Love Joy and Friendship (Pokeshipping)

Love Conquers All

"You understand that, right?"

She nodded feeling melancholy twisting in her heart.
"But," starts Ash looking up. "I'm not sure when I'll be leaving. Probably in a month or two tops." A small smile appeared in Misty's lips. She quickly wrapped her arms around Ash in an embracing hug. "I'm glad to hear," she mutters to him.
"To hear what? And why are you hugging me all of a sudden Misty? Care to tell me," Ash asked puzzled. Realizing this, Misty removed her arms and looked forward.
"How can I say this. Well you see as a Pokémon trainer you travel regions battling different trainers and trying to 'catch them all'. Honestly, I wish I can travel with you but I have my duties here as Cerulean gym leader. Do you... well... feel the same some way?" Ash looks at her and chuckles.
"Sure Misty. Of course I do. You, and Brock too, were the first friends I had traveled throughout the Kanto and Johto region with. Why wouldn't I want you to continue traveling with me. I felt sad that day we had to separate from traveling. And I'm glad to have seen you few times later on since then. Including now." Ash smiles and Misty smiles back.
"Speaking of those memories, why'd you decide to bring it up now Mist," Ash asks intending to figure out the answer. A light blush appears on her face but she shrugs it off. "Ehh I don't known, just felt like it was the right moment to. She shrugs to her answer. Ash stares deeply to her face and moves closer. Misty's face goes gawky. "You're lying, aren't you Misty." Her eyes widen. "You can tell," she asks him surprised. "Course I can. I'm not that dense you know. Unlike before I can tell when things are odd and you've been acting a bit different I guess you can say since we've been here. What's wrong." Ash puts a hand on top of Misty's giving her a bit of a serious look. "You know you can trust me. I won't make fun or hurt you in any way," Ash finishes with a smile on his face.
"You really want to know," Misty asks him quietly. Ash nodded his response. She sighs with a smile and looks at him, eye to eye and face to face.
"Well I guess I'm just-"

Splash!

"Huh," they both shortly replied as they turned their heads towards the water.

"What could that be," Ash asks leaning into the water. Misty gets up after him looking into the water. "It's a Magikarp," he exclaims. Misty's face then turns from wonder to quizzical yet blank. Of all the things to ruin the moment, it had to be a Magikarp, she complains to herself letting out a sigh.

"There seems to be two," he affirms. From the entrance of the lake, another Magikarp swims towards the first one. once in range, they started to circle around each other.

"They seem to be having fun," Ash then whispers to himself. The Pokemon then stopped and rubbed on each others' face with theirs with there eyes closed as if a hug. Ash seemed slightly puzzled at the scene. The Water-Type Gum Leader on the other hand couldn't help but smile.

"Well I'll be..." The Magikarps then swim side by side away from the pair. MIsty crouches down next to Ash. "That's something you don't see everyday." Ash nods in agreement. "Yeah." They say in silence as they stare at the rippling water. "So what we're you going to say again," Ash asks breaking he silence. She then opens her mouth to ignore the question but a sudden inspiration from the Water Pokémons turned from that.

"I guess..."

"I guess I'm just in love with you now," she mutters looking down staring at the now calmer water. Ash's eyes widen in bewilderment.
"You're in l-l-love with me?!" She only nodded.
"It's the truth. Laugh it out all you want. Be surprised that I of all people fell in love with you."
"I really am surprised you of all people did," he quickly repeated scratching his head.
"Is that supposed to be an insul-" she turned with an unimpressed expression. Ash waves his hands in defense before she can finish.
"I'm not trying to be mean I'm just really surprised. You haven't acted like that around me ever till now." Misty looks away.
"Sorry," he whispers. "A lot of the times in the past you're angry, abusive ish and, quite annoying." She looked away sadly biting her lip. "And as the child I was, I returned the action. I wasn't really hurting you physically, but I did yell and returned the apathy and anger you gave. But as I got older, even if it still bothers and scares me at times, it helped me realize how personalities like that can actually help you in the big world. I basically tried finding the good things hiding behind the scary personality." He turned her face and looked deep into her eyes.

"So in the end, I actually find your personality as a sign of female dominance. Somehow, I actually kinda like it," he said smirking. Her face turned redder than ever. Kinda, he said in his head scratching his cheek. "WHAT!!" He pulled away and started laughing loudly. "The expression of your face though!" Her red face boiled. "All those words you said just now were just for a reaction?!!" If Ash could ever recall the time where Misty looked her scariest, now would take her 1st place for a long while. "No! No! No! No!" Ash quickly said. "Not a reaction. I actually meant every word I said and these." He took her hand and with a wink, kissed it.

"I love you too."