"Hey Mist?"

"Mist?"

"Are you awake?"

Misty turned to the side. The room was dark, but she could see Ash's dark silhouette at the door of her bedroom, the blanket wrapped around him. She sat up and turned on her bed lamp.

"Ash? Are you okay? What's going on?" The redhead rubbed her eyes.

"I have to tell you something." He was frowning. It wasn't a good sign.

"Is everything okay?"

Ash walked over to Misty's bed and sat on the edge. He said, "I hid something from you."

Misty feared the worst. Yet, anything else other than a terminal illness was fine. She could take anything but losing her love interest to death. The redhead glanced at her digital watch. It was three in the morning. She had work in five hours.

"I did something you wouldn't like." He confessed.

"And what is it?" At least he's not ill.

"I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry I woke you up but I have to tell you this."

"Just say it, Ash."

"I signed up for two years of military service."

Misty's face fell. She gasped. "What?"

He stuttered, "I know I don't have to do it because I don't live in Kanto anymore but... I volunteered."

"You WHAT?" Misty gasped.

"I-..." Ash panicked. "Gary is going too. It's mandatory for him."

"DO I LOOK LIKE A CARE ABOUT GARY OAK?" Misty snapped. "ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME?"

"I'm just saying-"

"Don't say ANYTHING!" She shouted at him. "Are you telling me you just went to Kanto's Office in Sinnoh, signed yourself up for this and now going around as if nothing happened?"

Ash frowned. "I'm really sorry. I had no idea everyone would be mad at me."

"YOU HAD NO IDEA?"

"It's just two years... and phones are allowed now!"

Misty said nothing. She needed to regain herself. At three in the morning, Ash walks in her bedroom and tells her he's signed up himself for military service he doesn't have to do. She was devastated. He was supposed to be spared and happy about it! When he obtained his Sinnoh passport, he called her, crying from joy.

"What are you parents saying about this?"

"Both are very mad." Ash shrugged. "Even Dawn's mom. Dawn is okay... she was mad at first but not anymore."

"Well, add me to the list of the VERY mad people."

He slowly reached for her hand. "Please don't be mad."

"Do I have to remind you of all the times you complained about it when you were here?" Misty sighed heavily.

"I'm doing it because I want to. No one is making me do anything now. I'm not obliged to. I don't want anyone to force me to serve."

"Are you doing this because Gary Oak is going too?" She gave him a warning look.

"No." He shook his head.

"He is capable of dragging you into this!" What if he was jealous that Ash had a choice and he didn't? She was going to smash his face next time she sees him. She knew his usual coffee shop in Pallet town. He was doomed.

"He doesn't even know yet."

"Are you trying to enroll permanently or something?"

"No."

"Does your father want you to do this?"

Ash let a chuckle. "My dad HATES Kanto, Misty! He's taking this very personally."

"Okay. I guess I'll never understand why you did this." Misty brushed her hair with her fingers. "I can't say I'm happy about this, Ash. I'm not."

Ash bit his lip. "I'm sorry."

"Why, just..." She groaned. "When are you starting?"

"September."

"What? This year?"

"..."

Misty grabbed her duvet and put it over her head. "LEAVE!"

"I'm sorry!" He pulled the duvet away. "I'm really sorry I upset you, Mist!"

"Don't touch me!" She slapped his hand. "Where are you going to be based?"

"Here."

Her face fell. "What?"

"In... here." Ash bit his lip again. "There is a military base outside Cerulean city... it's not that far."

Can she even be happy about this? Even if he's here, she wouldn't be able to see him. Even the phone – he wouldn't have his phone all the time with him. She wasn't sure about this. Did she have the right to be happy?

Ash shifted, pulling his body closer to hers. "I get to be here with you after all these years."

"Ash, you're going to be in a military base. Do you even know what that implies?"

"Just thinking that you're not that far away... it's... it's enough for me."

Misty couldn't stop. Tears were already rolling down her cheeks.

"Is it true you went on a date with Gary?" He looked like he was about to cry too.

Misty's voice was wobbly. "I was lonely."

He brought her close in a hug. "I'm sorry. It's my fault." He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." She was sobbing. "It's not."

"I'm not sure why I'm crying right now." He let a chuckle through his tears. "I'm supposed to serve for two years in the army and now I'm crying because I keep thinking of you and Gary dating and having sex."

"It was one date. That bastard is not coming near me ever again."

"And what about me?"

She pushed him away from her. He chuckled.

"After you're done with that military service, we'll see if you're worth it."

"But you're considering me as an option and that's already great."

The redhead giggled and wiped her tears. He wasn't as dense as he pretended, was he?

"You're not an option." Misty began. She looked right into his eyes. "You're the option, Ash. I've always liked you and it's never changed."

"I damned my father everyday after he took me away." He looked down. "It was really hard for me."

"I remember."

"Even though my mom couldn't financially support me, I wanted to stay with her just to be with you."

"I know." Misty started crying again. "But it wasn't the best for you, Ash. It wasn't."

"And my dad has got this big house and just, everything in it – a housekeeper, a pool, a basketball field, just anything you want." Ash sighed. "Johanna and Dawn moved in and... everyone was happy but me. Dawn was trying to be my friend but I hated her guts and I was very mean to her. I made her cry. It got so bad at some point my dad and her mom were on the verge of breaking up."

He complained a lot during that time. Misty still remembers like it was yesterday. "You were confused."

"And during all of that, you were the only one I could talk and open up to." He stroked her hair. "And I can't stand being away from you anymore. I knew I had to come here to see you."

"Do you love me?" She needed reassurance. After all these years of loneliness and almost giving in to Gary because he reminds her of Ash, she needed reassurance. She needed something to hang on to.

"I mean, I'm not sure why I'm here. Am I? I took a cruise trip and then a train-"

"Ash!"

"Of course I love you, Misty!" He snapped at her. "Why would I make such a long trip to come see you if I'm not in love with you? Did I come here to see Gary's stinky smirk?"

"W-well... to see your mom?" It's like a set of fireworks exploded inside her.

Ash glared at her.

"Can you blame me?" She whined.

"Not really. I look pretty hot right now."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Your sisters were all over me, remember?"

"They were joking!"

"Don't you find me hot?"

Fireworks, more fireworks. Misty rubbed her temples. She looked her childhood friend in the eye. "Our friendship is officially ruined."

"You know what? Fine by me!" Ash shrugged. "I'm totally okay with that."

"Ask me out properly, Ash Ketchum." Misty bombed her chest. "Do you think I'm just going to let you in without any formalities?"

"I'm hot. Isn't that enough?"

"No."

"Okay." Ash crossed his legs on the bed. "Date me."

Misty gasped. "I said ASK; not give me an order! Do you think I care if you have muscles?"

"Will your highness please be my girlfriend?"

"I'm a queen."

Ash breathed heavily. "Will your majesty PLEASE be my girlfriend?"

"Uhmmmmm, ok."

"Good." Ash shoved Misty to the side. "Let's start by sharing this bed. I kept falling off the couch."

"What? No! You're not sleeping—hey!" Ash lay down and pulled Misty closer abruptly, crushing her cheeks with his biceps again.

"You're so small! Hahaha!"

Might as well let him. She will have to get used to her face being crushed by those biceps anyway, especially that she had a feeling he wasn't going to be leaving after he's done his service.

"Why are you trying to take off my shirt?"

END