Her Reason (Ash X Misty)

1- Hard To Be Happy

"Phew!" Ash huffed as he heaved his traveling pack up on the porch. He had just arrived back in Pallet Town to visit his mom for awhile. It had been awhile since he's taken a break from journeying to do so, so since it was winter break at the Pokémon school in Alola (and because the holidays were fast approaching), he decided he'd spend his days off back where it all began... in Kanto, at his home in the small town of Pallet.

"We made it, Pikachu," Ash beamed at his partner, who smiled.

"Oh! I'm so glad you're home, Pikachu!" Exclaimed an all too familiar voice, who immediately ran past her son and instead scooped up his pal, Pikachu, instead.

"Oh, and welcome home, Ash," bluntly responded the shameless Mrs. Delia Ketchum, who's son only face palmed upon his greeting.

She let him inside, offering to take up his belongings, but he insisted that he do it himself, no matter how tired he was from the very long and muggy plane ride from Alola to his home in Pallet Town.

Ash sat himself down on his bed, exhausted, while Pikachu scurried next to him.

He didn't realize how tired he was until he noticed that he was almost asleep when he heard a faint knocking at the door. He tuned it out when he heard his mother answer it and started to hear mummers. But he didn't bother. It was around evening anyway, so it's not like it would be anyone he was concerned with.

Before he noticed Pikachu's excitement, he jumped back at his loud, unexpected squeal.

"PIKA! PIKA! PI!" Pikachu leap off the bed and left in a flash.

"Pikachu..?" Ash asked the air, slowly regaining his awareness, "Pikachu!?"

"Is down here, sweetie!" Delia called up to him.

"Why?!"

His mom giggled, chuckling to herself the way mothers do, "Well, why don't you see for yourself?"

He was about to reply, but was stopped before the words could even form when he recognized the sound of her giggling joined in with his mother's. Ash let out a small gasp, before grinning wide like the child he was. It was her!

"Misty!"

He bolted up from the bed as if he wasn't just about to fall asleep, and ran out of the room to follow his buddy, Pikachu down the stairs to find his favorite orange-haired girl.

"Hey there, A-! Ah!" Exclaimed the girl as Ash had accidentally turned the corner too quickly and ran straight into her, bumping heads before falling to the floor.

"Ow!" They grunted at the same time, rubbing where they'd hit their heads, neither of them looking at the other yet.

That is, until Ash dared to peak, despite the usually painful throbbing in his head. She was wearing the same outfit she wore when they traveled with Brock through Kanto, Johto, and with Tracey through the Orange Islands. Her hair hadn't changed a bit, it still had the same appealing look to it that made her so differently... different... a good different, that is.

Although, it occurred to him, that he had -regretfully- forgot about how -need he think it- beautiful she was.

Yes, he had realized that the girls he has traveled with are indeed beautiful in their own way. But Misty seemed... different to him, and this was the first time he's seen her since he started thinking that way, so a little heat may have escaped to his cheeks.

After regaining his senses, he helped Misty up, "Heh, sorry Mist. You okay?"

"Yeah," Misty replied, while being lifted back to her feet by Ash, "It's okay," she said, dusting herself off.