pokemon, Misty knew there was only one solution.
It was time for her secret weapon.
"I knew you'd use Pikachu, so I had to call in a special favor for this one." Misty winked back before bringing the pokeball to her lips. "Hope you're ready to lose, Ashy!"
Ash wrinkled his nose in disdain at the dreaded nickname, but then he and Pikachu froze as Misty tossed her pokeball out into the open arena.
"Toge, toge! Togekiss!"
Misty smiled victoriously, almost cackling at Ash's look of pure shock. Instantly recognizing the pokemon before him, Pikachu lowered his ears and turned toward Ash, whining in protest. Togekiss may have fully evolved, but that wouldn't take away the nurturing feelings Pikachu held for the once-baby togepi that had traveled with him for years.
Ash grumbled and clenched his fists in frustration. "Pikachu, return!" he shouted. His faithful partner didn't have to be asked twice before returning to Ash's side. "That's a dirty trick, Misty!"
Misty rolled her eyes. "All's fair in love and pokemon battles, Ash. I told you I came here to win."
"Fine. You may have won this battle, but this match is far from over."
"I'm counting on it!"
"This is it, folks! Both trainers are down to their final pokemon!" The announcer's voice echoed through the arena, but everyone was so focused on the match in front of them that his words went completely ignored. "Gym Leader Misty has chosen gyarados, and the challenger, Ash, has chosen his greninja."
This is it. We've come this far, and we're not backing down now, so let's give it all we've got.
Misty touched the keystone embedded in her hair tie, and Gyrados began to glow a dark and vibrant red. "Strong, valiant, and powerful! And now, my beautiful, blue sweetheart, mega evolve!"
"Alright, Greninja. Now, what'd you say we give them a little taste of our power, huh?" Ash shouted. Then, before her eyes, Greninja and Ash began to mimic each other's movements, and the pokemon was swept into a tornado of water. She'd heard stories from Ash's traveling companions about his unique bond with Greninja, but it was completely different to actually see the two morph into perfect synchrony. "More! Stronger, stronger! Now, let's do it!"
Misty waited for Ash to give Greninja a command, but then, in the most bizarre turn of events likely ever seen in a pokemon battle, Ash pulled out his phone.
"It seems the challenger has stopped the battle to…make a phone call?" Murmurs traveled around the arena, the audience just as perplexed as the announcer. Yet, everyone was on the edge of their seat. The next question came from the announcer but seemed to be directed toward the referee. "Is that allowed?"
The referee shrugged. Since the beginning, this match had gone nowhere according to plan, so why would it now?
"What the hell, Ketchum? We're in the middle of a pokemon battle!"
"I know, I know," he groaned. Ash at least looked apologetic as he gestured to the ref to give him just a moment. "And I'm sorry, but there's something important I need to do first."
The referee sighed in irritation but then gestured for Ash to continue. Misty wouldn't be surprised if the man quit right then and there.
From her back pocket, Misty's phone vibrated. She glanced at it and then at Ash, who waved his phone. Begrudgingly, Misty pulled out her phone to discover that, amongst a variety of other messages, there was one from Ash sitting at the top of her notifications, sent only seconds ago.
Ash: Before we finish this, I need to ask you something important.
Misty glanced back up to see Ash staring down at his phone before turning back to her phone screen, where a bubble of three dots sent a wave of anxiety rushing through her.
Then, his message popped up on the screen, and her entire body went rigid. Soon, her hands started to shake, and her heart beat so fast she thought she would pass out. Her mind went full tunnel vision on her phone, the noises of the arena drowned out, and the world around her went still and quiet. Still, she wondered if everyone could hear the thump thump of her pulse. The sound of her blood pumping through her vital organs, trying to keep her from losing consciousness?
Ash: If I win this match, will you go out with me, Misty?
She turned back to verbalize her response, but Ash had already slipped his phone back into his pocket and refocused his attention on the battle. Then, in a way that was just so him that it made all the nerves vanish from her body, he turned around his hat.
Misty smiled. Win or lose, this was going to be a battle for the ages.