Archive of Our Own

The sun was setting over Cerulean City on a Friday afternoon. It was late summer and the weather was starting to feel a lot more pleasant than in previous days, which allowed the people of the city to go out into the streets to enjoy the fresh evening air. In the distance, the wild Pokémon made soft sounds of contentment, some preparing to sleep after a long day, others ready to go out and explore in the darkness of the night that was getting closer and closer. If someone had asked her, Misty would’ve said it was a perfect day for a celebration at the Gym, but that, sadly, didn’t change the fact that the party had been going for only two hours and she was already losing her mind.

It was getting really late and everyone was already there, waiting at the yard behind the Gym that she had adapted with some help from Tracey to accommodate the guests. There were food and drinks everywhere, and a lovely cake, courtesy of Mrs. Ketchum, waited safely in the kitchen, away from the kids and Pokémon running freely around the garden.

The people looked happy and none of them seemed to have noticed that the Sensational Sisters' aquatic show was supposed to begin in less than an hour and nothing was ready yet. Misty had worked so hard over the past two months to organize the party on top of the daily battles and her other responsibilities with the League, the least she expected was for Lily and Violet to get ready on time after insisting for weeks they wanted to do this for their older sister. Misty thought it was silly, but after a long conversation with Brock, her friend made her realize that the shows were something special between her sisters and, perhaps, they needed to let go of Daisy in their own unique way. So Misty had agreed, dedicating the last few weeks before the party to work on the stage and train the Pokémon so they could shine in front of their audience. And even after all that, Violet and Lily couldn't even be ready for their performance just minutes before it was due to start. Misty regretted the day she accepted to be Daisy’s maid of honor…

If she was honest with herself, Misty still didn’t fully understand why Daisy had picked her over Lily and Violet, whom she was way closer to than Misty. She had a feeling Tracey had something to do with it, but the explanation Daisy offered when Misty asked had been convincing enough at the time, and she just couldn’t say no: "We would've never met if it wasn’t for you and Ash, sis. It’s only right."

Yeah, it was sweet even if it meant Misty had to work her ass off to get everything done, but right then, as she strode up the steps to reach the second floor of the living area of the Gym, Misty suspected it was more because she was the only responsible enough to help Daisy organize everything related to her wedding, and the warm feeling that had settled in her chest since that conversation began to be replaced by annoyance and frustration. At least Mrs. Ketchum had gotten there two days early to help her; Misty wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for her.

“What are you doing here?!” she practically yelled when he entered Lily’s room and saw none other than the bride-to-be gossiping with the sisters that were supposed to be getting ready for the show they’d imposed on Misty. “You’re supposed to be down there with your guests- You left Tracey alone with your guests?!” she did yell this time, stunned by her sister's audacity. Daisy was lucky Tracey was so kind; no one with a heart that wasn't as pure as his would put up with her.

“It’s our guests, baby sis. In a few months we'll be happily married and everything mine will be his," Daisy said, lifting the skirt she was holding in her hands to look at the fabric from up close. "Besides, he can handle it. He only has to dial up the charm to have everyone at his feet. And let me tell you, he can be a total babe when he wants to," she snickered, winking at Misty with complicity.

Misty grimaced at that, but decided to save her comments. "Yeah, well. This is your engagement party, you should be with your groom showing off your ring and bragging about how perfect your dress is or whatever brides are supposed to do, not here making Lily and Violet late for their show," she scolded, entering the room completely and closing the door behind her, ready to force her sisters to stick to the schedule.

"Would you, like, relax for once, Misty?" Violet complained, putting her hands on her hips. "Come on, sit with us for a second. Like, we've been dying for this type of girl talk to happen since Tracey proposed and, to be honest, I think you'd benefit from it, like, way more than any of us."

Misty stopped on her tracks and turned towards her sister. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing!" Violet raised her hands defensively. "But since your little boyfriend is here, I'm sure you could use, like, some advice from a woman that just got engaged. You know… on how to do things," she winked.

Misty blushed but did everything in her power to not let on that she knew exactly who they were talking about. "I don't need to hear any of this, I don't have a boyfriend."

"Yeah, like you and that kid hadn't been making puppy eyes at each other all night since he got here," Lily added. She'd been giggling behind her hand up until that moment and her mirth only grew when she saw Misty's red face. "Are you two waiting for the perfect time to sneak into one of the closets to make out?"

Misty let out an exasperated sigh and continued to help Violet with her costume, completely ignoring Lily's laughter. Yeah, sure, like that was going to happen… Ash had gotten there not even half and hour ago, super late as always, and the first thing he'd done after saying hi to Tracey and quickly wave at her from the stairs was to run out of sight, probably looking for something to eat. Misty had no idea where he had gone and hadn't even had time to look for him, but it was obvious that the last thing in that dork's head was Misty.

Despite being Tracey's Best Man, Ash had barely lent a hand in the planning, too busy on missions to offer any support or make his presence felt beyond a few phone calls in the preceding months when he wasn't in the middle of nowhere with no service. Misty didn't mind; she understood that a Champion's life was very busy and appreciated his patience whenever she used those same calls to rant about her problems. But even so, there was nothing to indicate that Ash had even missed her; her sisters were completely wrong.

"But anyway," Violet spoke, adjusting the skirt of her costume as Misty helped her tie it up. "Daisy, you were, like, telling us about the first night you and Tracey were together." Misty's eyes almost popped out of their sockets after hearing that. "How was it? Is he really, like, as passion–"

"Wow, stop right there!" Misty interrupted, dropping everything and waving her hands anxiously as if protecting herself from the images that were trying to take root in her mind. "I don't need to hear any of that," she warned, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Yeah, maybe we shouldn't–" Daisy tried to intervene, taking pity of Misty, but neither Lily nor Violet seemed to be listening.

"What? Like, it's perfectly normal for a couple to sleep together, Misty. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Misty knew that, that wasn't even the problem. The problem was that Tracey was her friend, a very close friend she'd known since she was around 12, and it felt so wrong to hear about what he did with her sister when they were alone. It had been awkward enough realizing that the adorable boy who treated her like a little sister had been in love with Daisy practically since the first time he visited the gym after Misty took over, but watching them flirt and dance around each other for years before Tracey finally worked up the courage to confess had been the worst. Now she feared that having to think about them in private would end up traumatizing her for life. "Could you at least wait until I'm not here? This is so weird," she pleaded, shuddering.

"Awww, our baby sis is embarrassed!" Violet teased her, patting her head like she was a little Eevee. "It's okay, Misty. You're a big girl now, soon you'll find a sexy man to rock your world. I know you haven't even kissed one, but that day'll come," she snickered.

Misty swatted Violet's hand away and walked to the door. "You know what? You can get dressed here on your own." She made her decision, passing the last pieces of clothing to the nearest sister. "I'm going to check if the Pokémon are ready." At least they weren't a total pain in the ass, even with Psyduck there.

"Come on, sis! You don't need to feel bad," Lily's voice followed her as Misty left the room. "You're starting to look more like a woman, I'm sure someone will fall for you sooner or later!"

Misty walked into the hallway with big strides, slamming the door behind her. She was fuming and shaking out of anger, though not necessarily at her sisters' words, more so at her own reaction to them. She couldn't believe how much what they said still affected her, how much their teasing still hurt. It was ridiculous, really, she was almost 23 and still trying to hold her tears like she did when she was 8 and her sisters were mean to her. But as much as she knew how stupid it was, she just couldn't help it. So instead of being the mature adult she was supposed to be, she walked fast towards the pool where the show was meant to happen to hide from her sisters and basically anyone that could see her in that estate.

It was a great plan, except that she hadn't taken into account that the noise from the closing door had attracted the attention of a certain trainer and his Pikachu, that were going up the stairs next to the groom on their way to Daisy's room. She was so focused on her goal, holding back her tears and smiling at the guests she walked past that she didn't even pay attention to the time or the things that still needed to be handled, the only thing she cared about was to get out of there. With a low sob, she entered the empty arena and sat down on one of the bleachers, holding her knees up and hiding her face in them.

Back there, Ash had seen Misty rushing out of one of the second-floor rooms and immediately knew something was wrong, especially when she walked past him and Tracey on the stairs without even glancing at them. For an agonizing second, he wondered if she was mad at him. After all, not only had he left her to handle the planning alone because he was on a mission, but he'd also arrived late to the party and, instead of talking to her, had gone to get his Pokémon to rest and take a quick shower. He'd thought asking his mom to come help would have calmed the redhead's fury, but it seemed that hadn't been the case. Knowing he needed to make things right with Misty, he decided to follow her. "I'd better make sure she's okay," he told the groom. "I'll see you later, Trace." Tracey nodded and patted him on the shoulder before continuing upstairs to meet Daisy.

In the arena, Misty could hear the Pokémon in the resting area making happy noises, but even though she knew she really had to get them in the main pool for the show right that instant, she first took a moment to calm down. Her Pokémon were always so eager to be on the shows, but they also were really good at noticing when she was in a bad mood; the least she needed was to worry them and make them fail in their presentation because they're busy thinking about their crying trainer. They'd worked so hard, they deserved to enjoy the show. Misty could deal with this on her own.

"Mist?"

At the sound of that nickname, she lifted her head so fast she was sure she'd hurt something. She wiped her traitorous tears and, trying to hide her surprise, turned to look at the source of the voice: standing to her right was Ash Ketchum, damp hair in a mess and chocolate eyes looking back at her, with Pikachu perched on his shoulder. He looked… well, he looked so handsome in a simple dress shirt and black jeans, but what Misty noticed more than the nice clothes and tanned skin was the look of concern on the his face and the way he seemed to be waiting for something before finally approaching her with a soft smile.

Ash walked with a determined stride, even though seeing his best friend in that pretty light blue dress had thrown him off a bit when they entered the arena. She looked truly beautiful, but the image was somewhat diminished by the sad eyes that met his gaze. He knew she had been crying, or at least on the verge of it, and that only worried him more. The fact that she hadn't yelled at him as soon as she heard him call her name gave him hope. Rather, she seemed surprised to see him there, as if she couldn't believe he of all people had come looking for her. He really needed to work on showing his friends that he cared. Suddenly feeling awkward, he stopped mid-stride, unsure of what to say, noticing she wasn't planning on talking either. Luckily, it was Pikachu who decided to break the silence.

"Pikachupi!", the yellow mouse yelled excitedly, jumping from Ash's shoulder to Misty's arms that caught him with ease after years and years of practice.

"Hey, Pikachu! It's so good to see you," she cooed, hugging the Pokémon close to her. His fur, Misty noticed, was also slightly damp, as if he'd been recently bathed. Misty didn't even have a chance to ask when Ash spoke again.

"Oh, hi, Ash. It's so good to see you," he said in a high pitched tone, mimicking Misty's voice as he walked towards where the pair was and already trying to make her smile. Sadness didn't look good on her. "It's been so long. I can barely contain myself, you're even more amazing than the last time we saw each other."

Misty rolled her eyes and scratched behind Pikachu's ear. "Hi, Ash," she said simply. As happy as she actually was to see him again after months of absence, her sisters had killed any trace of joy she could experience that night.

Ash frowned at the lack of excitement from Misty and that made him think he'd really fucked up. Gathering all his courage, he walked the rest of the way to the bleachers and sat down next to her.

Misty hoped he didn't feel the shiver that ran up her body the moment Ash settled way closer than was socially acceptable to make his arm brush against hers, a fact she probably shouldn't be surprised by considering he'd never been respectful of her personal space. "What are you guys doing here? You should be out there enjoying the party," she said, forcing herself to think about something else.

Ash shrugged and leaned back slightly to rest his elbows against the bleachers behind them. The movement caused the dress shirt to stretch over his chest and Misty had to avert her eyes to prevent the blush from taking over her face… It wasn't working, so she decided to shove her face into Pikachu's fur, who squealed happily, mistaking the action for affection.

Ash searched his brain for a quick answer. It seemed she wasn't upset with him, but something was definitely wrong, so he aimed for something casual that wouldn't expose what he'd done and shifted the attention to the other problem, whatever it was. "I needed a break from all the people. What are you doing here?" he asked back, arching an eyebrow in her direction. "You're the main event here, right?"

"Ash Ketchum, the guy with a thousand friends in a thousand different regions, needs a break from all the people? Color me surprised," she said instead to avoid talking about her sisters, the argument or the inappropriate things they wanted to force her to listen to, and scratched Pikachu behind the ears. "Getting tired of all the attention from your beautiful fans, Mister Pokémon Master?" she teased, attempting to smirk, wondering if Ash could tell she was faking it.

"Ha ha, very funny," he rolled his eyes. "But, seriously, though" he addressed her, tilting his head slightly to get a better look at her despite his position after noticing that her mocking remark hadn't reached her eyes. He may still be a little dense, but he knew Misty better than anyone, he could tell when she was lying. "What are you doing here all alone? Everyone's going to wonder why you're not out there."

"I'm not the one that got engaged, Ash," she sighed, staring listlessly towards the pool. "Nobody cares if I disappear... Unless we've run out of snacks, in which case I'm sure your mom can help," she attempted to joke and turned her head to look at Ash, but he wasn't laughing. In fact, he hadn't found that funny at all. Why wouldn't people notice Misty wasn't there? Okay, she wasn't the one getting married, but she'd gotten everything ready. She'd worked herself to the bone making sure everything was perfect; surely people knew how much she'd contributed to her sister's special day. He stared back, expectantly, and she rolled her eyes when he frowned at her. "Okay, fine. I needed to get away from my sisters. Violet and Lily were driving me crazy."

"Oh," Ash whispered, adjusting his position on the bleachers to get even closer to her, arm and leg now fully pressed against hers. He should've known it was them. "What did they do now?"

"Pika?" the mouse asked, too. Even he was paying attention to the conversation now, standing as tall as he could while sitting on her lap.

"Nothing, they're just... They were saying some... stupid... shit, doesn't matter," she said, dismissively, waving a hand. "You know how it is, they love to annoy me."

Ash had never understood why Misty bothered so much to protect her sisters. At least since she'd started dating Tracey, Daisy had changed a lot and was kinder, but Violet and Lilly were still the same as always, and Misty rarely said no to any of their requests. He imagined that was just how siblings worked, but he'd never know for sure. "What did they say?" he insisted, searching for her gaze and smiling to encourage her.

It felt like one of their long calls from the previous months, only this time she could see his lovely chocolate-brown eyes. Of all her friends, Ash was the only one she knew she could talk to about anything without feeling embarrassed. They'd been friends since they were 10, and even though it had been a long time since they'd traveled together, what they'd experienced while they did had broken down any barriers between them. Seeing him there, sitting next to her with his faithful Pikachu while a party was happening outside, she knew there was no valid excuse not to tell him what had happened. So she told him everything.

Ash listened attentively, frowning in some bits and grimacing in disgust when Misty spoke of what her sisters wanted her to hear, imagining (and sharing) the redhead's discomfort. Halfway through her story, Pikachu jumped from Misty's lap to sit next to her and pat her arm reassuringly, fully invested in her words, like his trainer was. Ash remained silent throughout Misty's long rant, and it wasn't until she finished that he tapped his lips in thought, not really understanding Violet and Lily's insistence that Misty needed a boyfriend. "But… why is that important?" he dared to ask. Maybe he'd missed something.

"It's not," she confirmed, face red from the anger. "And it's none of their business, anyway, but… ugh, it's infuriating!" she grunted, hitting her knees with her fists closed, causing Ash and Pikachu to flinch. "I know I shouldn't get so worked up about it, but… they make me feel like a little kid and I hate it. And I have kissed a boy, by the way," she pointed out to no one in particular, "but I wasn't going to tell them that, right? I'm not stupid."

"You have?"Ash asked, alarmed. Who could it be? Did he even know him? His mind started flashing images of all the male friends they both knew to see if there was any clue he'd missed, starting with Brock (Mew, no) and going all the way to Gary (he better not), including Cilan, Kiawe, and even Gho, who'd once mentioned having met Misty. None of them seemed right, so maybe it was someone he didn't know. He pursed his lips, annoyed; he didn't feel good with the idea of ​​some random guy kissing Misty.

Misty blinked confused, suddenly aware of what she'd said. "Oh, uh…" she babbled. He was not supposed to know that. "I mean, yeah… Kinda?" Ash lifted an eyebrow, waiting for clarification. "I was thirteen, it doesn't really count," she shrugged.

It'd been just a quick peck, barely even that, and both her and Georgio had agreed to never do it again. Well, she decided it, and he had merely agreed, but still. It'd been nothing. She wasn't going to run and tell her sisters about something so pathetic; the only one who knew was Brock, and just because he'd tricked her into telling him. It was something she'd planned to take to her grave, until now that she'd somehow told Ash all about it. Well done, Misty.

"Okay…" Ash said, dragging the word. He wasn't convinced in the slightest, but knowing it'd been so long ago gave him pace. After all, nothing else had come from it, judging by what Misty had said, so he could let it go. For now. Then something else occurred to him, a way to fix Misty's problem, but he needed to ask something first. "And… a real kiss would make you feel better?"

"What?"

"Well, you want to show your sisters you're not a little kid and, for some weird reason I don't fully get, a real kiss would do that, right?" That was the problem, wasn't it? The other kiss didn't count according to Misty, but maybe one that did would make everything better and her sisters would finally leave her alone. He was pissed it was always Lily and Violet that made Misty feel bad, this time to the point of almost making her cry, and if he had to step in to fix it, he would sure as hell do it.

Yeah, maybe Misty had made a terrible job at explaining herself, she thought, but she didn't know how to tell Ash everything that bothered her about her sisters' words without sounding ridiculous. It was something a kiss wouldn't fix, because that wouldn't change the fact that, at 23, she had never had a boyfriend. She hadn't even made it to the second date and she'd never done it because of the very same boy—man—siting besides her. None of the guys who had asked her out over the years were him, and no one would ever be; he was the only one she could see herself with and, even though she knew it would never happen, she still hoped against hope. Her sisters knew all that and they loved to rub it on her face, but he couldn't tell any of that to Ash without admitting something she wasn't ready for, so, instead, she simply agreed, barely containing herself from rolling her eyes. "Sure."

"Okay," Ash nodded, thinking. "Then I'll kiss you," he announced, shrugging. It was the obvious route out, it really was. After that, her sisters would have nothing to say on the matter.

"You what?!" Misty yelled, ignoring Pikachu's snickers.

"I said I'd kiss you."

"Ash, you can't go around offering kisses to just anyone, are you serious?" Had he lost his mind? He couldn't just say he was going to kiss her, was he for real?

Ash frowned. Why was she yelling? It was the perfect solution. What could possibly be the downside? They were friends and friends were supposed to help each other. Why wouldn't he be serious about helping her, especially her? "I'm not offering it to just anyone," neither was he planning to, "I'm offering it to you," he emphasized with a nod of his head.

Misty stared at him dumbfounded, mouth slightly open, just waiting for him to say he was joking and couldn't believe Misty had fallen for it. But the mocking never came. He was not taking back his words, wasn't laughing... If anything, he looked angry. Why was he angry? It wasn't like Misty had asked him to do it, he was the only one responsible for the weird vibe that had settled between them. If he was so repulsed, why had he suggested it in the first place? She made a face, annoyed. "Why?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest.

Why? What did she mean "why"? He thought it was obvious. "I'm just trying to help," he defended himself, a light blush tinting his cheeks. He would have to tell her, right? "It's just... I hate that you feel you're not as good as your sisters."

"I know I'm as good as them. I know I'm better than them," Misty protested, lifting her nose.

"Do you?" Ash challenged, raising an eyebrow. "Because it doesn't look like it." Misty bit her lips, breathing heavily, but didn't correct him. Ash took her silence as her agreeing with him and shook his head, looking away. "It's ridiculous this is what's making you doubt yourself." He turned to face her, expecting her to protest or fight back, but she was speechless. When he saw her lowering her head, Ash grunted in exasperation. "Really? Misty, you're an amazing trainer and an incredible gym leader! You basically saved this place when you were twelve and every day you keep improving, just look around you!" he listed, pointing broadly at the gym's swimming pool with his arm. "You love your Pokémon and do everything you can to help everyone that needs it, including your sisters, even though most of the time they don't deserve it..." He had spoken quickly, leaving no room for her to interrupt. After taking a deep breath, he whispered, looking directly into her eyes. "You're the best friend anyone could ask for, Mist, and if a kiss is what you need to see it, I'll give you one myself."

Misty swallowed the lump in her throat. Ever since they'd met, Misty had always been the one guiding Ash, not the other way around. During his battles, with his Pokémon, even with his friends, Misty always had words of wisdom to share with the young trainer, whether he wanted them or not. And although she didn't have the same experience as Brock, it was clear she'd acted as a mentor, at least during the early years of Ash's career when the two of them were just a couple of kids trying to find their place in the world. In front of him, she had it all figured out, or at least pretended to... It was funny—and alarming—that this was precisely the issue that'd made her doubt herself, and even more so that it was Ash, of all people, who was trying to make her come to her senses.

"Thanks, Ash." She smiled, genuinely grateful. She guess it made sense it was her best friend the one comforting her. "Truly."

"No problem," he said, looking away. That'd gone well, but the problem was still there and he doubted a few words could make it better. He waited a few seconds to see if Misty was going to bring it up, but when she didn't, he resigned to doing it himself. Scratching his cheek with a nervous finger and still looking into the distance, he asked: "So, should we do it now or…?"

"Do what?" Misty asked, confused.

"Uh… the kiss?" Ash clarified, looking everywhere but at Misty.

Misty's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in surprise. He couldn't be serious, Misty had thought he had just said it to make her feel better, not that he really... meant to do it? What was she supposed to say? Did she wanted to kiss Ash? Well, yeah, since she was ten if she was honest, but she never imagined it could be like this, at her older sister's engagement party and after almost crying because of the other two. Not when Ash did it out of a strange sense of obligation... She didn't want it like this, not if it meant nothing to Ash.

"We don't really have to," she responded, wrinkling the fabric of her sunny dress nervously between her fingers. "It's fine if you don't…"

"It'd help, right?" Ash insisted. The idea had set in his mind and Misty knew nothing could stop him if he was convinced he was helping a friend.

"I guess, but I don't think-"

"Listen," Ash interrupted her, sitting straighter. "I said I'll do it, okay? Besides," he added with a soft smile, "there's no one here, except Pikachu and he won't tell anyone you don't want him to. Right, buddy?"

"Pi-Pikachu!" the mouse confirmed, lifting a paw up in the air and both he and Ash nodded encouragingly. Ash was willing to do this for Misty (how bad could it be, right? They were best friends. It'd been okay when Serena kissed him), but what happened after would be Misty's decision. Whether she wanted to tell everyone in the Gym or just her sisters, Ash didn't mind and was okay with whatever. He was sure there was something he wasn't fully grasping, maybe the impact this would have on others and themselves, but for now he was only interested in the redhead sitting next to him. Whatever she needed to be okay and stop letting her sisters make fun of her was all he cared about.

Misty closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart. She was trying to find a reason, any reason, to persuade Ash not to do it and, more importantly, to convince herself that she shouldn't do it. Ash's friendly smile was too tempting, his eagerness too attractive, and she could still feel the warmth his words had left in her heart moments before, almost as vividly as the heat she felt from the arm and leg that were still pressed against hers while sitting on those lonely bleaches of the Cerulean City Gym. Ash was so kind, so... thoughtful. And Misty was ruining it. "I don't want to be the reason you screw up your first kiss, Ash," she said, sincerely. Maybe she couldn't do it for herself, but she definitely could do it for him.

Ash looked at her, puzzled. "But I've already kissed someone," he informed her. He was sure Misty knew that, hadn't he told her?

"Oh," she whispered, feeling all the air leave her chest. She didn't know what else to say, because in that moment, she realized two things: One, that there were things about Ash she didn't know, that despite their promise to stay as involved in each other's lives as possible, the distance had taken its toll; and two, that it wasn't that Ash wasn't interested in romance as she thought for years, he simply wasn't interested in her. There was a girl or boy out there that had been able to charm Ash and had had the courage to do something about it. Misty had never been able to, and it was devastating, truly, knowing that she would never have the chance now. But also,deep down, she felt… somewhat liberated.

There was nothing else to do, nothing more to wait for. It simply wasn't going to happen, ever, no matter how close or present she stayed in Ash's life, and she... was okay with that. It hurt, terribly, and maybe she'd cry herself to sleep later that night when the party was over, but now Ash was giving her the chance to finally get over him and say goodbye with a kiss, the only one there would ever be between them. It was more than Misty could have imagined would happen, so there was nothing more to think about.

Ash watched her as she thought about it, a little impatient because he didn't understand why it was taking her so long. For a moment he thought that maybe she didn't want that kiss to happen with him and he felt an unpleasant twist in his stomach. Could it be that there was someone else? Someone she had never mentioned before. That was when he realized there were many things about Misty's life that he didn't know and he wasn't okay with that. Maybe she was saving that kiss for someone else, someone she did... like. He frowned, feeling strangely empty just thinking about it. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all.

"Are you sure?" Misty asked, for good measure. "It won't be like that kiss, we're not..." she trailed off. It won't mean anything to you, she thought to herself.

Ash took a deep breath. He'd promised he would and Ash Ketchum wasn't one to back down. "Yeah, I'm sure. If you are," he said confidently. "It's important to you, so I'll do it." Anything for Misty, right? Even if she didn't want… him.

As selfless as ever, Misty thought, giving his all and more for his friends. It would be hard to let him go, but it was for the best. At least he would always be her best friend. "Okay…" she whispered, biting her lip.

"Pika!" Pikachu's squeak made her flinch and both she and Ash turned to look at him. "Pi-pikachu, Pika-pi, pikaaa. Pi pikacha Pikachu-pi, pika pipika piiikachu. Pi, pika-chaaa," the mouse said in rapid succession, shaking his head and running away to the other side of the pool.

Misty had only been able to catch a few words, but she was a bit rusty on her knowledge of Pikachu's language. When she turned to face Ash to ask him to translate, she noticed he was blushing. Worried, she asked: "What did he said?"

"Uhm…" Ash hesitated to answer and only managed to blush even more. "That he… would give us some space," he finally said, greatly paraphrasing what Pikachu had actually said. There was no way Ash was going to tell her the mouse had used both of their names along with the word "smooch" in the same sentence. He understood why his faithful friend didn't want to witness it, but there was no need for him to say it... like that.

"That's. Nice." Now she was blushing, too, but was grateful Pikachu had decided to give them some privacy. It wasn't until that moment that she realized how awkward it would be to do that in front of him.

"Yeah, well…" Ash shook his head, clearing his mind. He settled himself in the seat to face her and took a deep breath; she followed his lead, turning towards him as well. Placing his clasped hands on his lap, Ash asked: "So, how do we do this?"

"You've done this before," she said in a rush. Why was he even asking her? It was his idea!

"Well, yeah, but we need one that counts, right?" He genuinely didn't know what made a kiss real, so he needed her to tell him what to do. There wasn't some kind of guide to do these things, as far as Ashe knew, and Misty was the romance expert. She rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Okay, I don’t see the difference, but you do, so I'll do whatever you tell me to do."

It was really sweet he trusted her so blindly, but also nerve-wracking. Hadn't she already established she'd only kissed one guy in her life and it hadn't even been a real kiss? Out of the two of them, he was by far the more experienced, which was something she never thought could happen, but that was how things were. Although, on second thought, Misty wouldn't know what to do if Ash took the initiative to kiss her. Her mind would wander to dangerous places where her fantasies and impossible dreams would seem closer and more real than ever. Ironically, this was the best scenario, so she considered it for a second. "Well… you know what to expect," she replied, trying to sound confident. "Just close your eyes and do what feels right for you."

He nodded, looking unsure. What did feel right for him? He barely even remembered the kiss with Serena and it wasn't like he'd done much in that one. Maybe Misty was right and those didn't really count? He'd been sixteen back then, so not exactly the same as her, but maybe they started to be real after a certain age. Realizing he had nothing to rely on, Ash began to feel really nervous. What was he going to do? Follow instructions! He was good with those. Well, not really, but he could be at that moment. "Okay, close my eyes," he repeated, following through and shifting in his place to get closer to her, ignoring the fluttering of Beautiflies in his stomach (was that how he was supposed to feel?).

Misty kept her eyes open, looking intently at his best friend, completely frozen in place. This was going to happen, and she would have to be the one to start it all, but she couldn't do it. For a moment, she felt like that ten year old girl that had decided to follow the obnoxious boy that had ruin her bike: with no plan for the future and zero idea of what she was doing. Not even at thirteen with Georgio in front of her had she felt so lost. Why was it so hard to do? It was just a kiss. A kiss that wouldn't mean anything...

"Mist?" Ash asked, opening one eye to look at her.

Misty jerked, blinking rapidly. "Sorry, I…" I can't. When she was thinking about standing up and call the whole thing off, Ash took her hands between his.

"It's fine," he whispered (why was he whispering?), but it didn't sound reassuring at all. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

That I stay in love with you, Misty thought, but only bit her tongue. Ash seemed so calm, as if this was just another friendly battle between the two of them, or an adventure they were embarking on together like so many others. And maybe it was. Maybe this was just another one of their antics, a game between friends with no consequences or hurt feelings. Maybe this was something she could only do with Ash, his best friend. "Alright, Mr. Pokémon Master. If you're so confident," she said with a smirk, hoping it would hide the rapid beating of her heart.

Ash smiled, feeling calmer. Earlier, when he'd told Misty he'd give her the kiss she needed, it had been partly on impulse and partly out of the anger he felt seeing what Lily and Violet were doing to Misty. But as things became more real, something akin to anxiety began to grow in his stomach. Even so, the only time he hesitated was when he thought Misty didn't want to do it; seeing her so sure now only made him more determined. They were going to do this and it would be just another great time with her best friend. "Okay, you're on!" he cheered.

Misty chuckled and closed her eyes, hoping the Monarch, with all his resolve, would take the first step. She heard Ash shifting next to her and, a moment later, she felt his breath grazing her face. She shuddered, but didn't dared to open her eyes, waiting for Ash to make the final move. When his lips finally touched hers, the world stopped around them.

Feeling Misty's lips on his sent a small electric shock through Ash, one that should've made him pull away, but instead drew him closer, eager to feel more of her softness and the way their lips fit together perfectly. It was strange, he thought, but not bad, and although he'd never considered kissing his best friend before, a little voice somewhere in his head wondered why they hadn't done it sooner. It was something new he'd never felt before, except… He frowned slightly, remembering the times he'd seen Misty in the middle of a battle, leading her Pokémon and bringing out their best. This kiss felt similar to that, but much more intense: exciting, expectant, and electric, all in one filling his heart with the warmth he'd chased for years and could only associate with her. Wanting to prolong the feeling a little longer, Ash moved closer to her.

Misty, for her part, was closing a chapter. Every impossible dream, every tear she had shed, every moment she longed to see him again after they parted—all of it was summed up in this single kiss, and she was determined to convey it all without leaving anything out that could make her regret it later. She had only one chance; after this, she would let him go. She could feel Ash pressing harder against her lips, and she couldn't help but to do the same, responding with all the feelings she'd suppressed for years. It was so much better than she had imagined, and that hurt more, but she didn't want it to end yet. She just wanted to feel a little more of his lips on hers, that light taste of mint and chocolate, and that warmth of home she had always associated with him. When she felt her eyes filling with tears, she feared she would finally cry, so she tried to pull away from Ash before she could humiliate herself further.

Ash realized Misty was backing away, but he wasn't ready to let her go yet. He didn't know why—maybe he wanted to make sure he was really helping his friend, or maybe needed more time to carve this moment into his memory—but he knew he couldn't let this end just yet. Following his impulses, he reached up to place his hand on the back of Misty's neck and stopped her, smiling softly into the kiss when he noticed Misty wasn't fighting back. Now that he was sure she wasn't going anywhere, he allowed himself to slow down, memorizing everything he could feel and taste on Misty's lips, happy to notice that Misty was doing the same. He believed he could go on forever, but their position on the bleachers was becoming very uncomfortable, so, reluctantly, he finally pulled away, taking a few extra seconds before opening his eyes and keeping his hand in place, still touching her.

Misty sighed deeply. She could feel her cheeks burning and her lips kissed-red, but she dared to open her eyes and face reality. She was tempted to close them again when she saw Ash still very close to her, his eyes bright and his warm smile directed at her, his own blush tinting his face. "I think that'll do it," Ash whispered, louder than she expected in the overwhelming silence that surrounded them.

"I agree," she replied without making any attempt to move away. The noise of the party finally reached them, abruptly bringing them back to the present. She stepped back, and he lowered his hand; the moment was over. "I think... we should go back," she suggested, looking around as if trying to remember where she was.

"Of course, there's a show to put on," Ash reminded her.

Misty gasped in alarm, jumping to her feet and startling Ash. "The show!" she yelled, rushing down the bleachers as fast as she could with her legs still trembling. "It's so late and I still have to get the Pokémon ready, and check that my stupid sisters are dressed."

Ash grunted, feeling disappointed, though he didn't know why exactly. He stood up and rushed to follow Misty, who was walking fast towards the resting area. "I'll bring the Pokémon," he said, placing a calming hand on Misty's shoulders. "You take care of your sisters.

"You sure?" Misty asked, looking at him with gratitude. No matter what, Ash was always there to help her.

"Leave it to me," Ash winked. "I bet Pikachu is there already, he'll help, too."

"Thank you so much, Ash," Misty said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a quick hug. "I'll send Brock as well. The Pokémon already know what to do, but if you have any problem, just ask Azurill," she added, running towards the door.

Ash watched her leave until she disappeared with a half smile, fighting the urge to go after her.

Outside, Misty approached Brock to ask him to help Ash, then headed toward the second floor, bumping into someone halfway there. "Sorry," she apologized, but couldn't run any further because the person she'd bumped into grabbed her arm. Misty stopped and frowned slightly when she saw it was Daisy. "Are they ready?" she asked curtly, knowing her sister would understand who she meant.

"They are," Daisy confirmed with a smile, but didn't let go.

"Okay, can we bring the people in, then?"

"I was actually looking for you, sis," Daisy insisted and Misty huffed, aware that she owed some grace to the future bride.

"What for?"

"Just wanted to say they were wrong," Daisy said, her smile undiminished. Misty tilted her head. "Lily and Violet. What they said was wrong, I know, but you know how they are. They didn't mean to hurt you, they just wanted to tease you," Daisy clarified, shrugging.

That was the closest thing to an apology Misty had ever received from any of her sisters, and the fact that it came from Daisy, who hadn't actually done anything wrong, only confirmed how much good Tracey had done for her. Misty nodded, planning to drop the subject there, but then she saw Ash and Brock standing in the doorway leading to the arena, with Pikachu perched on his trainer's shoulder, and the blush returned violently to her face.

Her sisters were a pain, but at least something good had come out of all this. Now she had a real kiss, one she would remember forever, and it had been with the only man she had ever been in love with. Even if it was the only thing that would ever happen between them, Misty was grateful. "I know," she assured Daisy, still looking over at where her friends were. "Actually, they did me a favor," she added with a smile, ignoring her sister's confused look. "Come on, it's still your engagement party, remember?" With one last look at Ash, Misty started walking again to look for her sisters.

In the distance, Brock was chatting animatedly with his young friend, oblivious to the fact that Ash wasn't really paying attention. Instead, the trainer was staring at the spot where Misty had disappeared up the stairs, the blush that had crept back on his cheeks the moment he saw her talking to Daisy still visible.

"She looks really happy," Brock said, pulling Ash out of his thoughts.

"Daisy?" Ash asked, turning to face Brock. "Looks like the party is a huge success."

"Misty," Brock clarified, noticing Ash's blush deepening. "It seems that whatever happened back there between you two was just what she needed."

Ash lowered his gaze, embarrassed, wondering if he should tell Brock everything. He wasn't ready, so he opted for a question that had been nagging at him ever since Misty had talked about it.

“Brock, do you know who was Misty's first kiss?”

Brock raised his eyebrows, completely stunned. He thought Misty had promised to never tell Ash, so he asked: "Did she told you about that?”

“Yeah, but she didn’t say the guy’s name,” Ash replied with resentment (and... jealousy?) clear in his voice.

Imagining where this was going to, Brock shot back. “Why do you want to know?”

"Just... to know who she likes?"

Ash didn't seem to realize the implications of his words, but Brock very much did: Ash had finally woken up. Brock was certain he wasn't the only one who had waited for this moment for over a decade, and apparently things were finally moving forward.

Whatever had happened, it'd been important, and Brock would make sure it didn't just end there.

This was just the beginning.