Epilogue time! I finally got the ending I wanted. Thanks everyone for the reviews and encouragement. Not sure how Brock managed to get the final word in so many times, but here it is, short and sweet.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

The Show Must Go On – I'll Tell You What's in the Daily News

Encore: Guys and Dolls

"It's here," Daisy called musically as she entered the room. She made a face as she realized her presence wasn't enough to faze the couple making out enthusiastically on the couch. She wacked the two with her newspaper like a naughty growlithe puppy.

"Thank god," Dawn cried gratefully, her facial expression similar to Daisy's. "It's enough to make me want to revisit my breakfast."

"Is the like review in?" Violet asked, entering the room with her twin sister before Ash and Misty could retort. Brock followed on their heels like the lovesick fool he was.

Daisy sent him a brief glare that silently told him that it was his job to supervise the newly coupled teens and that he had failed in that respect. Brock, having been subjected to Misty's fierce stares for almost three years, was unaffected by this.

"I don't want to know," Misty proclaimed loudly. "As far as I'm concerned it was a success," she added softly, sharing an adoring gaze with her best friend-cum-boyfriend.

"It says it like wasn't even in the same league as 'The Misty Mermaid'," Violet said almost snootily, pre-emptively cutting off what would have led to more emotional scarring for the thirteen-year old Dawn.

"Give me that," Misty said, jumping out of her seat and snatching the paper from her sisters. She read the title out loud: "More box office success for the Sensational Sisters of Cerulean."

"O_o," Dawn said, eyes going wide. "What does it say about me?"

Misty frowned, unsure of how to break it to the young girl. "It says 'Dawn Berlitz, who played the part of the mermaid grabbed the audiences attention early in the show, but the youth of this actor made her unconvincing as the romantic lead, making it easier for the fickle audience to shift their attention to the other love interest introduced later in the story – much like the prince.'

"I'm sorry –" Misty started to say, but Dawn cut her off with an excited squeal.

"This is so awesome! My name is in the newspaper! I've got to call my mom!" she cried as she ran out of the room.

"What about me, Myst?" Ash asked with a smile, giving her a cheeky wink.

Misty continued to read aloud, a slight blandness to her voice although she smiled cheekily at the boy in question. "'Ash Ketchum's portrayal of Prince Philippe is inconsistent playing shallow and contrived one moment, and heart-felt truism the next. Clearly a genius move by the director of this piece to counterpoint the difference between Philippe's true love for Lady Misty and his false love for the mermaid.'"

Brock laughed loudly at this. "Only Ash could act so badly they thought it was on purpose," he joked.

"I wasn't that bad?" Ash asked, looking to his girlfriend for some sympathy.

"You were," Misty admitted with a grimace. "But that's how I knew you meant it when you said you loved me," she added cheerfully, kissing his forehead reassuringly.

Brock picked up the discarded newspaper as the two settled back down on the couch, wrapped in one another's arms. He skimmed the piece and sniggered as he came to a particularly interesting part.

"It says here that 'the Sensational Sisters have brought back the mysterious villain's who debuted in the final performance of 'The Misty Mermaid' almost four years earlier'," he commented with a smile. "They got a pretty good review, actually. Maybe they should consider changing professions."

"Skip to the end," Daisy suggested. "It's the second to like last paragraph."

Brock did as he was told. "'Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower's incredible on-stage and off-stage chemistry once again had the audience enraptured' . . ." he trailed off, unable to withhold his laughter. "Once again?!" he chuckled loudly. "I wonder if there was anyone out there that didn't already suspect it. And that one wasn't even a romance?!"

Even Ash and Misty couldn't help but laugh at that comment.

"Oh crap," Ash muttered as his eyes widened in terror. "What newspaper is that in?"

"Kanto Times," Brock replied, flashing the newspaper at Ash and revealing the coloured photograph of Ash and Misty staring adoringly into one another's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Uh . . . it's nothing," Ash replied sheepishly, unwinding his arm from Misty in order to scratch the back of his neck nervously. "It's just that . . . well, I-"

He began to explain, but was cut off as Dawn cried his name from the other room. "Ash!" she called. "You better get here quick. Your mom's on the phone, and she seems pretty pissed about something."

"You didn't tell her?" Misty asked accusingly, pushing herself away so that she could glare at him.

"I guess I was a little preoccupied?" he offered helplessly, the inflection in his voice bearing his downfall.

"And exactly what is that supposed to mean?"

"Uh . . . well . . . I think I better go tell Mom the good news," he suggested quickly, jumping up from his seat. He raced towards the next room, choosing the lesser of two evils – sure his mom was probably going to kill him, but that was nothing compared to what Misty would do to him.

"Oh no you don't!" she screamed, propelling herself from the couch and chasing after him. "You come back here Ash Ketchum and explain yourself before I mallet you to death! You hear me!"

Brock and the Sensational Sisters just shook their heads as their wide eyes stared at the couch previously occupied by the two.

"I think I like, liked them better when they were making out," Daisy suggested, groaning almost painfully.

"I think I liked them better when they were like angsting over their unrequited feelings," Violet countered with a shake of her head.

"I think I liked it better when they were like denying their feelings and being all cute and blushy," Lily offered in memory of the good old days before the hormones took over.

Brock just sighed happily.

"God I missed this."

~ THE END ~