Okay, so this isn't necessarily a fic request (though I can offer one or two if you'd like), but more just an inquiry of how long you've been a writer. I'm absolutely floored with some of the ways you not only use your words, but highlight them and edit the format in such a way where they're emphasized more. I'm curious about what your influences and inspirations were, in the hopes that maybe I can find other ways to improve my own writing.
Wow, this was nice to return to when I hopped back on Tumblr. Thanks so much for the kind words of praise!
Without giving everything away, Iāve been writing for most of my life at this point; going on 25 years now (of course, not always not always Pokeshipping, and not even always fanfics).
I donāt really know if I have specific influences or inspirations? Iāve just... worked and practiced and developed my style over such and such amount of time? I would say the most influential sources for me out there were probably other fanfic writers from back in the day, coupled with my life experiences that led to me wishing to best articulate the emotions of characters to those who would read my stories. Oh, also shoujo/josei manga maybe? Because I feel the creatorsā of series in such genres spend more time delving into character egos and motivations (which, like I said, is what I like to do).
Tbh, when you say things likeĀ āsome of the ways you not only use your words, but highlight them and edit the format in such a way where theyāre emphasized moreā, Iām... not really sure what you mean? Or rather, I canāt think of any examples when I do anything so specific that it would particularly catch anybodyās eye.
Sorry I canāt be of anymore help... but I really appreciate that anybody would send me such a kind message. I keep taking time away from this blogĀ ācause rl is such a mess. Now Iām smack dab in the middle of one of the states dealing with major covid-19 outbreak so everythingās on lockdown (except I work a job that is consideredĀ āessentialā so Iām still going in 5-6 days a week).
ok no prob ^^ what about a 'we should kiss just to break the tension' kinda fic?
[Okay so when I received this I had a really fun little idea that didnāt perfectly match the quote - if itās supposed to be a quote, I wasnāt sure - and I felt my inspirationā¦ may trump my uncertainty about possibly not quite meeting anonās expectations for this ficā¦ Very sorry in advance!]
Heād thought things were finally back to normal.
Ash Ketchum was not what one would call particularly observant. He himself had admitted on at least one occasion already to not fully understand the female, or rather one specific femaleās, mindā¦ But heād seen Misty bristle in irritation when Melody introduced herself on Shamuti Islandās beach and heād inwardly blanched at the redheadās aggravated and curt response when heād asked her to join him in fulfilling his role as the so-called chosen oneĀ in the Shamuti Island legend.
Lugia had since returned to their deep sea home, the other legendary birds had retreated to their respective islands, all of the Pokemon that had journeyed to the supposed end of the world had begun to withdrawā¦ Ash and friends, including his mom and Professor Oak, had spent one final night on Shamuti to nurse their thankfully small wounds and new emotional scars. A feast was thrown and everyone whoād had a part in securing the three elemental orbs that quelled their respective titansā fury had retired to bed rather early.
And, by end of next day, Misty was back to glaring daggers and offering little more than argumentative commentary whenever they shared the same space.
Ash sighed, squinted up at the twinkling stars from his position at the rear deck of the ferry he and his friends were riding on to reach their next destination. Honestly he was too tired to be playing detective. There was a reason heād opted to take a ferry instead of sailing to Pummelo on Laprasā¦
Speaking of tired, he yawned, standing to his full height and stretching. There was no point speculating on Misty and her weird moods. He did hope though that whatever she was going through would resolve itself before he completed the Orange League. Truth be told, it was nice to think of her cheering him onā¦
āāAck!ā The half-formed complaint formed in Mistyās throat as he turned and knocked straight into her.
āMwah! Sorry! Iā¦ oh, Misty.ā
āGeez, Ash, look where youāre going! And donāt sound like you wanna take back your apology justĀ ācause itās me you ran into!ā she rebuffed briskly, turning her nose up at him.
āUh, whatāre ya doinā here? Itās pretty late to be wandering around,ā he replied almost sheepishly instead, choosing to ignore her attitude.
āI was going to the bathroom, not that itās any of your business. I thought Iād take the outdoor route since the ocean at night is so nice to look at,ā she told him almost absentmindedly, though he saw the twinkle in her eyes as she confessed her admiration.Ā āBut I could ask you the same thing. You canāt be this restless after everything we just went through, right?ā
For half a second, he wondered to himself if that was concern heād heard in her voice.
āActually I was just going to bed, was thinking about some stuff but Iām done now.ā
It was awkward. For all of his lack of knowledge and experience dealing with Misty Thingsā¢, even Ash could feel the air thicken with restrained hostility. Neither of them moved, not even to create enough space for the other to pass them by.
āWell, see ya in the morning then,ā she told him in that same curt tone heād practically gotten used to (again, for sheād all but ceased in using it since the first few months of their travels togetherā¦ and honestly, what kind of friend acts that way for no reason), her gaze sharp as she stared him down.
āHey wait!ā he practically shouted, even going so far as to grab her hand and pull her softly back, forcing her to face him. Well, sorta. She refused to look him in the eye all of a sudden, and he swore her face looked a lot redder than what was normal.
āWh - what?ā
āIs something the matter? Youāve been treating me weird the past couple days.ā
āWh - huh?ā she responded blankly, though the lack of ire lasted mere seconds before her brow knitted in irritation, lips pursing to keep herself from saying anything sheād regret too much as she tugged herself free from him and placed blunt and somewhat callused fists on her hips.Ā āWhy of courseĀ not, Mr. Pokemon Master. Donāt be silly! Iām treating you normal.ā
No, youāre not, he thought automatically, somewhat frustrated but not enough to risk raising her temper by calling her out aloud.
No, Iām not, she internally relented but she shouldnāt have to point the obvious out to him and, really, she wasnāt emotionally prepared to be that open with him anyway. Maybe things would just have to be unfriendly between the two of them for awhile yet. Theyād gotten through a rough patch before, right? They could do it again.
Because how could she tell him the reason she was so upset was due to another girl coming on to him? Kissing him on the cheek? Not to mention twice!Ā
It hadnāt seemed to phase Ash quite as much the second time around but Misty, having only just found it in her to be honest about his importance to her, had not planned for Melodyās second attack just before their departure from Shamuti Island. The redhead had half a mind to ask if that had been more for her response than his but hadnāt gotten the opportunity.
But perhaps the most shocking part of it all was that Ash noticed anything was wrong to begin with. The only hope she had now was to keep from giving him anymore clues. About anythi--
--She was interrupted by a three or so second long soft and ratherĀ chapped pressure against her left cheek.
Wide-eyed, breath stifled somewhere between her lungs and throat, the redhead clamped both hands quickly over the victimized part of her face, doing her best to form an accusation.
āWh - wha... whatāre you doing, Mr. Pokemon Master? What was that?!ā she whispered in an oddly high-pitched voice, face burning as bright as her hair looked, mind turning a little gooey despite her best attempts to stay vigilant.
āUh... I guess it was a... kiss?ā he replied, his face scrunching a little in distaste of the admission. He didnāt offer her anymore information off the bat, perhaps focusing more on his own reaction to such a choice. Heād never done that before after all, for anyone, and had never even been tempted in the past.
But while Misty had been thinking hard about Melodyās final transgression against her, kissing Ash on his cheek a second time before he and his friends left her home island, while sheād been resigning herself to her reigning temper and temporary fear that heād somehow manage to put two and two together to figure out her feelings, he had returned to playing detective.
And the fact that heād kept circling back to was that Misty had been angry again by the time their group left Shamuti. And sheād been angry within minutes of them first arriving on Shamuti. And somewhere towards the end of their latest perilous adventures in the archipelago region, sheād temporarily gotten over that feeling. So her anger didnāt seem to be tied to frustration over him getting caught up in something dangerous, nor did it have to do with her part in saving him from that something dangerous...
Heād acted instinctively, so swiftly after coming to his conclusion, that he too hadnāt had time to mentally prepare for its ramifications before kissing her chastely, intimately, on her cheek... just as Melody had done to him.
āBut why did you kiss me, you dummy?ā she practically squealed, eyes glinting though he couldnāt tell what emotion was clouded behind them.
āIt, uh... I dunno,ā he finally confessed after trying and failing to find a better excuse.Ā āBut youāve been mad ever since Melody kissed me so... I figured this would help break the tension.ā
Break the...
āYou... Agh, Ash Ketchum!ā she wailed finally in response, stomping her foot against the ferryās deck and wishing desperately that it was his dumb face.
āMwah! Was I wrong?ā he yelped, leaping back a step, momentarily pursing his lips together afterwards as he replayed the moment where he leaned in and pressed them against her cheek, eyes squinting tightly shut. Weirdly, he hadnāt much minded such a gross decision but there was no time or energy to dwell on that at present.
āGah! Of course you...ā she began in reply, fists formed and looking mightily prepared to fight against something. But her anger burned to fumes rather quickly as she looked the oddly nervous boy up and down before it hit her... that he had no idea how deep this whole thing went, he couldnāt possibly fathom the details. He simply thought things were resolved now.
What a nice thought that was.
ā... Maybe... youāre right, Ash.ā
āI - I am?ā
Misty sighed, blinking her eyes closed as they threatened to roll out of her head. A little romantic voice was screeching in joy at the back of her mind, the part of her that had knowingly declared herself to be Ashās protector not more than two days ago. Most of her still seethed at his audacity to decide a kiss from him would quell her passionate fury but...
āLetās just... call it even,ā she abated, smiling faintly for the first time in at least a day, hands up in defeat.
He squinted suspiciously at her, unsure how to counter. Call it even... What had been uneven to begin with? He still didnāt know. Maybe such things were for the best. It was weird that his redheaded companion, usually so capable of holding a grudge, was acting so suddenly forgiving. But was it a good idea to look a gift Ponyta in the mouth? He certainly didnāt mind the idea of things returning to normal... even if a part of him now felt as though something differentĀ and new was burgeoning from deep down.
But Ash Ketchum has never been the observant type. And he generally had little to no patience for Misty Thingsā¢.
āWell, thatās good then... So we should go to bed?ā he asked hopefully, pointing in the direction of the room their group was sharing.
āOh, uh, you first. I still have to take care of something, yāknow?ā she replied, face tinged red once more for reasons unrelated to her romantic scope, reminding him what had made her venture out of bed in the first place.Ā
Her rather smooth response reassured him that things would be fine though as they went their separate ways.
And by next morning, all was normal, mostly because both of them had convinced themselves that the kiss had either been some weird fantasy or some unexpected dream they had no option but to shake off.
But good luck trying to figure out who thought which.
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I have created a Twitter account in association with this blog. If you're interested in following, it will mostly be for fic progress updates and links to them on Tumblr. (I will likely stop posting on the blog about upcoming fics and will not privately message those who sent requests in working on with updates either, instead they'll all be publicly shared here.)
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Hi! It's me again :) I would like to request another Ash comforting Misty flashfic. This time I imagined Misty having a panic attack. Hope the idea appeals to you! And take your time, no worries :)
[Hah, perhaps unfortunately, after I received this request and gave it a whopping five minutes of thought, I suddenly felt really inspired to just go for it.]
She was floating rather blissfully in a pool of water. Small waves lapped softly against her, pushing her rather loftily to and fro as she blinked up straight into a bright sun that, despite itās shine, didnāt seem to hurt her vision. A multitude of water-type Pokemon were swimming around her, some diving under or leaping over, just everywhereā¦ and she accepted this rather passively even not knowing whose Pokemon they were or where theyād come from.
It was a rather pleasant dream overallā¦ until it wasnāt.
Whatāsā¦?
Suddenly she was sinking down, the sun fading away, taking its light and - she assumed though she couldnāt say she felt it - warmth with it. The Pokemon, no more than vague shadows representing familiarity, had all but vanished except for one.Ā
She was gripping her Staryu by its top point as it dove deeper into inky, cool abyss, leading her towardsā¦ something. She was looking for something, desperate to save it, but she could barely see her Pokemon plunging through its element a foot or two in front of her. How could she possibly findā¦?
Whatās happeningā¦?
Training instincts told her to conserve oxygen, but her lips flew open anyway as if trying to call out to her target. Bubbles and breath and a single word escaped her, in such clear articulation she knew it shouldnāt have been possible.
āAsh!ā
She was looking for Ash, her best friend. Heād fallen from so far, so fastā¦ He was sinking! Was he even consciousā¦?Ā She remembered now, at least that much, but the anchoring question of why seemed impossible to answer at present. She had to find him!
Where was he? How much farther would she have to go? How could she possibly hope to find him in this blackness? And how far had she gone without needing to take a breathā¦?
And yet Staryu continued to faithfully carry her onward in their mission.
She had reached a peak of lucidity just in time for an object slightly larger than her hand to float hazily by. Without concern, she snatched it out of the murk.Ā
It was a cap she had seen on his head near constantly in recent days, her heart plummeting in breathless fear and panic at the sight of it in her grasp and him nowhere in sight. She didnāt think about the insensibility behind calling out to him again.
āAsh!ā The shriek of her own unnerved horror threatened to deafen her as well as her Pokemon.Ā āAsh, where are you?!āĀ
āMisty, wake up!ā
Her eyes snapped open, wiry muscles rigid as a damp sheen clung to her brow and neck. Fists clenching tightly around her bedroll, she leaped into a sitting position, at this point realizing she hadnāt taken a single breath since waking, inhaling deeply in response.
āIā¦ Whatā¦?ā she whispered, vocal chords weak and throat dry. Craning her neck, wild gaze taking in her surroundings, she was met with Ash Ketchum and his partner Pikachu staring her up and down looking reasonable taken aback from beside her.
āUhā¦ you okay?ā the young man asked after a few seconds, leaning a little closer. She couldnāt answer, fingers wringing their way around the hem of her sleeping bag at the mere question.Ā āYou looked like you were having a nightmare.ā
A nightmareā¦?
āPikachupi, kachu pika?ā
āY - yeah, we were worried. Glad youāre up now though.ā And, looking slightly bashful, averting his gaze, Ash added,Ā āItā¦ kinda sounded like you were calling out my name. Butā¦ā
Almost any other time, the redheaded teenage girl would have read something into how flustered he looked at the thought of her dreaming about him. She also would have had the clear head to feel self-conscious over an Ash donned in nothing more than boxer shorts and a bandage around his scalp, which was currently the case. All the sight did now was remind her ofā¦
āI thinkā¦ about earlierā¦ā she muttered, heart leaping up into her throat, stomach churning before icing over.Ā āOrā¦ I guess it was yesterdayā¦ā
āOh.ā It was hard to tell by the dim light of the low fire but his face seemed a little paler.
Yesterday, when Team Rocket had last attacked them. It had been all of six or so hours ago; barely dusk. They had used their tricks to steal Pikachu as well as Ashās belt lined with the rest of his Pokeballs before taking off in their latest hot air balloon.Ā
In her effort to assist, Misty had released Staryu to sabotage their escape but her precious water-typeās rapid spin had only been able to cut all of two ropes tying the villainsā basket to their balloon. One rope had been secured again by the Rocket gang and tied slipshod once more while Ash, in furious pursuit, had grabbed the other one before theyād lifted too high from the ground, immediately carried up and away with them.
Misty had seen him try to climb it while she ran to catch up, seen also Team Rocketās collected anger and alarm as they attempted to shake him loose before Jessie had released one of her own Pokemon to force the teenage boy to let go.
Ash hadnāt much chance at evading; it was hard to do so when he was busy trying to keep his grip on what was steadily becoming a literalĀ life line, Pikachu calling out to him from where he was trapped a good twenty or so feet overhead.
Even from her slowly increasing distance, Misty heard the blast that was Jessieās Gourgeist releasing their seed bomb. The attack descended, exploding as it approached her friend. Ash was shouting, slipping, flailing, a second explosive impact and he was suddenly falling from the sky as her heart stoppedā
No more playing softball!Ā
Heād hit the body of water that had (luckily) drifted below him with a sickening smack on his back, sunk quickly below the surface. It all happened so swiftly.
Gyarados appeared in a familiar flash of red and roared, his trainer commanding him to immediately leap and bite through Team Rocketās balloon, tearing the fabric instantly and disabling the criminal trioās getaway. So violent, so much, so fast.
In the meantime, Misty grabbed a hold of Staryu, inhaled deeply and held it, both diving to search for their friendā¦ So darkā¦ So goneā¦ So quicklyā¦
āHey, are you okay?ā Ash abruptly asked her, voice sounding distant and hollow, reverberating in her eardrums, the sound challenged by her roaring, pounding heartbeat.
āIā¦ā
āMisty, whatās wrong?ā He sounded a little more anxious now during round two, and she was surprised to vaguely notice his hand around her wrist, though she couldnāt feel it for some reason.
āI donātā¦ā She couldnāt breathe, response reduced to a throaty gasp. Her throat was coated in plastic and suffocating. Her skin was burning from cold somehow, she needed waterā
āhe was sinking so deep downā
āand airā
āholding her breath, but she would top out after one hundred and eighty seconds max and how much time had passed alreadyā
āsweat was pouring from her forehead, her neck, she was either numb or aching, on fire, her gaze vacant, and it scared him if he was being honestā
āāMisty, whatās going onā?ā
āPikachupi!ā
āwhere was he, where is he, how big is this placeā¦ his hat is in her free hand, her grip on Staryu stiffening, she would have to sacrifice the hat if, or when, she found himā
āso many times, this had happened too many times already since knowing him, what if she doesnāt get to him quick enough, what if heā
āāHey!ā
His shout was enough to momentarily clear her head. Perhaps he was able to sense that fact because he took advantage, and Misty felt the shocking impression of cool hands resting firmly against her flushed cheeks. Then the two were eye to eye and her wave of despair and doom and panic briefly subsided.
āListen, Mist, youāre not there, youāre here. Pay attention to me right now!ā he told her forcibly, and she felt him tug a little uncomfortably, her neck yanking, so she wouldnāt lose focus.Ā āLook at me, okay? Can you do that?ā
She could barely hear him, gaze flickering between the fire light glowing in his eyes to his fringe and lashes, to his cheeksā¦ It was all him thoughā¦ She couldā¦ She could do this!
āYou need to take a breath! Cāmon, weāve got this, just do what I do, look,ā after which he did indeed lead by example. She watched his chest rise and fall, his eyes fluttering momentarily closed and lips pursed barely open as he exhaled.
She gurgled and choked, blinked away the white hot tears at the corner of her burning eyes, halfheartedly shook her head in defeat.
āItās okay, cāmon, weāll try again together, now in through your nose,ā he coached her, slowly initiating his own attempt and waiting until he heard her copy it before moving on,Ā āand then out through your mouthā¦ You got it!ā he applauded her,Ā āOkay, and againā¦ Letās do it a few more timesā¦ā
It seemed forever and yet also instantaneous for the symptoms to subside, and she did what she could to bear in mind what Ash was saying and doing to tether her to the present.
āātake a breathāā
His hands on her cheeksā¦
āāPay attention to me right nowāā
His shoulders rising and fallingā¦
āāweāll try again togetherāā
His face overtaking her vision, mere inches from hers, collarbone connecting to his bare chestā¦
Ash wasnāt sure what emotional response was most prevalent a few minutes later when his redheaded friend, still trembling a little but no longer writhing and choking, maneuvered to cover his hands with her own, both pairs now held against her cheeks. Part of him was pleased, it seemed to be her first conscious and calm move sinceā¦ whatever had happened. Another part of him was loath to admit how flusteredĀ he felt as her somehow inconceivablyĀ soft fingers splayed over his own rougher ones.
āS - soā¦ what happened?ā he had the nerve to eventually ask her, though he could still barely look her in the eyes. Her current object of focus was Pikachu curled up in her lap while she patted his short fur coat. The teen boy noticed it offered a pleasant distraction, all things considered.
āDunno,ā she croaked, cleared her throat, tried to elaborate.Ā āThatāsā¦ never happened before that I know of. Itās likeā¦ I was having that nightmare, I think it was based off what happenedā¦ yāknow, yesterdayā¦ But then I couldnāt stop thinking of itā¦ Then I was feeling it, like it was happening all over again, and I wasā¦ thinking of you, losing youā¦ā She didnāt give the flush on her cheeks the chance to settle, continuing with her description.Ā āYāknow, you worry me too much, Mr. Pokemon Master!ā she finished rather harshly, faltering in her grounding activity.
āMwah, wait a sec, now itās my fault?!ā
āOf course it is, you dummy! I mean, you shouldnāt have done that! We would have gotten your Pokemon back eventually! We always do!ā
Rather than risk a rebuttal that would lead to another panic attack, he stared her down before heaving a deep sigh and relenting.
āSorryā¦ Itās second nature by now.ā
She thought about asking him if he meant his self-sacrificing nature or worrying her to near death but decided against it. Theyād been through enough by now and it was only roughly three in the morning!
āYāknow Ash, I can admit after all the time weāve known each otherā¦ that I really like the kind of person you are,ā she iterated almost affectionately instead,Ā āYouāre passionate and considerate, at least when you wanna be,ā she made a point to add.Ā āBut sometimesā¦ I really wish youād take a little better care of yourself. Every time something likeā¦ like yesterday happensā¦ I worry itās the last time Iāll ever see you.ā
Theā¦ last time? he thought, not quite understanding immediately what sheād been getting atā¦ Oh, there it was. He hummed under his breath, brow furrowed, had gotten to the point of opening his mouth without a clue as to what heād say before she interrupted him.
āWell, if thereās anything I know for sure itās that thereās no changing youā¦ so I guess for now at least Iāll have to do my best to support you.ā
āOh. Yeah. Thanks.ā The response was so simple but he honestly had no idea what else he could say. Perhaps it was something for another time.
āI mean, after your help earlier, I guess I owe you, right?ā
But Ash was briefly overwhelmed by the flashback of his regaining consciousness with blurred vision on the hard ground the evening before, head aching and blood dripping from his temple, Misty kneeling over him soaking wet and shaking from the brisk chill, practically crying even as she smiled in relief at the sight of him coming to.
His gratitude andā¦ something he couldnāt quite place swept through him and swelled up, filling every ounce of his person as he took in the sight of his best friend sitting at his side.
āPlease, Mist,ā he told her peaceably in utter confidence, āit was the least I could do for you.ā
[There were a couple details i left out because of the word count limit. Ash was down to boxers because he didnāt plan ahead, simple as that. His only outfit was soaked after falling into the water so yeah, itās meant to be air-drying. Misty is fully dressed because she did plan ahead. Lol. Ash also received some cuts and stuff from the minor explosives and Pikachu escaped his cage when Gyarados attacked TRās balloon, after which he rescued his trainerās PokeBelt from them. Just in case anyone was curious. As for Mistyās panic attack timing, I felt that the adrenaline rush in the moment would keep her from falling prey to it so thatās why it takes place hours later when she has time to think. As for how Ash helps her control it, heās instinctively offering her deep breathing and grounding techniques which - if youāre unfamiliar - are pretty basic mental coping skills.
Also a few unrelated things: Please do not just like this story! If you had a good time reading, I implore you to share this and help me spread the word about this blog! I havenāt received many requests lately, only one every 6-15 days! That being said, if you have a fic request, please send it in! I have 1 or 2 in my inbox and a couple others in drafts that Iāve started but I could use some more prompts if youāre interested in me writing for them!]
Askfic off the top of my head. Someone calls Misty a harpy after she scolds them for mistreating... ?
āJeezus, youāre a real class act, huh?ā
āExcuseĀ me?ā the redhead shrieked in a somewhat breathless tone, arms somewhere between crossing defensively over her chest and posturing before her, fists instantaneously ready to physically defend herself.
āYikes, I wish Iād known before I left town that I was gonna need earplugs today. What a dragā¦ā the opposing young girl shrugged with a hint of a snide smirk.Ā
āLook, justĀ ācause you wanna turn around and insult me for calling you out doesnāt mean Iām gonna walk away and pretend I didnāt see what I saw!ā
āAnd if youād look, youād realize that what you saw is none of your business anyway, okay? So why donāt you just turn your scrawny self around and get outta here! These are my Pokemon and I can train them how I want!ā
Misty scowled, fingers itching to grab the girl by her neck and wring it until she was more disposed to listening to a more knowledgeable personās advice.
āIām telling you as someone whoās seen it before, treating Magikarp like this is dangerous.ā
āI have no reason to trust you just because you say you know better! I caught these Pokemon myself for the sole purpose of evolving them! A full team of super strong Gyarados on my side? Hardly anyone will stand a chance!ā the young female trainer guffawed.Ā
An overall distant memory of being stranded at sea with some of her worst enemies and, at the time, more acquaintances than friends fluttered to the top of Mistyās mind. Their raft capsized and she was overcome with cold, dark, and loneliness.Ā
This was followed by a somewhat more recent recollection of her first day as the covering Cerulean Gym lead trainer, trying her best to tame the territorial and abandoned Gyarados her sisters had left behind when they went on their voyage.
Now, months later, she was finally able to spend a few days with her friends again, had escaped Team Rocketās latest mon-napping attempt or few and found an opportunity to relax, only to stumble on a stranger using pseudo-abusive training to force their Pokemon to evolve as fast as possible. She was only supposed to be refilling the groupās canteens again for the rest of the night!
Her wary gaze dropped sympathetically to the rather pathetic looking three water-types flailing uselessly in the stream before her, a somewhat aggressive electric-type Misty loosely recognized from the Hoenn region named Electrike posturing on their haunches between them with electricity crackling around its head.
By the time sheād shaken herself from her reverie and returned to the present, the younger lass had turned haughtily on her heel and appeared to be preparing her electric-type to attack her other Pokemon again.
āWait!ā the redhead cried desperately, one step taken instinctively forward even with her arms full of canteens dangling from their straps. But what else was there to say? Other than looking temporarily the worse for wear, the three Magikarp didnāt seem to be malnourished, ill, or afraid. And though the voice in the back of her head was still demanding her warning be validated, another part of her wondered if the girl was right. What business was this of hers?
āMisty? I thought that was you!ā a familiar voice called out from somewhere behind her.
āOh, Ashāā
āāUgh, now your dumb friendsĀ are butting in?!ā
āMwah?!ā Ash replied, dismayed at the slight to his ego immediately after his arrival, clutching the firewood heād offered to gather more tightly in his arms.
āLook, Iāll tell you what I already told her! I can train my Pokemon how I want! This was my plan from the start, to toughen them up and push them to evolve! Iām not doing anything wrong! And you!ā she rounded on Misty once more, Ash forgotten in the background though he still appeared to be trying to piece one and one together, frantically glancing between the two girls.Ā āWhy are you still even here, you harpy?! Screeching and wailing for me to do what you say?! I donāt owe you such courtesy! I donāt even know you so I have no reason to listen to you!ā
āWha - hey, wait a sec!ā the younger male trainer shouted obstinately now before Mistyās fiery spirit could kick in. And to her (rather pleasant, if she were being honest) surprise, Ash leaped in front of her as if to protect her from anymore emotional damage. āI donāt know whatās goinā on but Misty was probably just trying to help! ā¦ Uh, right?ā he finished awkwardly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
The redhead found herself nodding mutely, still shocked at his apparent chivalry. Glancing past him, she saw the female trainer gritting her teeth, brow furrowed, mortified at what probably felt akin to two strangers ganging up on her. And it hit her instantaneously that sheād found the source of the opposing girlās bitterness.
Maybe if I try a softer approach?
āLook, I know it might not mean anythingā¦ā she began calmly and swiftly, unceremoniously dropping her armful of canteens to the ground and taking a cautious step forward, ābut Iām actually a gym leader from this region.ā
āPssht, yeah right!ā the lass responded stubbornly, arms crossed defensively over her chest. A few seconds passed before she glanced suspiciously at her would-be attacker,Ā āā¦ Which gym?ā
āUh, in Cerulean. The gym belongs to my family. My name is Misty.ā
Perhaps it was the city name or the sound of the redheadās identity sounding semi-familiar but the girl responded with sudden embarrassed comprehension, though she quickly stifled it so nobody would notice.
āW - well, even if thatās trueā¦ā she stuttered instead, gaze alternating between aversion and boldness before she trailed off.
It took every ounce of Mistyās willpower not to roll her eyes. She was finally making progress though so she couldnāt forfeit now.
āI li - love Pokemon butā¦ water-types are my favorite. Iāve always liked them most of all and my dream is to eventually be the best water-type master trainer in the world,ā the redhead continued, taking another discreet step forward and offering a halfhearted glance in the direction of the group of Pokemon in the background.
āI know how important it is to be the strongest. The best. I mean, even at home, I wasnāt allowed to help with the gym until pretty recently. And if I really plan to be a master, I knowā¦ that thereās a lot I still have to learn and do to prove myself to everyone. Butā¦ā
āNghā¦!ā The girl was very clearly going through an internal struggle.
Finally facing her supposed adversary, Misty took a firm hold of the other girlās hands and tugged softly, enough so they were inclined to look each other in the eye.
āā¦ But finding shortcuts like these, though tempting, never ends well. Iāve seen newly evolved Gyarados create storms and wreak havoc intense enough to almost kill people. I mean, I have a Gyarados now myself!ā And, before the girl could interrupt, Misty went on, āBut the first time we met, he tried t - to drown me.ā
She was faintly aware of Ash, still relatively close in case things escalated again, straightening his back, breath caught in his throat at this news. Her story also appeared to have quite the effect on her intended audience, as the young lass before her stared wide-eyed and mouth slightly agape.
āGyarados are violent and impulsive, instinctive and distrusting. If you really want a whole squad of them to help you prove yourself in this worldā¦ then you need to put in the work too. Itās the only way youāre going to earn their loyalty and respect.ā
Things were awkwardly silent for the following minute or so. Making one last effort to break the tension, the redhead pulled her hands away long enough to rummage in her bag, removing a small spray bottle and holding it out.
āHereās a super potion. It may not be enough to get your Magikarp all back to perfect health but it should help for now if they share it. And, for the record, you were right. None of this here is really any of my business butā¦ I guess I just hope youāll make the right choice in the end.ā
The trip back to their groupās campsite roughly ten minutes later was steeped in pregnant and tense quiet murky enough to almost bowl her over. Misty had walked a few minutes away after their conversation to finally complete her task of filling canteens and hadnāt had the nerve to check back in with the girl before returning to their friends.
She could only wonder if sheād really gotten throughā¦
Ashās pace slowed, he fell a little further in step behind her, but intended to follow through with his inquiry anyway.
āSoā¦ that story about Gyarados nearly drowning you? Is thatā¦ I guess thatās true, huh?ā
Her step faltered too, mind racing as she contemplated her response. Part of her had expected he wouldnāt ask, another part had expected he might even if it would be hard to talk about.
āUhā¦ yeah.ā
āOh. I guessā¦ when we met him in Hoenn, I didnātā¦ get that impression. He seemed soā¦ā
āā¦ Loyal and respectful?ā she volunteered with a knowing half-smile.Ā āWell, how else would I have known what to say before? Trust begets trust and love begets love. Itās a good lesson to learn, Mr. Pokemon Master.ā
āDoes stuff likeā¦ like that happen often since returning to Cerulean?ā he went on, and Misty blinked, impressed by his curiosity.
She was very briefly overwhelmed with memories of her other adventures; PIA Agent Joy secretly inspecting her gym, those awful brothers from Viridian stalking her and seeking vengeance, being attacked by Pokemon and Team Rocket on several occasionsā¦
āWell,ā she offered with the faintest giggle, and Ash was grateful for the cover of darkness hiding his flushed cheeks,Ā āno more often than when we traveled together for sure.ā
āBut that was different!ā His response was automatic, almost oversensitive. She hadnāt expected them to talk in such detail about this situation. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought sheād get a rise out of Ash like this. She was torn between taking offense or having her uncertainty put to rest.
āOh yeah? Howās that?ā
She wondered, albeit briefly, if he was about to blame himself somehow. Alasā¦
āBecause! We had each other then, didnāt we? But now that youāre homeā¦ā he trailed off, looked at the ground before kicking a pebble in frustration. Where were the words he needed? And the courage to say them to her for that matter!Ā āNowā¦ we donātā¦ you donāt have me, āyknow, there.ā
He was suddenly feeling quite overheated, cheeks and neck and ears uncomfortably toasty after his confession.
āā¦ Oh.ā
Well, that was unexpected.
āY - yeah, so you need to take better care of yourself from now on!ā he practically yelped in complaint before stomping forward and passing her by, still refusing to look her in the eye in case she noticed his predicament.
... Hypocrite!Ā she replied internally, surprised that it was accompanied by a suppressed bark of laughter as she picked up the pace to rejoin him.Ā
A good thing too because apparently their conversation wasnāt over.
āThat all being saidā¦ I think ya handled that really well back there. These kinds of situations can be trickyā¦ā To conceal his lack of breath at such flattering commentary, he continued rambling, āUh, whatās it called? Like a gray area? It reminds me of when we met AJ right after we first started traveling together.ā
āOh, yeah, I guess itās sort of the same, huhā¦?ā she replied softly, almost wistfully. āStill no way to know if I made the right callā¦ But I think I did what was best for her and her Pokemon so thatāsā¦ really all that I can expect of myself.ā
They were one wall of foliage away from their friends now. Ash had resorted to awkwardly clearing his throat, refusing to look her in the eye. Misty, unsure if it was the frustrating prospect of being cornered by a curious May, Max, and Brock later over such odd behavior, or else an impish streak hoping test Ashās patience one last time tonight, or even the genuine friend in her hoping to give a little something back after all the emotional intimacy heād bared for her this evening, decided to go for it.
āYāknow Ash, I think you handled yourself well tonight too.ā
He stared blankly back at her, one brow just beginning to furrow as he begged the question,Ā āUhā¦ I did? How?ā
She felt an instant warmth spread from her chest to her limbs, heartbeat so violently loud she could feel it pulsing in her fingertips as they unconsciously twirled around a particular canteen strap from anxiety. Still, the memory of Ash stepping to her defense and placing himself between her and any perceived threat had been quite the romantic experience. Not to mention the other precious pieces of himself heād proffered over the past hour or soā¦
āOh, I mean, itās nothing much. I just wanted you to know that Iām grateful you showed up tonight, I guess. Now letās get back. Iām surprised they didnāt start looking for us after all this time!ā And they crashed unanimously through the underbrush, stumbling back to their destination for the night, one final thought crossing Mistyās mind.
With Ashās heart sewn so loosely on his sleeve, it was quite easy to tell even after all this timeā¦ exactly how he felt about her.
[Btw, my intention was that this fic took place during the short time Ash and Misty travel together again with May, Max, and Brock after Ashās return from Hoenn.
Btw x2, if youāre so obliged, please reblog this fic and spread news of this blog. I know posts are slower now, work is hectic and I donāt have as much time to write, but I would like to get some more fic requests. Every time I ask lately Iāve only gotten 0-1 at a time.]
Hey there! Are ya still open for writing lil ficlets? Was there a list you uploaded for people to choose from?
Hey there, thanks for your interest in sending fic requests. As stated in the past, requests are always open but may not always be fulfilled. It honestly just depends on how receptive my fickle muse is to them.
There is no ongoing list of prompts either. You can check the FAQ for vague guidelines on what to submit, or else the masterfic list is mostly fulfilled requests (so you can see what others have sent in up til now to give you some ideas).
Iāll also take this opportunity to apologize again to any readers of this blogās content. Iāve been working a lot of overtime and feeling pretty stressed again. I had started writing my response to someoneās request but then life got too busy to keep up with it. Iām going to try and finish that fic sometime this week. I would also hope to fulfill at least one other request by the end of the weekend too but... well, weāll see I guess.
Feel free to keep sending your requests; just try to keep them to one or two a person so everyone has a shot at having their request accepted.
Hey, life is still hectic of course but I'd like to get back into somewhat more consistently working on this blog. That being said, I've only received about 2-3 requests over the post couple weeks and I'd like to have some more options at my fingertips in case inspiration hits. (By comparison, this blog has gained 6-8 followers in the same timespan.)
Please send your requests via ask if you have them. Of course, try to keep it to one or two a person just in case somehow everyone else decides to send them after this post too but yeah.
I'd also like to request that people please reblog the newest fanfics too if they haven't to try and help get the word out that this blog exists and is looking for increased productivity. (Another comparison: Thereās been an average of 1 reblog to every 5-7 likes. Iām hoping more people reblogging will invite new followers and fic requests.)
Thank you for your time, guys. And welcome to the new followers!
Hi! Someone sent this request to mythgirlimagines and I loved what she came up with. Could you come up with something else or expand on her idea please? :) link: mythgirlimagines(.)tumblr(.)com/post/190057630070/hello-could-you-do-some-hurtconfort-for-ash-and
(I went to ask @mythgirlimagines for use/expansion of her headcanons before writing this. Hereās hoping I do it justice for everyone. Not really sure what to expand on but I donāt mind fleshing out the situation in prose. PS: User @nebli suggested the stories Ash tells of his younger!childhood. Iām bad at headcanons so I asked for help.)
You practically bite into your own arm to muffle the deep inhale of brisk late night air as it filters into your lungs, bracing yourself stock still behind a grand oak with easiest access to the stream nearby your groupās campsite.
Your redheaded companion is sitting with her back to you at the edge of the water, unoccasionally sniffling and shoulders heaving in a motion youāre semi-familiar with because, hey, itās not like youāve never cried before in your life.
Oh. Mistyāsā¦ crying?Ā
Thatāsā¦ that was new. Or rather, new-ish. You could scarcely remember her shedding a tear or few during the last few years on the road, though you think there was something back in the hidden village where you met Bulbasaur, and then there was the Lavender Towerā¦ (How do you even remember any of that anyway?)
You shake yourself from your reverie, returning to present thought process.
Youād wondered why she was missing from the campsite. And yet you told yourself you were only getting up to use the nearest foliage as your bathroom and not to search for her in the darkness while all other companions (your Pokemon as well as resident caretaker Brock, returned to your group after his temporary departure in the Orange Islands) slept the night peacefully awayā¦ but here you are almost ten minutes later after walking obstinately farther than was needed to relieve yourself.
You should have remained wrapped up snug in your sleeping bag.
After all, what are you supposed to do with this? Though you loathe to admit it, you can barely handle Mistyās ire and passion and weird girly personality in any other instance; what are you supposed to do with a Misty whoās crying alone in the middle of the night?
You sigh as faintly as possible, a few memories fluttering to the surface of your consciousness in response to that question.
Misty following you out to the deck of a large cruise liner and begging to know why you look so troubled, offering you rather obvious advice in hindsightā¦ but it sure helped to know she understood.Ā
Misty reminding you that Butterfree is leaving to start a family of his own with his new mate and youād better take this chance to say your goodbyes while you have itā¦ because that was more important than sulking over losing a friend.
Misty stalking rigidly into your assigned guest room at Indigo Plateau after your loss in the league, strong-arming you out of your brooding state.
Misty appearing over you after your hometown battle with Gary, a faint expression of sympathy flitting across her face before she points out that youād better get a move on and start your trek to Johto if you donāt want to fall even further behind your childhood rival.
You roll your eyes so intensely in response to all these rather telling signs that you feel a bit dizzy a moment later.
Misty is crying alone in the middle of the nightā¦ and you know what you have to do.
But how to go about it? By the grace of all gods, it seems she hasnāt noticed your presence yet (though itās assumed that sheās rather preoccupied). However the last thing you want is to set her off down the path of righteous fury and end up her victim.
Tsking to yourself, you squint your eyes shut again, brow creased in frustration. Youāre thinking too much into this. Itās not like you to dedicate so much time to mollifying MistyĀ of all people.
Instinct takes over and you bungle your way loudly through the foliage, sure to get her attention, making it look like an accident.
āOh, uh, Misty. Funny running into you here.ā
Stellar improvisation from the future number one Pokemon Master in the world.Ā
However if she senses anything amiss in your approach, she doesnāt address it. Perhaps because she busies herself instead with wiping furiously at her splotched red cheeks, hiccuping and doing her utmost to rub the dry red from her eyes.
āI was just going to the bathroom,ā you continue,Ā āI didnāt know you were up too.ā
Despite knowing your best option is to play innocent bystanderā¦ a twinging pierce briefly tugs in your chest over the thought of lying to her. But thereās no time to dwell, nope, gotta dig in whether she catches on or not.
āSo anywayā¦ Uh, is something wrong?ā Yep, that sounded natural. Well, itās not that it didnāt but you are suddenly overtly aware that youāve never honestly asked this question of her since the start of your journey together. Instead the question was always a condescending rebuff in the middle of a fight.
Lips pursed, gaze averted, āā¦ Of course not, Mr. Pokemon Master,ā she responds in a brusque yet weak murmur. Itās not the least bit convincing. Well, you werenāt exactly expecting the confrontation to be a cakewalkā¦
Your initial approach had been sudden - element of surprise enough to distract her from her potential mortifying rage at being discovered in so compromising a demeanor. Over the past minute or so, youāve cautiously edged yourself across the clearing, eventually coming to a stop just behind her before easing yourself into a sitting position at her side.
Welpā¦ here you both are, you couldnāt help thinking warily, fingers drumming softly against your own knees, waiting for something to give.
Oh, and give something did as the redheaded girl beside you, in a much too far removed reaction compared to her previous attempt at concealing her despondence, suddenly leans forward, presses her rather wet and beet-colored face into your neck, one hand curling loosely around the hem of your sleeve to keep you there as she releases a sharp bawl.
Whoa, wait, mayday! you shriek internally, eyes wide and scalp and ears flushing uncomfortably hot. Alarms are ringing in uproarious, disorienting fashion and the panic sets in so instantaneous and intense that itās enough to make you feel positively ill.
This doesnāt happen. This has never happened before between you two! Whatās she thinking? Whatāre you supposed to do?!
Itās life or death, you know, as your instincts kick in, the hand closest to her reaching up and brushing the back of her neck, grasping her opposing shoulder and pulling her ever so slightly closer to you while she continues weeping.
Itās hard to tell if this is the right move or not. True, Misty hasnāt made any negative maneuver against you but she also hasnāt given you any signal that her mood is improving. Doing your best to smother your impatience, you internally count the seconds, minutes as they pass, staring vaguely into the dimly lit distance while the teenage girl beside you carries on grossly using your sleeve as her new personal tissue.
Ick, the thought crosses your mind before you push it aside and barrel forward, unable to take the awkward tension anymoreā¦ But what to do about it?
āYa know, when I was a kid,ā thereās a brief pause when, bless her, Misty offers a skeptical glance between sniffles,Ā āUh, a youngerĀ kid, Gary and I were racing around the outskirts of Pallet and I tripped over him and landed in this lake nearby. There was a school of Magikarp swimming by and one ofĀ āem stopped to slap me in the face with its tailĀ ācause I disrupted their formation.ā
Despite her gloom, you hear a distinct snort in response to your story. Feeling invigorated by your success, you continue with your distracting babble. At the same time you bide your time coming up with your next contribution. You want to help her but you also donāt wanna offer her any ammunition she can use for blackmail later on.
āOnce, there was this time when my mom was super busy with work and I was worried she was gonna get sick so I tried to make her some homemade juice using fruits and veggies from our garden. It, uhā¦ I wasnāt paying attention and it ended up all over the kitchen,ā you finish rather lamely, wistful as the memory came to mind.
This time youāre rewarded with a faint, faltering giggle. It impresses you just how much making someone - Misty - feel a little better can fill you with so much pride.
Still, though the actual crying begins to subside, her features are contorted with a sense of mourning.
āSoā¦ā you try again apprehensively,Ā āare ya ever gonna tell me whatās wrong?ā
She stiffens, shrugging then shaking her head. A fleeting question crosses your mind. Whatās more important; your curiosity over what may have happened or the intent of encouraging a friend when theyāre feeling lowā¦?
Of course, you know the answer in a heartbeat.
āOkay wellā¦ are you ok - uh, will you be okay?ā
A pause, one final brush between her face and your sleeve before she pulls a few inches away with a sigh.
āNngh, yeahā¦ Iāll beā¦ Iām better now. I mean, not one hundred percent,ā she elaborates at the sight of your raised brow,Ā ābut better than I was b - before you came along.ā She finishes her statement with her facial features arranged in a complicated expression.
āI guess I should thank you, Ash.ā And, unable to help herself, she adds,Ā āWho woulda known youād be good company in an emotional crisis?ā
Ah, well if she can throw out a line like that then she must be telling the truth.
āWell, you knowā¦ā you reply almost bashfully, puffing up your chest before sobering up. āBut Iām gladā¦ that youāre okay. So wait, I guess youāre heading back to bed now?ā
āOh, umā¦ā She appears slightly troubled over such a probing suggestion, buying time, focusing on wiping her cheeks dry. āI still feel a little restless. Iāll probably just stay here and stare out at the water. You know how much I love this kinda view.ā
āThen Iāll stay too,ā you reply automatically, so much so that your eyes widen, shocked at what your mouth had decided to commit you to without conscious thought.Ā āI mean... if thatās okay.ā
She blinks, gaze never leaving your person, though she moves her cursory glance up and down as if checking for remorse or bad intentions behind your offer. And yet, notwithstanding your awe, you find you donāt regret your decision. Finally her survey softens and, taking things a step further, she resituates herself so that she can rest her head against your shoulder again.
The initially jarring predicament lulls into acceptance. You find that you rather like donāt mind relaxing with Misty in such close proximity, especially when sheās in a good mood though, in retrospect, you wouldnāt mind it if she wasnāt either, provided you were in the process of helping her.Ā
You wonāt talk about it tomorrow but you also quite enjoy the way your arms bump together before she laces her fingers with your own, spending the final twenty or so minutes of your time together wordlessly holding hands.
Some say love is truest when you know as much as you can about the other personā¦ but on this night, in this instance, love is respecting a boundary and offering whatever support you can when itās needed despite your ignorance.
(Yeah, by the time the two of them do head back to the campsite, Ash is practically ready to wet himself. Lol. And, as a reminder, this blog is currently - and always but definitely currently since Iām trying to get back into writing - accepting new requests via ask! Please view the rules and FAQ as needed!)
Hey guys, if any of this blogās followers are still out there, I wouldnāt mind you sending in a request or two for a fic. I want to try and finish the final part to my ādreamingā trilogy next (and then possibly the sequel to my newest fic but Iām wondering if anyone may send in a request specifically for that)... But the couple old requests left in my box may just be erased since so much time has gone by and I have no way of knowing if those who sent them are still present (as well as Iām not necessarily āfeelingā them).
PS: I updated the master fic list page with my two latest contributions.
sentence prompt if youāre feeling up to it? :D āYou kissed me, and you know it, too!ā
āI know what you did, Ash.ā
The words are a breathless, almost threatening, hiss from behind him as heās begrudgingly washing Brockās cookware in a nearby stream after their latest meal on the road as a group.
āMwah! Oh, uh, M - Misty, whatāre ya doinā hereā¦?ā he asks with just enough aversion from her intense gaze to make her even more assuredly suspicious, turning back much too quickly to continue his chore before continuing to speak.Ā āOh, and, uhā¦ what are ya talkinā about?ā
She squints dubiously at his back, willing him with her glare to simply jump up and confess but he of course does no such thing so she decides to cunningly elaborate just enough to jog his memoryĀ (and, hey, if doing so also happens to thoroughly embarrass him then thatās just as well in her opinion).
āEarlier today when Team Rocket attackedā¦ā
No more acknowledgement to this minuscule clue than a single grunt.
āā¦ and then Jigglypuff showed upā¦ā
He sighs now, dries off the pot Brock cooked his apple and pork stew in, sets it aside on another towel, and finally side-eyes her, exasperatedly waiting for her continuation.
āā¦ and put us all to sleep.ā
āYeah, okay, I rememberā¦ Is this about how we somehow woke up next to each other? Or about how our legs were tangled up a little bit together?ā Thereās finally a brief flash of panic (and, dare she believe it) a faint puce blush discoloring his otherwise tan face.
Ash leaps to his feet, nearly tripping over his own toes, dropping the dish wand on the ground but holding up the groupās cutting board as if brandishing a weapon of sorts.
āLook Misty, you canāt blame me for that! Jigglypuff put us to sleep! Itās not like we had time to set up our sleeping bags! A - and you had your arm wrapped around my shoulder s - so weāre either both innocent or bothĀ guilty, okay?ā he yelps, clearly ignorant to her sigh of frustration (or else attributing it to him apparently trying to dodge any responsibility).
āI - Iām not talking about that!ā she exclaims hotly with a stomp of her foot.Ā āI - I mean, who even caresĀ about how we woke up?ā Not her, no siree, there was absolutely nothing weird or overly comforting about that experience so theyād best move on quickly and never look back at it.
āOh, well then,ā and he drops his arms to his sides and shrugs again,Ā āI really dunno what youāre talking about.ā
She groans, masking fury with a somewhat softer vexation, obviously unwilling to admit why she wants him to confess but finding no alternate avenue to get him to that point anytime soon.
āOf course you know what Iām talking about! Donāt play dumb, Ash! You kissed me, and you know it too!ā she practically shrieks, jabbing in his direction with a judgmental index finger.
āIā¦ didā¦ mwah?! What? Huh? Me?! No I didnāt! I would never!ā His hyperventilation mistaken at first for pure ignorance, he couldnāt help but rectify it by adding a scathing personal slight at her.Ā āI - I mean, as if I ever would? Me, kiss you? Cāmon, Mist, donāt be crazy.ā
āSo youāre just gonna deny it?ā she seethes back at him, only able to hold in her visceral instinctive violence at his insult by clenching her fists so tight her knuckles turn a splotchy red.
āOf course I am! I wanna know what makes you think Iād ever even bother doing something like that with you?ā
āIām not thinking anything, Mr. Pokemon Master! I know what I felt back there. Before Team Rocket and Jigglypuff came along, you were drinking ice water. And then when Jigglypuff put us to sleepā¦ It felt cold and moist! Like an eel or something slimy! I guess it suits you though, huh?ā she finishes deducing snidely, turning her nose up at him and jamming her hands against her hips.
After all, if he was gonna play dirty, why should she worry about keeping to a fair game?
āHey! JustĀ ācause you had some weirdo dreamĀ about me layinā one on ya doesnāt mean you get to make up lies! If I actually wanted to kiss you,ā there was a brief balking beat of quiet as both young teens blushed awkwardly at the thought and Ash cleared his throat to go the distance and finish his line,Ā āit woulda left you speechless!ā
āWell first of all, I didnāt dream anything, Ash Ketchum! I know what I felt, it happened right before we all fell asleep. And you were the only one nearby when we were knocked out so who else could it have been?!ā
āAll the more reason it probably wasnāt real,ā he responded with a resigned shrug and shake of his head.
āBut secondly, it goes without saying that I wouldnāt let you kiss me in a hundred years if I had any choice in the matter! Trust ya to take advantage of a girl falling unconscious! Youāre starting to remind me of Brock with moves like that!ā she huffs darkly with an icy stare, and despite everything (including the truth), heās left feeling like a shriveled slug ready to be crushed under her heel.
āI - I told ya already that I didnātāā
Any further debate of the subject is put on hold by the sound of a frantic scurrying as Pikachu dashes from behind some foliage and greets two of his favorite trainers, expression turning from cheerful to confused by the clearly aggressive stances and atmosphere greeting him.
āOh, hey buddy,ā the young male trainer begins hastily, gathering up their assorted supplies into his arms and smiling clumsily at him,Ā āI guess this took me longer than I planned. Did I worry ya? Itās fine though; Iām done so we can head back now.ā
He brushes swiftly past her, hoping the unbearable topic can be put to rest at least for now butā¦
āHey, donāt think this is over, Ash! Iām not letting you get away that easily! You better just admit it!ā
Misty turns so quickly on her heel that she feels something pull haphazardly in the wrong direction, flinching but otherwise belaying no knowledge of her self-induced injury, flying back in front of her tentative friend and glaring daggers at him.
When sheād first sneaked away from the groupās campsite to confront him, a small glimmer of hope had taken stead within her. This was her chance, sheād thought. Maybe she could finally seeā¦ what he really thought. After all, if something as explicit as a kiss had truly taken place between them, how could either of them go on acting like they didnāt care about one another? That they didnātā¦ love like each other in a romantic way?
But her hope was doused rather quickly in reality and sheās no longer looking to make it flourish anew. Now sheās looking for vengeance.
Ash Ketchum stole a kiss from her and is pretending it didnāt happen. Thatās entirely too unacceptable for her to let him walk away unscathed.
āPikapi? Pikachu kachu pikachupi?ā
But she wasnāt counting on an audience arriving for any part of their encounter.
āHeh, itās nothing, Pikachu. Just another silly fight, right, Misty?ā
āItās notĀ silly,ā she mutters furiously with watery eyes, blinking away enraged tears, clearing her throat,Ā āItās not silly to meĀ and I donātā¦ I canāt have you blowing it off. Earlier today when Jigglypuff sung their song and put us to sleep, you kissed me. Even if it was an accidentā¦ even if you donāt want to admit itā¦ whatās the harm, huh? I donāt want or expect anything else from you.ā
Ash stares evenly at her, no time to respond to her latest sentimental accusation.
āPikaā¦ā the electric mouse replies despondently, wriggling uneasily from his position on the groundā¦ before suddenly stiffening into a bipedal posture and leaping forward to grasp her around her ankle.Ā āPikachupi!ā
āWahā¦? Pikachu, whatāre you doing? Look, it may not seem like it but this is an important conversation between your trainer and I.ā
āPikachupi! Pika pikachu pikapi chu pika!ā
He doesnāt let up, doesnāt give her a chance to look away, draws Ashās attention as well to his one player game of charades. He points at them each individually, then himself before scrabbling up Ashās back and onto his shoulder. Finally, in true acrobatic spirit, he tumbles forward in a roll from the top of his trainerās torso, landing briefly in his arms before making an effort to flip into Mistyās.
Finally, he stretches up from where heās perched and taps his nose against her lips.
His cold, moist nose.
And Ash and Misty, both starting the show as a rather unanimously bewildered audience, end it with the same expression of wide-eyed comprehension dawning over them in a crushing wave.
Misty feels her bones turn to liquid in an attempt to disappear from the face of the earth before the words are even out of his mouth.
āI think what Pikachu is trying to say,ā and Ash isnāt sure if heās trying to hurt or help the situation at this point,Ā āis that heās your culprit.ā
(Soā¦ sequel? Iām thinking sequel. Anyway, hereās this request [semi-]fulfilled. It was meant to be more funny at first but of course I had to throw some dramatics in there. Imagine how guilty Mistyās gonna feel once the mortification and anger wear off, huh? :-D)
@pok3ship it means I sure would like to be. Alas, I'm dealing with a lot of financial, mental health, and writer's block issues currently. In fact it took sporadic dedication over the course of two weeks to churn out this latest fic.
Uuuugh... But I know about what appears to be the official shutdown of the Pokeshipping blog and I know Pokeshipping Week is coming up... I hope people (myself included) will find the passion and willingness to contribute.
The semi-darkness blankets them just well enough to not be able to clearly see one another, as well as to block out any distinguishable traits of the crowd chanting his name from beyond the veil.
āTheyāll likely be calling you out any second now,ā Lillie forewarns him with a kind smile, and he returns it before winking at the electric mouse curled over his shoulder.
āYa hear that, buddy? Itāll finally be our time to shine!ā he exclaims, pumping both fists tightly against his chest before loosening back up.
āPikachu Pikapi!ā
āI guess you should take this back, huh?ā Mallow asks offhandedly, holding out a rather familiar glimmering golden trophy. āThe adoring public will probably be expecting you to show it off now that youāre the first champion trainer of the Manalo Conference.ā
āAh, thanks,ā he replies rather bashfully considering, clearing his throat to shake off the briefly overwhelming nervous excitement and shuffling the trophy around in his arms until heās able to tuck it under one of them.
Adoring public, huhā¦? he mulls over internally with a wistful expression most canāt decipher.
Heāll never say it aloud but his initial thought after winning the final match against Professor Kukui is how he canāt even believe it. Ash Ketchum has practically been all over the world, heās seen more places than probably any other single person heās ever met before, won more gym challenges and participated in more leagues than he has fingers on the one handā¦ But he hasnāt taken home the gold until now.
Itās crazy to think that he was in disbelief over his own victory, over his own Pokemon teamās capabilities, at any point over the course of his adventure. After that thought - I canāt believe it! - had crossed his mind and faded away, heād shaken his head. Why couldnāt he? He and his Pokemon were plenty strong! If anyone else had asked him before the very moment heād blinked up at the sky and his surroundings in the very same stadium he was standing in now, basking in the afterglow of triumph, he would have guffawed in assured confidence and said it was only a matter of time!
The chanting grows ever louder as Professor Kukui speaks fondly of his experiences in breathing life into Alolaās Pokemon League, as well as his pride at having one of his own students best him in battle.
He knows heās probably two minutes or less away from being formally introduced as the reigning champion of the Manalo Conference. And, adversely, in the faint few moments before his induction, Ash Ketchum is suddenly overcome with a strange bout of nervousness.
Why would he doubt himself, even for a secondā¦? In what can almost be considered a trial run of a new league branch, does his win even count? What does the weight of the gold-glinting trophy in his arms mean for him and his next journeyā¦?
Perhaps sensing the sudden tension in his trainerās shoulders, Pikachu kneads his sharp claws into Ashās shirt, the young boy flinching from the minor pinch of pain in his flesh.
āPikapiā¦ā the electric mouse starts, nudging him affectionately in the jaw, āchu kachu pika?ā
āItās, uhā¦ itās nothing,ā he replies breathlessly, his fingers burning, paling as they strengthen the grip on his trophy. āIām justā¦ Itās weird but Iām okay.ā And he does what he can to blink away the uncertainty swarming after his statement.
This is stupid.
āWhatās going on, Mr. Pokemon Master?ā a rather sharp whisper snakes into his right ear, causing him to jump from its sudden intrusion into his consciousness.
āOh. Misty.ā
He says it like heās forgotten her existence, or at least as if heās forgotten the fact that she and Brock had bothered to take even more time away from their homes and their duties to see him compete in Alolaās league.
The redhead squints suspiciously at him in the low light, hands tucked behind her back throughout the course of her once over as she leans in ever closer. He thinks she must be angry at him for his previous tone. Little does she know this whole thing isnāt about her at all.
āYou look anxious.ā
ā¦. Okay, so maybe she does know.
Well, at least the basics. Thereās no way she knows him well enough to see the internal battlefield overrunning his mind.,, right? Not taking the risk, Ash Ketchum does what heās prone to do when Misty Waterflower happens to touch a nerve.
Deny. Deny. Deny!
āNo Iām not.ā Shame that such an intense and unfamiliar emotion seems to have taken control of his vocal chords, and the three word assertion sounded much more panicked than heād intended.
āWhy are you anxious?ā she asks, not accusatory, rather genuinely curiousā¦ Itās a bit perturbing if heās being (again, internally) honest.
āLike I said, Iām not! I dunno where ya got that idea, Mist.ā
This reply does him no good. Not only has he learned over the course of the past few years of knowing her that the redheaded trainer is unlikely to give up when she finds a debate worth pursuing but also it draws the attention of the rest of their group of friends.
He clears his throat, turns quickly on one heel, averts his gaze to the navy curtain before him. Lips clamped tightly shut, he hyper focuses on a streak of glitter in the fabric. Thereās no way heāll admit a darned thing!
āAsh,ā she asks more softly now, gaze sober, āwhatās going on?ā
Even though it feels like her voice is trying to peel him open and unveil the truth, the moment is interrupted by the bellow heās been dreading - er, expecting - for the past several minutes.
āAnd now it brings me great pleasure to present before you our first ever Alola champion trainer, Ash Ketchum!ā Professor Kukui shouts, the hanging drawing suddenly open wide enough for the young boy to step through.
But he doesnāt. Or rather, with an attempt at dislodging the sudden mass forming in his throat, he staggers a few measly inches forward. But no further.
āAshā¦?ā Misty mutters affirmatively from somewhere just behind him, clearly frustrated by his lack of boldness. The next thing he knows, he feels a palm and fingers spread across the small of his back, and heās lunged the rest of the way into the spotlight.
āCāmon! Youāve earned this!ā Comes the follow-up declaration of sharpened fervence and - oddly - thatās all it takes to wash all the turbulent negativity and apprehension away from him.
He grins at Pikachu through tightly drawn lips before his mouth opens wide in a whoop of joy, the trophy lifted as high as his scrawny arms can carry it as he takes off running towards the professor.
He doesnāt have much time to think about where his boundless glee stems from in all the building excitement. He doesnāt have the attention span to split between his induction speech and the tingling bundle of nerves at the low center of his back where Misty had previously physically supported him. He doesnāt even have the consideration to think in the moment that itās worth thanking her for her vote of confidence.
But instinctively, because he knows Misty as well as she clearly knows him, heās sure she wouldnāt tell him he deserved something if she thought otherwise. That not her style, heās certain. So if sheās backing him up here, itās because sheās aware of his (and his Pokemonsā) efforts, believes in their strength.
And honestly, thereās nothing in the world more capable of allaying his uneasiness than her telling him exactly what he needs to hear. Especially when heās not sure what that is until she says it.
Will we ever see more fanfics from you or your main account? You are really missed. I'm reading your stories all over again, and am still hoping you haven't given up. You're doing an amazing job and I just don't want these haters winning that stupid game. You brought already so much joy to the fandom; why throwing it away because of trolls that even aren't real, but living in space, because they don't have happiness in their own life? Your talent and person really's been missed. Love u <3
So this has been sitting in the inbox for a couple of days now and I feel I owe an answer. Lately I just havenāt had much energy for writing (itās something Iāve been struggling with for about a month or so where Iām always tired and have trouble focusing), but the biggest thing is that I havenāt had the time for it for many reasons. Iāve picked up extra shifts at my main job and started working a little side business (if you want to call driving for DoorDash/PostMates that) to make some extra money. My financial situation has taken precedence over whatever little hobby blogs I may run (and this is also why I created a venmo, cashtag, etc for the blog but nothing has come of that of course). There are other contributors to my lack of updates here but the aforementioned are most important.
As for myĀ āmaināā¦ Iām not sure what you mean as far as trolls and etc.Ā
Overall, I havenāt completely given up but I am feeling a little overwhelmed with and tired of everything lately and have about 5% of the free time I had when I first started this blog.
I wanted to post a quick update that Iām not giving up writing or closing the blog... Iāve just been struggling with motivation lately thanks to a bunch of different things including storms aābrewinā in the fandom as well as monetary troubles in real life that have put me in a position of working extra hours however and whenever possible. I also have been feeling weird physically (very mentally sluggish but I donāt really know how else to explain it) so itās harder for me to focus on a story when I get down to writing.
I promise this blog isnāt going anywhere. I hope I just need some time - maybe Iāll have a full day to myself this weekend (doubtful because $$ probs but eh) where I can just sit there and write... But until thereās a change, I simply wonāt be able to crank out 4-8 stories a week like I was until I can figure everything out.
Misty asking Ash "Am I better with the tail or the loose hair?"
āYāknow, Iād kinda like to grow it out,ā she muses aloud as she tightens her side-ponytail, staring at her reflection in the mirror hanging from the dining room wall.
Ash isnāt paying much attention, busying himself with scarfing down a second serving of the breakfast banquet his mom had prepared for their group upon their return from the Indigo League. Brock has decided to sleep in some, deciding heās on an unofficial vacation from being the groupās caretaker now that Mrs. Ketchum is around to help and more than up for the task.
Misty scowls at the reflection of her traveling companion (and tentative friend), obviously upset that heās ignoring her apparently uninteresting attempt at making conversation, twirling to face him and hands on her hips.
āAsh, did you hear me? I was talking to you, yāknow?ā she pushes further, taking a step forward towards the end in time with the enunciation of her second-to-last word.
The aforementioned trainer releases a bored sigh, busying himself with tearing in half an apple slice and giving one piece to Pikachu, taking the other one for himself.
āWhaādāya say, Misty?ā he asks, giving in to her agitation. Itās still far too early in the morning for a squabble after all.
āI was saying maybe I should grow my hair out!ā
The two of them stare each other down, Pikachuās nibbling slowing until the apple slice is merely sitting wedged in his teeth, probably preparing himself to get forcibly involved if things escalate.
āWell, whyāre ya tellinā me? What do I care about your hair?ā
Mistyās upper lip puckers in a pout though she doesnāt respond. Itās not really like she expects any enthusiastic input, she supposesā¦ She was just trying to have a nice conversation for once. And maybeā¦ some small part of her wondered what Ash thought about her.
A memory of him standing stock-still and slack-jawed comes to mind, taking place many months previous during a summer holiday festival. They hold hands, smile, and dance side-by-side for the rest of the night.
Presently, the redhead fervently shakes the affectionate recollection from her head.
āYeah, I guess itās dumb to talk to you about things like fashion. After all, the last thing you are is fashionable, Mr. Pokemon Master,ā she finally tells him, snobbily turning up her nose with a hmph! of indignation.
āHey, Iām plenty fashionable! My mom only buys me the coolest stuff to wear!ā
āYour mom?ā she replies now with a quirked brow, internally apologizing to the Ketchum matriarch who happens to be outside watering her garden at the moment.
āI - I meanā¦ā Ash stammers, clearly at a loss after their first round and trying to rearm himself for the second one. āI mean, why would ya wanna grow out your hair? Justā¦ fashion?ā he asks with arms wide in gesture.
āWell, itād be cute. I could do a lot more with it then, even if I still kept it up all the time,ā she shrugs, dancing on the inside now that theyāre having an earnest conversation. And sheād barely had to trick him into it! āRemember during the Princess Festival and my sistersā underwater mermaid play? Accessories always look better with longer hair!ā
Thereās some more staring, blinking, a faint humming as the preteen boy thinks it over, his fingers absentmindedly flexing against the back of his dining chair.
Finally, somewhat insightfully, he tells her, āI dunno about excessabries or whatever you saidā¦ but wouldnāt longer hair mean more time and work too? With all our traveling around and being on the road most of the time, it seems like a bad idea to do something thatās gonna make your, uh, daily rituals as my mom calls āem take any longer, yāknow?ā
āWow, Ash, thatāsā¦ actually a fair point. Iām impressed,ā Misty replies with a hint of a smile, stepping one or two paces closer. āWell then, never mind that for now. Iāll keep it short. Maybe instead Iāll just think about wearing it down more often.ā
āHuhā¦?ā Drats, and just when heād thought theyād finally dropped this dumb boring subject and more on to something more interesting!
āIām still talking about my hair, you dork. Hereā¦ā
She pauses a mere foot or two away from him, reaching up and grasping the blue hair-tie she always uses, softly tugging it loose until her short red tresses fall flat around her face, just barely reaching halfway down her neck.
āAm I better with the tail or the loose hair?ā
Thereās a sudden, distinct wrenching in Ashās gut that he knows better than to associate with his momās flawless cookingā¦ But that of course means it must have something to do with the situation playing out before him right nowā¦ right?Ā
He feels pleasantly sick looking at the even cut and color framing her cheeks and forehead like sunlight on a sandy beach, a perfect comparison likening her to her affinity. His tummy continues flip-flopping for the entire minute or so that she stands there, gazing at his jumbled emotions combating to see which one will show strongest on his face.
Pikachu releases an affectionate pikaa!Ā from beside him though itās unclear if this is in response to their tranquil moment or his independent reaction to Mistyās appearance.
The not-entirely-unfamiliar feeling of his electrical static nerves and the swarm of Butterfree fluttering to life in his stomach keep him so occupied that he canāt think of a verbal responseā¦ something Misty eventually notices.
āPfft, Ashā¦ā she giggles, breaking eye contact with soft rosy cheeks clashing against the red halo falling from her scalp.Ā āSheesh, you okay? I was just kiddingā¦ā Sheās back at full height, hair-tie wrapped around the fingers on one hand while she gathers her red hair to the left side of her head and proceeds to secure it like usual.
The spell is mostly instantaneously broken, the invisible Pokemon in his abdomen bursting out and away from him, his racing pulse slowing, the buzzing of his nerves softening to a thrum.
And yet he still canāt find the words.
āIāll only be letting my hair down on very special occasions. Yāknow, like the festival at Maidenās Peak,ā she reminds him somewhat softly, perhaps intrigued by his continued enamored silence.
Thatās a shame, isnāt it? a small echoing voice whispers from the back of his mind, and his eyes widen, lips clamping shut tight so such a thing canāt mistakenly be said aloud.
āOr, yāknow, when Iām sleeping,ā she adds in afterthought, reaching over him, grabbing an apple slice, and walking away with a shrug.
Ash finds his gaze trailing after her as heās abandoned at the dining table, trying to come to terms with the delicate scenario heās just escaped and the information heās been given.
A halfhearted twist pierces his gut again, running through and up his spine as he considers the image of his redheaded friend with her lopsided grin, faintly flushed cheeks, and her soft, thin hair fanning around her faceā¦ For lack of a better definition, the unpleasant pleasantness fills him up briefly once more.
Then he sharply stamps out his thought process, unsure of why it seems so intimate and strange and knowing that he canāt possibly keep going down this road. In ten or so minutes, his world has completely shifted to a different axis, and itās all he can do to grasp it and force it to stay the course.
Still, that soft, encouraging whisper goes on from the back of his mind, it might not be so bad to watch Misty sleep once in awhile.Ā
If it made his insides feel good after all, sneaking the occasional peak wouldnāt hurt anyoneā¦ right?
