So I decide it's time I do a little pokeshipping… I don't know how good this will turn out, so I guess we'll have to see. I find it kind of hard to write stuff between Misty and Ash, because in my mind Ash will always be too immature (even though he's not really anymore in the D/P series.. It's just how I've known him while he was traveling with misty) with stuff to do with relationships, while Misty would never admit how she feels in a million years. Soooo I'll try my best not to make everyone so OOC. But if I do, I apologize.

There's going to be some slight contestshipping as well… I can't resist.

(I ask myself… Why do I always write stories that involve the main character's birthday party? I don't know. So don't ask me xD)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Ash, honey! You can't be leaving already!"

Ash froze in the doorway of his house in Pallet town. He had his new outfit on and his bag slung over one shoulder and Pikachu on the other. He was just putting on his shoes as silently as he could, planning to slip out of the door without anyone noticing, bright and early in the morning. Unfortunately, that didn't work. His turned around to see his mom standing at the foot of the stairs, her eyes wide and her arms crossed.

Damnit, he thought. "Uh, no, mom, I was uh…" Even after nearly sixteen years of living in this world, he had never learned how to lie convincingly. "I-I was just going out to see my pokemon at Professor Oak's lab!" He finished, thinking, yeah, that aught to do it.

Luckily, his mom was oblivious as ever. "Again? Oh, well tell him I say hi! And ask him about that new pokemon food he said he'd give me for my sweet Mr. Mime."

"Yeah, sure thing, mom!" Ash opened the door, thinking, great, now I have to go all the way up there. Well, I wouldn't mind seeing all my pokemon again.

He was just about out the door when his mom stopped him, again. "Ash, before you go sprinting off to that new region you keep talking about, how about you stay home for a bit?"
Ash sighed. "But mom…"

"I know, honey, I know. It's just…" Delia paused. "Your sixteenth birthday is coming up in a few days! I was thinking maybe you could have a party!"

"A… party?" Ash considered this new idea. He hadn't had a real birthday party at home since he was ten. After that he would just celebrate his birthday with whomever he was traveling with at the time.

"Yes, a party! You can invite all your friends … You know, I would really like to meet them all, and see the ones I already do know again." Delia looked at her son expectantly.

Ash considered, and then smiled. "Okay, mom, that sounds like a good idea. I'll be back soon."

And he was out of the door in a flash.

"Oh, that Ash. What will I do?" She smiled a sad little smile.

* * * * *

Ash sat down in a field where Professor Oak kept all of the pokemon he was looking after. Scratching Bayleef on the head, he considered what his mom had proposed. It was, in fact, a good idea. He would get to see all of his old friends he hadn't seen in awhile, like May, Max, Gary, Ritchie, Misty…

Misty. Boy, how he missed her. The last time he saw her he was fourteen. She had come to visit him in Sinnoh for a few days, which had turned out to be some of the best days he had had in a long time. They had fought, she swore at him, they talked, they caught up, they fished, they fought some more, she cursed him some more…

It was just like the old days, when they had traveled together in Kanto and Johto.

He had changed a lot since the between the time she saw him in Hoenn and the time she saw him in Sinnoh. Even Ash knew that. His voice was deeper, he was more mature, he was somewhat taller (though not as much as he wished) and he had learned how to treat and act around girls. Though Ash didn't know that, Misty, to her delight, had sure noticed. She subtly hinted that to him, but he was as clueless and dense as ever. That, for sure, had not changed.

Just think how much she'll have noticed I've changed since then, he thought, flexing his muscles, which had become more toned. He wasn't the scrawny little boy she knew so well anymore, but more built and fit. He was almost starting to catch up to Brock in height. About time, too.

"Bay, Bay!" Bayleef rubbed her head against Ash affectionately, snapping him out of his reverie. He stood up, pat Bayleef, and started walking towards the Lab. Many of his pokemon, Bulbasaur, Noctowl, Cyndaquil, Glalie and Swellow, to name a few, had crowded around him, nudging him to play or battle with them.
"Sorry guys, I have to go see Professor Oak," he said, smiling at them. A chorus of protests sounded from the crowd, and Ash gave in, laughing. He missed traveling with them all so much, and he was sure they missed him. So why not hang out with them some more?

The sun was setting low on the horizon towards the west by the time Ash was walking down the path from the lab. Pokemon food bag in hand, he strolled towards his house, glancing up at the pale orange sky.

"You know what, Pikachu?"

"Pi, pika pi?" Pikachu responded from his left shoulder.

"I think I'm kind of starting to get excited about this party. I really miss everyone, and I know you do too. It would be a great way to start off our journey to the next region!"

"Pika," Pikachu agreed.

Ash opened his door and strolled into the house, a pleasant smell wafting through the air. He walked into the kitchen at the demand of a loud grumbling from his stomach. It's so nice to just have a fridge to come to eat whenever you're hungry, he thought, rubbing his stomach. He opened the fridge door and took out a half empty carton of pecha juice. Next, he raided the cupboards and found his favourite granola bars, right where his mom always kept them.

He chugged back the entire remaining juice and shoved the granola bar into his mouth.

"Ash!"

"Huh?" Ash looked up to see his mother, arms folded and leaning against the wall.

"Now now, I appreciate that you're a growing boy and need your food, but you'll spoil your supper!"
"Aw, come on mom. I'm hungry!"

"Dear, I'm sure you can wait twenty minutes until supper's ready," said Delia as she stirred a pot of spaghetti sauce on the stove.
"Are you kidding?" Ash munched on the last piece of the granola bar.

"Honey, how did you manage when you were out traveling, got lost and were starving?"

"But mom, I'm not out traveling, I'm at home!"

"There's no different, sweetheart," Delia replied as she stirred pasta into a pot of boiling water.

"Pikaa, pika pika pi!" Pikachu laughed from the counter.

"Aw, buddy, you're supposed to be on my side." Ash frowned at Pikachu.

"Now, as for you!" Delia swung around suddenly and picked up Pikachu. "You can eat any time you want!"

"Pikaaa!" Pikachu nuzzled into Delia.

"Fine, whatever," Ash grumbled as he flung himself into a chair in the kitchen. Trust Pikachu to take mom's side.

"Now, honey," Delia started.

"What, mom?" Ash replied, doodling on a piece of paper that he found on the table.

"I think we should start to plan your party!" Delia swung around to face her son. "See that piece of paper there? You should start by making a list of who you want to invite."

Ash looked down and swallowed. The piece of paper was now covered with random doodles of pokemon coming out of pokeballs and gym badges.

"Uh, yeah, sure thing." He flipped the piece of paper over.

* * * * *

By the time supper was ready, Ash had made most of his list, involving a total of nine people.

It was as follows:
Misty
Brock
May

Max
Dawn
Gary
Tracey
Morrison
Richie
Man, he thought. Only nine people? I must have forgotten somebody…

Ash's mother came and peered over his shoulders as she placed the spaghetti on the table. "Nine people? Don't you have more friends than that, Ash?" she asked.

Ash & Pikachu sweatdropped. "Uh," Ash said, "Well all of my pokemon are going to be there, of course. That adds another twenty or something." He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he filled his plate with as much food as it could hold and starting chowing down.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
So that was the first chapter! It's a bit dull now, I know, but it's just to get us started ;) Reviews would be nice… Suggestions on what I should do. As you know, I need something to happen between Misty and Ash, but how can I do it without making them so OOC?

And also, if you noticed that I missed anyone important on the list of who Ash is inviting to his party, please let me know!

Thanks for reading :)