Pokémon fic (Misty/Ash) -- for ladies_fest
Title: Cascade
Rating/Warnings: G, no warnings necessary
Original Prompt: Pokémon: Misty/Ash - het: hilariously awkward reunions
Summary: A new challenger comes to claim the Cascade Badge.
Word Count: 608
Notes: Thank you very much to erin_c_1978 for beta work. Any mistakes are my own.
The girl was slim with long, flowing dark hair, and she paced Cerulean Gym nervously, staring at the Poké Balls on her belt as if she were planning her strategy. She wore a long old-fashioned white dress more suited for a formal occasion, yet she seemed to walk awkwardly in it.
Misty smiled to herself slightly. "Are you ready?" she asked. Another gym leader might turn to mockery after such a long wait, but Misty didn't believe in that. She was tough on trainers in battle where it counted.
"Go, Snivy!" the girl said in a husky voice, throwing a Poké Ball.
An Unova Pokémon! Misty still didn't see those too often. And a grass type was certainly a good choice. After a moment's consideration, she called out Dewgong. The new trainer's Snivy fought well but was no match for an ice attack from a more experienced Pokémon.
The girl nodded and sighed. "Scraggy!" she called out.
Putting in a fighting type wasn't a bad idea either, and this one looked determined. But once again, Dewgong prevailed.
The girl's hands seemed to be shaking a bit, and then suddenly the backpack she wore started moving.
"Pikachu!" The little yellow Pokémon cried out as it ran into battle and released a powerful shock of electricity. Dewgong was knocked out. Misty called him back, then sat on the floor laughing.
"Ash," she said, nearly sobbing with laughter at the expression on his face. "I knew it was you."
Ash Ketchum shook his head sadly. "Even before Pikachu showed up? What gave me away?" he asked.
"You think after all those years I don't recognize your face?" asked Misty. "You did grow up some, but it's not like I'd ever forget you."
Ash sat cross-legged on the gym floor and Pikachu jumped into his lap.
"I guess so," he muttered, patting Pikachu's head.
"But I can't help wondering what you were thinking," said Misty. "You've had the Cascade badge for years. Why come back now?"
"Your sisters gave me the badge," Ash reminded her. "You didn't even want me to have it."
"Hey, I agreed with them in the end. They were right. If you'd have brought Pikachu out at the beginning you would have won."
He nodded. "I know, but I wanted to really win the badge like everyone else."
Misty smiled. "Well, why don't we give our Pokémon a chance to rest, and meanwhile we'll head out on the town for some fun?"
"You still want to hang out with me?" asked Ash in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
Ash took a deep breath. "I always figured you didn't miss those days that much. Travelling around with our Pokémon. I thought you had bigger priorities, I guess."
Misty cocked her head to one side and thought. "I had to come back to take care of the gym, and I still don't know if I want to be a gym leader for the rest of my life. Maybe someday I'll be a doctor, like I used to say. But being with you, and travelling... yeah. I miss that a lot."
Ash reached over and took her hand. He seemed nervous and shy. Misty stood, pulling him up off the floor. Then she reached around him and pulled his hat out of his backpack. She put it on over his long black wig.
"There, now you look more like yourself," she said happily.
"Except I'm wearing a dress," he pointed out. "I'd better put some other clothes on before we go out."
"Never mind, you look cute that way," said Misty. And she pulled him out the door as he laughed.
Rating/Warnings: G, no warnings necessary
Original Prompt: Pokémon: Misty/Ash - het: hilariously awkward reunions
Summary: A new challenger comes to claim the Cascade Badge.
Word Count: 608
Notes: Thank you very much to erin_c_1978 for beta work. Any mistakes are my own.
The girl was slim with long, flowing dark hair, and she paced Cerulean Gym nervously, staring at the Poké Balls on her belt as if she were planning her strategy. She wore a long old-fashioned white dress more suited for a formal occasion, yet she seemed to walk awkwardly in it.
Misty smiled to herself slightly. "Are you ready?" she asked. Another gym leader might turn to mockery after such a long wait, but Misty didn't believe in that. She was tough on trainers in battle where it counted.
"Go, Snivy!" the girl said in a husky voice, throwing a Poké Ball.
An Unova Pokémon! Misty still didn't see those too often. And a grass type was certainly a good choice. After a moment's consideration, she called out Dewgong. The new trainer's Snivy fought well but was no match for an ice attack from a more experienced Pokémon.
The girl nodded and sighed. "Scraggy!" she called out.
Putting in a fighting type wasn't a bad idea either, and this one looked determined. But once again, Dewgong prevailed.
The girl's hands seemed to be shaking a bit, and then suddenly the backpack she wore started moving.
"Pikachu!" The little yellow Pokémon cried out as it ran into battle and released a powerful shock of electricity. Dewgong was knocked out. Misty called him back, then sat on the floor laughing.
"Ash," she said, nearly sobbing with laughter at the expression on his face. "I knew it was you."
Ash Ketchum shook his head sadly. "Even before Pikachu showed up? What gave me away?" he asked.
"You think after all those years I don't recognize your face?" asked Misty. "You did grow up some, but it's not like I'd ever forget you."
Ash sat cross-legged on the gym floor and Pikachu jumped into his lap.
"I guess so," he muttered, patting Pikachu's head.
"But I can't help wondering what you were thinking," said Misty. "You've had the Cascade badge for years. Why come back now?"
"Your sisters gave me the badge," Ash reminded her. "You didn't even want me to have it."
"Hey, I agreed with them in the end. They were right. If you'd have brought Pikachu out at the beginning you would have won."
He nodded. "I know, but I wanted to really win the badge like everyone else."
Misty smiled. "Well, why don't we give our Pokémon a chance to rest, and meanwhile we'll head out on the town for some fun?"
"You still want to hang out with me?" asked Ash in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
Ash took a deep breath. "I always figured you didn't miss those days that much. Travelling around with our Pokémon. I thought you had bigger priorities, I guess."
Misty cocked her head to one side and thought. "I had to come back to take care of the gym, and I still don't know if I want to be a gym leader for the rest of my life. Maybe someday I'll be a doctor, like I used to say. But being with you, and travelling... yeah. I miss that a lot."
Ash reached over and took her hand. He seemed nervous and shy. Misty stood, pulling him up off the floor. Then she reached around him and pulled his hat out of his backpack. She put it on over his long black wig.
"There, now you look more like yourself," she said happily.
"Except I'm wearing a dress," he pointed out. "I'd better put some other clothes on before we go out."
"Never mind, you look cute that way," said Misty. And she pulled him out the door as he laughed.