They were approaching Pallet House. Ash, with Pikachu on his shoulder, began to get more nervous by the second. He in his tracks, which got him a confused look from Pikachu.
"Chu?" the pokemon asked.
"I don't think I can do it, Pikachu." he replied. "I'm nervous."
"Pika pika!" the pokemon said with a smile, patting his masters back.
"You're right, Pikachu. Im twenty-two now, I'm too old to be nervous about meeting up with a girl-- er, woman?"
Pikachu laughed and Ash looked ahead, that's when he saw her. He spotted her orange hair first. It was tied into a normal pony-tail, instead of her usual side one. And she was wearing a dress. His jaw dropped at the sight of her.
Misty in a dress? He thought to himself. Misty who traveled on a bike. Who hung around dealing with two boys, went through forests, and got messy catching pokemon put on a dress to meet up with me?
It was a nice, burgendy dress that hugged her top half but went flowy on the bottom. With little flower designs throughout it.
"A-Ash?" Misty stuttered. Ash had been too busy staring that he hadn't noticed she had walked over to him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Uh-uh.." Ash quickly shut his mouth and shook his head. "I-I wasn't staring.."
She crossed her arms looking up at him. Misty had always been a tall girl but now he was a good five inches taller than her. She would never admit it out loud but, she liked that. Very much.
"Well, you kinda were though, Ash." she replied, looking him up and down. This made Ash blush, of course.
"Well.." Ash took a breath. "You look great, Misty."
He smiled at her and she blushed and smiled back. She unfolded her arms and replied.
"So do you Ash." and she hugged him, and he returned the gesture. After a while, Pikachu, who had hid because he was embarrassed at the way his master had been acting, jumped out and into Misty's arms.
"Chu!" she caughted him and gave him a hug too.
"Oh you brought Pikachu too Ash!" she replied excitedly. "I've missed you, Pikachu!"
"Pika Pika!" the pokemon returned the embrace.
"Alright, alright." Ash said with a chuckle. "Lets go inside and get something to eat."
"Sounds good!" Misty replied.
They went inside and Ash's mom greeted them and gave Misty a big hug even this was officially the first time they had ever met.
She took their orders, including something for pikachu, and went to cook. Leaving Ash and Misty to catch up.
"Hey Ash?" Misty said with a little glint in her eye.
"Yeah?" he replied, a bit confused.
"Your voice got way deeper!" she replied.
They both began to laugh.
"And you've gotten way taller, too." she continued.
He nodded. "Guess its safe to say you're observant." he joked.
"It's not too hard to notice" she agreed with a light grin.
"Well, is it bad?" he asked her.
"Is what bad?" she asked.
"Change." he asked, looking down at the table.
"Sometimes." she replied, still smiling lightly and petting pikachu with one hand.
Ash looked up at her then, to question her. But just then, his mother came and brought them their food. Pikachu hurriedly ate his and went to join a few other pokemon whose owners were still eating.
"Thanks" they said in unison, and both laughed.
They began to eat and start small conversatiom inbetween.
"So how is it, being a gym leader?" he asked.
"Oh it's great!" she replied. "It's really fun to beat people!"
He laughed at that. Same old Misty after all.
"This boy came in once," she continued. "And he was wearing a hat just like the one your wearing" she pointed to him.
"Yeah?" he replied as he put his fork down and took a sip of his soda.
"Mhm." she nodded with a smile. "Do you know what he said to me?"
Ash shook his head, urging her to continue. "He said, 'your name's Misty right?' and I agreed of course. Then he said 'your one of Ash ketchum's friends, aren't you?' and I laughed, and told him a little about the time when you, Brock and I traveled together, and how my excuse was that you owed me a new bike.."
Ash choked on his soda. "W-wait! That was just an excuse? Then what's the real reason you began to accompany me?"
Misty's eyes went wide, and she reached over and hit Ash's hat so it covered his eyes. "That's not the point." she said, ignoring his question.
"Anyway! Then the boy said, "I want to be the best pokemon trainer, next to Ash Ketchum! Will you teach me? You've got to know how he does it by now, right?' so I agreed and he had this big smile on his face. It was the funniest thing Ash, he reminded exactly of you."
"Wow." Ash replied, a bit shocked really. "That...that's so cool!" he smiled.
"So.." Misty said looking into his eyes, since he'd already fixed his hat on his head. "How does it feel?"
"To have a kid look up to me? Well, I mean, Its awesome! Its just--"
"No." Misty interrupted him.
"No?"
"No." she continued. "How does it feel...to be the greatest master of them all?"
