Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Possibilities ❯ Pallet's Ketchum ( Prologue )

Title: Possibilities

Author: Chibi/Warlordess

Notes: Okay, welcome to the first part of "Possibilities", AKA, the sequel to "Closure"!

Amazing; I've been asking for years whether or not people have wanted me to write

sequels to my fics, I've even said I would, but this is the first time EVER that I've actually

gotten down to it. ((SWEATDROP)). Yeah, that is pretty sad. Oh, well! All of you

Pokeshippers should just be glad that you're getting what you wanted from me!

Oh, yeah, the italic paragraph's are for memories either from "Closure", or whatever took

place in between that fic and this one.

Summary: The sequel to "Closure". Ash has been going into insane anxiety rushes, all

because that oh-so-common 'Two-and-Two' are finally coming together inside of his

head... But is his plan just one big mistake after another..?

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I don't own Ash and Misty. I don't own Pikachu. I

don't own the flashbacks (unless they're the ones from my last ficcie). Now can we please

stop with the interrogation?

---

Prologue: Pallet’s Ketchum

---

Pallet, the quiet peak of the Indigo/Kanto region. The sweet rural village on the edge of

the country. The Hometown of the famous Professor Oak, and his prestigious Grandson,

Gary Oak. At least... That's what the town is known for in the brochures... But if you

haven't read them, then you're not any closer than those other tourists who've come to take

photographs of those wild Rattata scurrying all through the market place, or those Taurus

and Ponyta that are living in the stables in the back of the Professor's lab.

Because there's another not-exactly-brilliant, strategic, fast-paced Pokemon Trainer here. His

name is Ash Ketchum. And if you ever got to know him, your first thoughts would be,

Man, this kid is one stupid idiot...

But that's not for lack of evidence. There are many things that Ash Ketchum could have

done differently. He could have trained harder to reign higher among the trainers in the

Indigo League all those years back. He could have attempted to befriend Pikachu before

starting off through the Kanto region, blindly trying to capture Pokemon with his bright

blue vest. He could have treated his friends just a little better, so that they wouldn't think

that once they were gone, he'd forget all about them...

He could have tried harder to give Misty Waterflower what she wanted at that time.

But maybe you don't know what's going on, so let's start from the beginning...

Ash Ketchum traveled through at least four different regions of the Pokemon country,

battling various opponents, catching and training various Pokemon, and earning various

badges. And alongside him, he had the greatest of friends... Misty and Brock. Brock had

left at some point for a short while, but he'd returned soon after, just looking for a way to

get over his... Er... Complicated mess of a relationship with the beautiful, stunning, and

brilliant Professor Ivy. Misty had always been there, though. Through the first three

Leagues, she had stood like the pillar of strength for Ash, even if he'd never cared to

notice. She was a little fierce in her game, but she was willing to do anything if it meant

getting Ash out of trouble. She was like this loyal pet that would never abandon him...

...But then she left.

Or, rather, she was called away by her selfish older siblings, who had won a trip around

the world, thanks to a second place victory in a beauty pageant. And so they were off, and

so was Misty; on her way back to her Hometown in order to look after the family

"fortress".

-

"So, this is it, huh? Today you go back to Pallet... Amazing, how many things have

happened this week, huh..?" Misty's tone was small, almost transparent when compared

to her usual stature. It was obvious that she was still hurt and embarrassed about the

goings-on from the day before.

-

She had returned once, too, but only for a very short time, that had been constantly

interrupted by Team Rocket, anonymous evildoers, and Pokemon Battles. And then she'd

gone again.

It was a long time after that, that Ash had made such a humorous, and daring, mistake,

that he ended up, once again, seeing her... And this time, sleeping only one room away.

That's right; Ash Ketchum had found himself trapped with a childhood friend for a week

in the same house, all alone together, with no adult supervision.

The knowledge of that would have given his mother a stroke at the time of his return, but,

thankfully, he'd never gotten to tell her. She had only gone into a rant about his not

calling her, leaving him little time to explain where the leader of the residence was.

But that was over two months ago. Ash had had hardly any contact with Misty since

then... But he didn't know how he'd feel about talking to her after all that had happened.

For during that one week, things had changed so dramatically for them, and he couldn't

place where he was with that anymore. He had found out something so insane (which was

the only word for it) that he thought he might choke up at her voice.

He had found out that she loved him. And it wasn't a simple crush. It wasn't that "Well,

you're the best thing I've got right now, but I'll be over you by next week," type of love. It

wasn't even as simple as the One-Month-Boy-Band-Crush-Love thing that all teenage

girls went through at some time or another. According to his "sources", which just

happened to be a little scarlet book with Misty's territorial markings and the words

"Misty's Diary: Keep Out Or Find Yourself In An Unimaginable World Of Pain" written

in large golden lettering, it was true. It was pure. And she had been feeling it for a long

time.

For him.

For Ash Ketchum, World's Biggest Dunce. The only stomach on Earth that could rival a

Snorlax. The little, annoying, dense idiot with the dirty cheeks, the ignorant attitude, and

the obsession with Pokemon Training.

She was in love with him, and nobody else.

-

"...Sometimes, knowing that he's never really cared about me like I do him, makes me

regret ever..." Ash's voice broke off as he was interrupted.

"Ash?" The hesitant and heartbroken whisper of Misty shattered the silent and still air as

he turned to see her looking at him, a towel draped around her body and a face that held

the deepest regret, uncertainty, disbelief, anger, and other mix of emotions ever seen from

her at one time.

But, her intrusion from his reading hadn't stopped his eyes from scanning the last couple

of words before turning around. Incidentally enough, his quiet reading skill was more

enhanced than his reading out loud.

"...Loving him."

-

And what had he done? Thrown it away; discarded it, just because he felt he could hold

off a little longer, so that he could discover what this "love" actually was. Just to see if

she would really be as upset as those women in the soap opera's his mother watched;

because their level of depression always seemed to account for how much they were in

love with a certain man.

And the case was, well... Misty was dying just a little more inside everyday. Because she

kept hoping that his next phone call would contain the confession she'd been dreaming of

for more than a year. And every time, he only let her down.

But she'd never stopped hoping.

Ash knew that what he was doing was like ripping a piece of her heart out every time, but

he didn't know what else to do. Was it better that they just forget ever being friends, and

lost contact with each other again? Or was it better that he fake a love he didn't feel for

poor Misty's sake?

What was he to do, to heal a broken heart?

He had no idea just how deeply the soul bled when disregarded.

He knew only of Pokemon statistics, and his dream, and Pikachu, and Misty. His best

friend, Misty, who had been in love with him for almost three years. His best friend Misty

who, at first site, could hardly stand him when her bike had been burnt worse than a piece of toast that had been sitting in the toaster for over an hour. His best friend Misty, who

had coached him through three and a half years of travels, teaching him all that she knew

about training, defending him from people who didn't care about him, people who didn't

understand.

His best friend Misty, the first person from the "outside world" (meaning beyond his

mother and Pallet Town) to believe in his dream of becoming Pokemon Master, and to

believe that he could actually achieve it.

-

"Mwah! The ferry leaves in less than ten minutes! I have to get to the docks, now!" Ash

shouted, running through the sliding doors of Misty's gym. Misty was following behind

him her shallow breathing from the exhaustion the main distraction.

It was a time of major panic for Ash. After all, if he missed this ferry, he'd have to wait

until the end of the week and then he'd have to spend that time with Misty, in her gym,

alone with her... Ash's cheeks burnt bright. He didn't think he could handle the pressure.

"There!" Misty gasped, as they neared the water-front about eight minutes later, "Now

all we have to do is get you on there before they start to pull out!" But that was going to

be hard, because in about thirty seconds, the ferry was supposed to leave the port for

Pallet Town... And they were still about seventy meters away from it...

The horn blew for the ferry's leaving just as they reached the boardwalk, and rushed

down the way. The large tub-boat began to pull out, and Ash, feeling his throat plunge

into his stomach, turned around and slapped hands with Misty in salutations, and ran

towards his only way home.

He hurtled himself at the white painted steel and felt himself grab onto the railing. He

pulled himself up and collapsed onto the wooden deck, gasping for breath as his lungs

stretched to their limits in an attempt to gain oxygen.

By the time he was fully revitalized, Misty was out of earshot, or eyeshot, for that matter.

And he'd never gotten to tell her goodbye... Or thanks for the great, and eventful, week...

Or so most would think, including Misty.

But that was before she felt the small note pressed against her palm. She opened it and

began to read the few lines Ash had scribbled.

Dear Misty,

You know I've all ready thanked you for everything you've given me this week. I

mean, a home, a bed, a confidante, a few square meals, a bit of practice for the

League I attend next, and you've probably heard it enough to lose your hearing, but

I just had to say it again. So, thanks.

Also, I plan to come visit you again in awhile. Something exciting is bound to

happen then, so you know I'll be there to wait for it. Or complete it. Maybe the most

exciting thing is that I'll be able to see you again. And that would make my day.

I'm also going to travel after I see you face-to-face next time. And whether or not

you're got plans of your own, I plan to bring you with me.

--Ash

Misty could only smile at his choice of words.

-

He owed her that much. He needed her to know that he really did miss her being there

beside him. Brock was great and all, and so were Tracey, May, and Max (THEY WERE

NOT!), but they had nothing on Misty. His first friend outside of Pallet, the first one to

believe him.

And the first one to ever love him.

He was going to give her a reunion with the road that she'd never forget... Of course, all in

due time.

First he was going to help himself... He was going to convince himself of what love was,

even if it meant doing the impossible.

Even if it meant asking his mother for advice. Even if it meant a visit to the ever-

hormonal Brock. Even if it meant making himself feel overly affectionate towards the one

person he could trust. Even if it meant kissing Misty on the ball, just to see if that electric

shock she was always talking about actually happened...

Even if it meant risking everything and doing all of the above.

---

Notes: Okay, the Prologue is finished! I'll post Chapter One... Whenever I get the chance. Unfortunately, unlike the last ficcie, this one isn't totally completed, and it has a long way to go. Anyway, hopefully, if this didn't make sense, don't worry. Things will come together in a little bit, hopefully by the next chapter.

See you next time!