STARRY RAIN

oooooooooo

Hello, everybody!

Well, this is a bit of an unusual situation for me. What you are about to read, in fact, is my very first lemon fanfiction, involving one of my absolute favourite pairings ever. Of course, I'm talking about the Ash / Misty pairing, commonly known as Pokeshipping... and in other to test my skills in more adult territory, I decided to give an M-rated story a shot, and see if I can write it tastefully enough.

The characters appearing in this fanfiction are legal adults already, before anyone asks... well, better get that out of the way, inorder not to get in trouble later! ^^

Pokemon and all related trademarks belong to Nintendo, Satoshi Tajiri, and the late Takeshi Shudo. I am making no money out of this fanfiction, so please don't sue!

Characters might be a tad bit OOC, but keep in mind that they're older than what we're used to see, and it's inevitable that they have changed a little.

Oh, one more thing: this story is part of the saga I'm writing, the same one that started with Heart Soul Adventures. However, it can be enjoyed well enough as standing by itself. Some elements might have you puzzled, but they're not important to understand what's going on - they just refer to events that will transpire in my story.

That said, I am done with the introduction. Enjoy, and I hope you like it!

oooooooooo

Starry Rain

"This is all your fault, Ash Ketchum, you know that, right?" 19-year-old Misty Waterflower asked sarcastically as she tried to somehow get some rainwater off herself... she and her boyfriend, standing near her, were pretty much soaked, all thanks to a sudden storm that had struck the Fight Area with only the barest of warning, and was now mercilessly hammering the beautiful tropical island!

"My fault?" her boyfriend Ash Ketchum, who had just a few months earlier turned eighteen, protested as he tried to find shelter from the rain... which was hard, in the middle of such a huge shower, and with so few natural covers. "Now, how is any of this my fault?"

Misty wrinkled her nose. "Well, maybe if you hadn't stopped to challenge those trainers, we would be at the bungalow, now, and quite dry... but nooo, Mr. Pokemon Master just had to stop to duel them, while the storm was brewing... and this is the result!"

"But those guys were Elite Four material, I tell you! I mean, they even forced Pikachu, Charizard and Infernape to go all out!" Ash tried to defend his position. "How often do you get the chance of facing people like those?"

"Pika pi, pika pika chu, pikachu!" Pikachu squeaked as he tried to take cover under the ample leaves of a palm-like tree. The electric mouse seemed to have said that it still wasn't a good excuse to stay there as the weather worsened, and to get soaked in rain!

"Oh, come on, Pikachu, whose side are you on, anyway?" Ash lamented, a huge sweatdrop pouring from behind his head. The aspiring Pokemon Master sighed, understanding that there was not much he could say in his own defense, and took a glance towards the end of the small forest they were in. "Alright... but I maintain that we couldn't miss that chance to practice! Anyway, that aside... at this point, our bungalow isn't that far away, so how about we race there and try to reach t as fast as possible? At least we won't stay under the rain for much longer..."

"Alright..." Misty said in a resigned tone. With all the water pouring from the sky, they could even have run as fast as a Rapidash, and they would still be completely washed up by the time they arrived... but there wasn't much of a choice, considering the downpour was not slowing down anytime soon!

Ash picked up Pikachu and held him tight as not to leave him behind... and after winking to his starter, he grabbed his girlfriend's hand and motioned for her to get ready. Misty nodded as she brushed some hair away from her face... and after the trio had taken a deep breath, mentally preparing for the shower they were about to take, they dashed madly towards their temporary home and along the muddy road, accelerating as much as they could while the rain washed them all over! Ash, Misty and Pikachu felt the drops of water fall on them without mercy as they got closer and closer to a pretty house tht was already visible in the distance... a house on the ground floor, with a reclined roof, that seemed to be a bungalow for tourists... but even looking at it from outside, it was clear that it was a lot larger and had a lot more commodities.

In fact, that was the house Ash and Misty were staying at for the months the young aspiring champion was about to spend training in the Battle Zone, in preparation for his challenge to the Elite Four and the Kanto Champion. After returning from a long and adventurous training journey all over the world, together with his inseparable friend Pikachu and his now-girlfriend Misty, Ash had a feeling he had become strong enough to at least attempt to challenge the most skilled trainers in the Kanto League, in order to finally make a grab at the coveted title of Pokemon Master. Lance, seeing in the young man someone with the potential to surpass him, had suggested him to temporarily take residence in Sinnoh's Battle Zone, a place where he would get the chance to fight many of the strongest trainers around, and train his Pokemon for any possible happening. Among many other things, there were resort in which many Gym Leaders, even from foreign countries, met from time to time, as well as several places where his Pokemon would get the chance to develop his Pokemon's skills. Especially the so-called Stark Mountain, upon which the Legendary Pokemon Heatran was rumored to dwell... In other words, the perfect place for a trainerwho wanted to push himself to his limit!

And since he had the chance to bring someone along for those months of training, Ash had asked Misty to come along with him... and the redheaded girl, enticed both by the chance of staying with her boyfriend and the opportunity to train her Water-type Pokemon - including those she had met in Unova - had promptly accepted! Lance, glad to hear that Ash was ready to face the last part of his journey to the title of Pokemon Master, had set up one of the bungalows placed in the Fight Area for the two lovers, and in a few days' time, after As had chosen the team he would use in the deciding battle (Pikachu, Charizard, Infernape, Sceptile, Samurott and Heracross), the trio composed of Ash, Pikachu and Misty had moved in the small yet cozy apartment, close enough to one of the tropical island's golden beaches.

Up until that day, training was going well enough. Even Misty had had the chance of training her Water-type Pokemon and make them stronger than they had ever been. However, on that day, the unexpected had struck in the form of that heavy downpour... and when Ash, Pikachu and Misty reached the house that would have been their home, and got under the roof, they were positively dripping with rainwater and looked downright ridiculous: especially Pikachu, thanks to his fur getting ruffled to the point of making him look like a sparking yellow furball crackling with electricity, with paws and ears jutting out!

"Well... we did get in a dry place, in the end!" Ash commented with a pacifying smile. "Wasn't so bad after all, was it? We didn't even get all that wet..."

"Pika pi..." Pikachu squeaked in exasperation, after shaking the most part of the water of himself.

"Yeah... we didn't even drown in all that rain, after all!" Misty said sarcastically as she squeezed her long red hair and caused several drops of water to fall on the entrance steps. "Okay, I may be a Water-type trainer, but this is kinda pushing it... don't you think so as well?"

Ash toweled his hair dry as much as he could with a towel that had been placed nearby, then shrugged nonchalantly... "Well, look at things this way, Misty... at least we're covered now, and we don't have to worry about the rain anymore! C'mon, guys, let's dry ourselves up a little, then get back inside, we have done more than enough training for today."

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, feeling quite tired from the battles he hadsustained on that busy day. Even Misty was okay with what her boyfriend had suggested, and after a few minutes had passed, so that they could get as much water as possible off of them, the three entered their temporary home, longing for a chance to sit down at a table and enjoy a nice dinner while watching some TV.

"Ah, home sweet home! Even though we have only borrowed it for the training period!" Ash commented warmly. The bungalow that Ash, Misty and their Pokemon were living in for the moment was a simple yet cozy place, with the living room and the kitchen joined in a single room, and a few doors on the opposing side taking to the bathrooms, the bedrooms and the garden. The lights were off at that moment, with the only source of light being the natural light from the outside, with the occasional lightning bolt here and there, allowing Ash, Pikachu and Misty to catch a glimpse of the tables, chairs, sofas and whatnot...

Ash, Misty and Pikachu entered, and the redhead turned the lights on as Ash closed the door behind them. Luckily, the storm had not caused a blackout, and it was still rather early in the evening - six o' clock at most. They had quite a bit of time to clean themselves up and relax before dinner... a dinner that was probably going to consist of the canned and pre-cooked food they used to buy from the Resort Area. since neither of them was anything to write home about as a cook...

"Phew... man, I hope I never run into such a downpour again... I'm happy to have gotten inside!" Misty said. "Well, Ash, since we're home now... how about we take a shower and get some dinner ready? After all, it's not like we're in a haste to go outside again, right?"

"I... guess not!" Ash answered, somewhat uncertainly. Now that the urgency of the moment was gone, and with the quiet atmosphere that could be felt inside that house, which seemed like a tranquil oasis in the midst of the storm... Ash suddenly felt a little awkward, though he didn't exactly know why. "O... Okay, Misty, then... we go back to our rooms, we change in some dry clothes, and... catch you later, okay?"

"Of course..." Misty answered with a shy smile. It was a rather odd feeling, since she though she had won over her embarassment towards Ash when she had become his official girlfriend. Instead, since a few days earlier, she was beginning to have a strange feeling when she and her boyfriend were home together, after the training was done for theday. Nothing that gave any problem to their relationship, but it was a little puzzling to her...

Pikachu himself could see that something new was bothering his trainer and the redhead, while they were still very much in love with each other... there was something the two of them couldn't tell each other, and Pikachu hoped they would sort out their feelings soon, before it could become a problem. Shrugging, he followed Ash as he and Misty waved to each other and went to their respective rooms to change...

oooooooooo

Misty heaved a sigh of relief as she exited the bathroom after taking a nice hot shower, clad in a soft white towel, her hair loose. After making sure the bathroom was back in order, the Water-type trainer walked to the Pokeballs she had placed near her bed and, smiling in a motherly way, opened them one at the time, letting her Pokemon out in the huge bedroom: her trademark Starmie, her Gyarados, her Azumarill (who had evolved from her Azurill), her Kingdra (the evolution of her Horsea), her Alomomola (a Pokemon looking like a pink ocean sunfish she had caught in Unova)... and her Psyduck, the Pokemon who had been with her for the longest time aside from Starmie! Those were the six Pokemon she had chosen to take with her as she joined Ash in his training journey, while the others had remained in the Cerulean Gym in the (more or less) capable hands of her sisters. Smiling kindly, Misty sat on her bed, letting Azumarill and Starmie sit with her.

"Hi, everyone..." Misty greeted her Pokemon, stroking her Gyarados' head as he got closer like an affectionate dog! "Sorry if I come to you like this, but Ash really had me running today! You know how he is, when he really gets going with his training, even bombs wouldn't be enough to distract him!"

"Alo! Alo!" her Alomomola exclaimed somewhat snobbishly, shaking her dorsal fin. She, too, had had a chance to know Ash during their travels through Unova, and she knew what kind of person he was. "Alo momo, momola?" she asked right after, noticing that her trainer seemed somewhat distant and distracted.

"King!" her Kingdra answered with a nod. After blinking in surprise, Misty giggled, understanding that there was no way to hide certain things to her Pokemon... it was better to just come clear about it, maybe it would have let her feel a little less embarassed.

"Well... you're right, guys, there is something that's bothering me. It's been several days, actually..." the young redhead answered as she scratched Azumarill behind one ear. The blue bunny-like Pokemon looked at her trainer straight in the eyes, seeing how she seemed lost in her thoughts at the moment. "I mean, it's nothing really serious... I love Ash, and I know he loves me as well... after all, he has gotten a little more mature, and he isn't just thinking of Pokemon and tournaments! It's just that... well, I'm not sure what it is, but it's a strange feeling I get from time to time, since we've come here a few days ago. It may be because we're older now, or that it's just the two of us here... but... you see, sometimes I'd just like to..." She blushed, thinking of the implications of what she was about to say. "To get... a little more intimate with hi, do I explain myself?"

"Psy, ay?" Psyduck quacked as he lolled his head on one side. Misty sighed tiredly, used to the duck Pokemon's brilliance, or rather lack thereof... while Alomomola and Kingdra seemed to get what Misty was trying to say. Still, Misty and her Pokemon seemed to drop the subject, and simply sat together, enjoying their company for a while, at least until the redhead sat up. "Oh, well... guess it's something I and Ash will have to work out for ourselves... I'd better give you something to eat, right now! With all the training you did today, you must be as hungry as a Snorlax, right?"

"Azumarill!" Azumarill squeaked, and even Starmie, despite not even having having a face to speak of, managed to express her assent by spinning on herself and flexing two of her appendages as if they were muscles!

"Heheheee... alright, guys, I'll see about giving you a double portion!" Misty giggled, as she took a look at the wardrobe she kept her clothes in.

oooooooooo

The redhead had no way of knowing that Ash was thinking along similar lines for once, even as he gave his Pokemon a generous helping of their favourite foods! Heracross was happily sucking on a dish filled with honey, taking care not to waste even one drop of it, while Charizard and Infernape were busy competing over who could eat the most chilli-covered, pepper-sprinkled pieces of meat. The more refined Sceptile was sipping on some fruit, casting a glance to his friends and rivals... ever since Charizard had rejoined Ash's team, there had always been some sort of unspoken rivalry between him, Infernape, Charizard and Meganium in order to see which of them was the young trainer's favourite, and Samurott was even about to enter the rivalry himself!

Ash chuckled as he watched his Pokemon eat to their hearts' content, thinking that at least they didn't seem to have his same dilemma - sure, he loved travelling with Misty, and their relationship had gotten a lot closer, what with the adventures they lived together throughout Kanto, Johto, the Sevii Islands, Unova, Orre and who knows where else. Still, ever since he and Misty had begun living together in that sort of bungalow, the young boy had begun feeling some sort of strange emotion every time they were alone, inside their temporary home and close to each other. Sure it was love... but a different kind of love, that contained a longing for getting closer...

Dare he say it? For getting more intimate...

Why not? After all, they were legal adults, in love, and Ash had gotten more mature ever since he had gone to Sinnoh and had met Dawn. He now did understand such things... but for this very reason, he was a little reluctant about speaking about that to Misty, out of fear of offending her or something...

Pikachu, who had the biggest knack for reading his trainer's thoughts, looked at Ash and bent one of his ears in an inquisitive way. "Pika pi?" he asked after swallowing abite of his food. Even the other Pokemon interrupted their meal and looked at their trainer, asking themselves what he was thinking right then...

"It's alright, Pikachu... everyone..." Ash answered as he caressed his electric mouse on the head... and retreated his hand all of a sudden because of a small electrical discharge that numbed his fingertips for a few seconds. "Ow! Man, Pikachu, you sure get really charged with all this rain!"

The cute yellow mouse sighed in apology. "Pika pi chu... Pika, pikachu pi pika pika chu?" he asked, turning back to the previous issue.

Ash nodded, once again impressed at how Pikachu managed to hit the nail on the head. "Well, that's pretty much it, in a nutshell... it's about Misty..." he answered, as he began searching for something to put on for the evening. "It's a strange feeling I've had in a while, whenever I'm with her... I don't really know how to explain it myself, but it's a feeling I have never felt before, while I was with her. Might be this island's climate, who knows..."

Pikachu scratched his temple and chuckled as well, while a huge sweatdrop poured down his head. "Pika pi..." he squeaked, understanding that his trainer still had some way to go about certain things... and even Sceptile, who had had some experience in the field while Ash was making his way through the Hoenn League, spun his blade of grass around and shook his head...

The naive Heracross, on the other hand, looked at his teammate Samurott (the evolved form of the Oshawott he had met in Unova) in order to ask him what his trainer and the other Pokemon meant by that... and the samurai otter, with the same stoic expression of the ancient warriors he modelled himself after, nodded at him as if asking him to be patient, as things would be clearer soon...

oooooooooo

Several minutes after...

Now that his Pokemon had eaten and had gone to sleep, the incessant rain an a few distant thunderclaps as background noise, Ash was taking a look at the food he and Misty had in reserve, trying to decide what to have for dinner. Those were the moments in which he regretted not being as good a cook as Brock or Cilan... if only he had been able to do something more in the kitchen than just opening cans and frying eggs, dinner would have been a little more varied. Not that Misty seemed to really mind, which was fortunate, as the pretty redhead was just as bad a cook as he was...

"Well... guess we'll settle for some tunaand salad tonight... and I'll whip out some fruit as well." Ash told himself, looking at the provisions they had. "Boy, had I remembered that Misty doesn't like tomatoes, I wouldn't have bought so many... Okay, let's get down to business! I'd like to eat something as well..."

"Need a hand, Ash?" Misty asked him, coming in from the corridor taking to the girl's room. The young man, a little surprised that his girlfriend had finished so early, turned in her direction and remained stunned for a second when he saw how Misty was dressed!

The girl was wearing a white short-sleeved t-shirt, with stylized Water Pokemon drawn in front of it, and tied up so that her stomach could clearly be seen; and a pair of shorts that didn't even reach halfway along her thighs! Her hair was loose and still damp from her shower... and above all, she looked really fascinating and seductive, to the point where Ash had to wonder whether Misty had purposedly dressed like that in order to make things more spicy! And to think Ash had seen Misty in a swimsuit before, and she never effected him like that...

"Er... it's okay, Misty! Don't worry, I have things under control here!" Ash answered as his girlfriend got closer, seemingly oblivious to the effect she was having on him. Seeing her dressed like that was already enough to embarass him a little... and her loose hair, and her bare stomach and feet gave Misty an extra touch of sex appeal that the eighteen-year-old Ash couldn't ignore.

Sure, Ash wasn't dressed much more sharply himself, as he was barefoot himself and wearing a grey sleeveless shirt and long blue-jeans, so that it was clear that he had put up some muscle with time - after all, so many years spent training Pokemon, travelling around the world, and getting through trying experiences will have an effect!

Sure, it also had its downsides... which were visible in a few scars both of them had on their bodies: Ash's shoulder had a rather noticeable X-shaped scar upon it, from a serious injury he had sustained in Unova, while a discolored patch of skin was visible on Misty's belly as a reminder of the severe wounds she had taken in an accident about one year earlier... but luckily, neither were disfiguring, though both looked rather nasty. They did make the two of them look more hardy, in any event.

Boyfriend and girlfriend stood in embarassed silence as Misty got closer and watched Ash take some ingredients, placing them on the table with somewhat mechanical gestures... he was trying, not too successfully, not to get nervous because of Misty's closeness.

"Everything... under control, Misty!" Ash repeated, as if thinking the first time hadn't been enough. "I just... er... have to think about how to arrange all this stuff... and... well, could you set up the dining table while I do that, please?"

Misty held back a giggle, realizing once more that Ash would never change about such things... "Hehehee... of course, Ash, I'll do that right away! You do as if I wasn't here, okay?" she said as she went to fetch plates, glasses and the rest, and starting to place them on the table. Ash looked at his girlfriend once again... and quickly averted his glance, blushing fiercely.

"Ugh... no way! What on Earth are you thinking, Ash Ketchum, you're starting to look like a dirty old man!" he repriminded himself. "You and Misty have been boyfriend and girlfriend for quite a while... but it's just not right to think like that! Well... sure, I can't deny that Misty is really cute, and tonight... ah, heck, here I go, thinking about such things again! Concentrate on dinner, concentrate on dinner..."

"Man, I kinda overdid it... I tend to forget how clumsy Ash is with such things..." Misty thought to herself in the meanwhile, as she began placing dishes and glasses on the table. "Okay, okay... nothing that can't be taken care of. I'll try to be as natural as possible for the rest of the evening... at least, I hope that will ease him up as well... though I'm afraid this might be a long evening..."

oooooooooo

Dinner had been a rather mundane affair... except for the fact that both seemed hesitant about starting a conversation. Ash had done a few off-handed comments about the battles they had faced on that day, while Misty was talking about the places they had been to... but any conversation quickly died out, leaving the two of them back at square one. Things didn't get much better when dinner was done, and the two began washing the dishes and tidying up. In an attempt to break the silence, Ash took the remote and toyed with it, wondering if he should turn the TV on. At least that would have given them something else to focus on for a while...

Just that simple act seemed to allow them to make some progress - as Misty saw her boyfriend toying around with the remote, undecided on what to do, she snapped her fingers, remembering just then about something important they had to do. "Hey, Ash, now that you remind me... shouldn't the Hoenn Grand Festival finals be on tonight? And unless I'm wrong, May and Dawn will be facing each other... we don't wanna miss it, do we?"

"Huh?" Ash asked in wonder... then, he remembered the important occasion! "Oh, darn, sure! We promised them that, since we were going to be here on training, we would have watched them on TV! I hope we haven't missed out on much..."

Ash quickly switched the TV on, and much to his relief, he saw that the final match had not started yet - the introduction fanfare as the two contendants stepped into the arena was still playing. Ash and Misty sat down on the sofa, close to each other, and the young man raised the volume just a little. A few minutes later, as the two coordinators had taken their respective places, the presenter cleared her voice and announced the deciding match!

"Welcome, fellow Pokemon fans! And thanks for your patience!" the presenter exclaimed. "Tonight, in this great battle arena, the two coordinators who made it to the finals will face each other in this deciding match! On my right side, a familiar face to all Pokemon fans - our current champion, here to defend the title she obtained! Let's have a round of applause for... MAY!"

As the audience began clapping wildly, the spotlights lit up on the person she was talking about, someone Ash and Misty knew very well: with her chestnut hair and her trademark belly dancer costume, May was standing by her side of the arena, joined by the two Pokemon she had chosen for that competition - her Glaceon and an elegant Delcatty, the evolution of the Skitty she had since almost the beginning of her journey. Now, at sixteen years of age, May had become a tall and attractive teenager, and it was hard to believe that was the same girl that had started out with such uncertainty, with just a Torchic and without even knowing what she was going to become.

"And on my left side... a talented young coordinator who has already made a name for herself in Sinnoh! Let's hear it for... DAWN!"

Again, the crowd went wild as a pretty blue-haired girl of about fifteen, wearing an elegant yellow dress, walked up to the arena's other side, joined by her inseparable Piplup and Lopunny - the evolved form of her Buneary. Now, the two contendants were right in front of each other, exchanging a challenging, yet still friendly, glance as the audience's cheering was dying down. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen... now that our contestants are ready, we just need to start the competition! Let the best one win!"

oooooooooo

"Well, this is a surprise, Dawn... I never thought we'd face each other here, of all places!" May commented, winking to her friend and rival. "What can I say... do your best, as I won't go easy on you!"

"That's just what I want!" Dawn shot back confidently. "I'm ready for everything, May... so give me your best!"

"With pleasure!" the young Hoenn champion concluded. "Delcatty, Glaceon... stand ready! We'll give this all we've got!"

oooooooooo

"Let our contestants get ready... steady... GO!"

As May and Dawn's Pokemon began producing themselves in the flashiest acrobacies and choreographies they could think of, Ash and Misty were staring intently at the TV screen, determined not to miss out on a single moment of that fight! "Here they go!" Ash exclaimed. "Hey, Misty, who do you think will win?"

"Hard to say..." the redhead answered, only to smile cunningly and look astutely at her boyfriend. "Why don't we make a bet? I predict May will win this one!"

"Hehehee... but maybe you don't know that Dawn won her first match with May!" Ash cunningly said. "Why shouldn't she do the same right now? I say Dawn has got this in the bag!"

"Really? That's what we're about to see!" was Misty's answer. "It might go another way, this time..."

"Wait for the fight to end, my dear Misty, and we'll talk about it!"

"Oh, with pleasure..."

oooooooooo

"Ugh... I should bite my tongue before making such bets..." Ash muttered goofily just as the time of the competition ran out, with May ahead by just a few points.

"And... at the end of the competition, May still has a few more points left!" the announcer said triumphantly. "Which means... that May of Petalburg, with her powerful combo of Glaceon and Delcatty, is the winner of this edition of the Hoenn Grand Festival, retaining her title as the champion! Congratulations!"

The audience around the arena began clapping and shouting wildly once again, as the two contestants, equally satisfied with having given it their all, recalled their Pokemon and met in the middle of the arena to shake hands and congratulate each other. Ash and Misty could see their friends talking to each other in a friendly way, probably promising to each other to meet again soon.

Misty couldn't hold back a giggle. "Hehehee... you should know by now, Ash, that you shouldn't bet against me!" she said, rubbin her nose smugly. "Well then... I guess you'd like to know what the price of the betting is, right?"

Ash's eyes comically bugged out. And here he thought Misty was saying that in jest!

"What? Hey... hold... hold on a second, Mist! You never told me there was something riding upon this!" he murmured, trying to weasel away from this! Sadly for him, Misty was not about to relent that easily...

"Heheheee... did you really think I would have left you off the hook so easily?" the redhead answered, shaking an index finger in front of her. "Of course there was something riding upon this, otherwise what would be the fun of making a bet?"

Ash sighed and rubbed the back of his head, realizing there was no way out of this. "Okay, I fell for it hook, line and sinker..." he murmured, preparing himself for what Misty wanted him to do. "Alright then, Misty, tell me. What do you... er... want me to do?"

Now it was Misty's time to grow embarassed and feel her own heart beat faster. That could be her best chance to speak to Ash about that little problem she had, and see whether the situation could get better. So, after clearing her throat and working up a speech on the subject, the redhead got closer to her boyfriend and began speaking.

"Well... there's not really much I need to say, Ash... I'd just like you to answer a question I have." Misty said, her index finger scratching the sofa she was sitting on. Now that she was so close, Ash could smell the scent of soap coming from her... "Ash... answer me in all honesty. You... do love me, don't you?"

The question was so sudden and unexpected, while the answer seemed so obvious to Ash, that the boy was confused for a short while, asking himself what Misty meant by that. After that, though, Ash had no hesitation and answered, placing an hand upon Misty's. "Isn't that obvious, Misty? Of course I do... we've been together for three years now, and we've even travelled together through Unova, Orre... and wherever else we wanted to go!" he affirmed. "And... even now, I'm happy that we're staying together in this place! I don't think I could have asked for a better training partner, really! Why... er... why this sudden question?"

Misty smiled warmly. There was never any doubt that Ash always tried to say the most reassuring thing. "I'm happy to hear you say that, Ash!" she answered. "You see... it's kinda hard to say it like that but... er... darn, I don't even know how to say it!" In frustration, Misty rubbed her forehead, feeling like her own Psyduck. "It's a... somewhat delicate thing, and I'm not sure if I should tell you..."

Ash tried not to make haste to his girlfriend. "Well... just say it in your own words, Misty. No pressure." he said, caressing Misty on her back and causing her a small shiver. "I mean, after all, we are boyfriend and girlfriend, right? There's nothing we shouldn't be able to talk about... so, don't be scared, and use your own words!"

"Thanks, Ash..." Misty answered, gradually getting the upper hand on her embarassment. "You see... it's been some time... ever since we transferred here, in fact... that I would like to... how to say... get more intimate with you! I mean, I know you love me, and I love you as well, but... you see, I would just like us to be able to express it better!"

Ash was a little puzzled at first, as he was not the sharpest one around when it came to matters of the heart... but he did kind of understand what Misty was getting at. And, in fact, his girlfriend had clearly expressed what he wanted to say and had trouble expressing... and after getting over his own hesitation, the young man got closer to his girlfriend, to the point where they could feel each other's breath on their faces...

The closeness was staggering... and without even thinking about it, Ash got one hand closer to his girlfriend's t-shirt, and she, on her part, began hesitatingly slipping one hand under the boy's shirt. The only background noise was the continuous, unending sound of the rain falling outside...

And in the end, Ash widened his eyes as he felt the soft skin of Misty's abdomen under his fingertips. Unable to stop himself, Ash stroked her side and back, as he felt Misty's warm hand touching his own back...

Suddenly realizing what territory he and Misty were treading into, Ash jumped back, blushing in surprise and embarassment... and Misty herself blinked, almost not believing what she herself had done. Had they... really gotten so close? They had gotten intimate and confidential before, but never to this extent...

"Ugh... er... I'm... I'm sorry, Misty!" Ash exclaimed. He was rather ashamed at the fact that he was feeling rather excited, and tight in the pants as well... and while it was pleasant to feel, he felt it was kinda unfair to the girl he loved! "It's... not as you might think... er... I mean, I shouldn't have done that, really! I... kinda got lost in the moment, and I apologize!"

The girl blinked in wonder. "A... Apologize? And... for what?" she asked, about as uncertain.

"Well... for having touched you that way!" Ash exclaimed, lightly slapping himself on both cheeks in order to wake himself up. "Misty... you know I would never do that if you didn't want to..."

Misty took a deep breath, and decided to go for it. After all, she told herself, that wasn't a reason for a relationship as solid as theirs was going to break...

"But..." the girl started, taking another deep breath before continuing. "What if I wanted it? That... would change quite a few things... I think! And... well... you do seem to want it as well... don't you...?"

"You mean..." Ash asked, gulping nervously as he and Misty lovingly held each other's hands. "You mean that... er... you would like us... to... really... do it? Misty... you know what that means, right?"

Misty nodded again, shivering once more as she realized the implications of what they were about to do. But it wasn't out of hesitation, just out of anticipation for such an important step in their relationship. "Yeah... I do know, Ash... it's nothing to take lightly, I know... but, after all, we're legal, we're in love... and the idea of... yeah... making love... doesn't sound that bad to me! Of course... if you're okay with this..."

Ash thought about it for a while. Even now that he was older, he had never been the kind of person to think things through too much, but this case was different... he was forced to stop and think about it. Misty told him she was cool with it... it would have been consensual... and Ash would have lied if he said he didn't want it as well. But... would he be able to handle things tactfully and maturely? Would he have lived up to Misty's expectations of him? And in any case, how would their relationship change after this? These were the questions going through Ash's head, and he wasn't sure about the answers.

"Alright, Ash Ketchum, this is an important moment... try not to mess this up!" the young man told himself. "Misty Waterflower, the girl you love, is here in front of you and is asking you to... yeah... take your relationship to the next level! I think... there's nothing wrong with it myself, of course! Okay... try to stay calm and handle this..."

"I'm not really sure if I can promise you anything, Misty..." Ash stated. "But... if this is what you really want... I'm okay with it! Okay... let's do it! After all... I do like the idea myself! I'll do... my best not to disappoint!"

Misty managed to avoid grinning like an idiot, limiting herself to a joyful smile as she held her boyfriend's hands. "Well... that will be more than enough for me! Thank you, Ash!" she answered, as they slowly got up from the sofa, still hand in hand, and began walking to Ash's bedroom, getting ready for the step they were about to take...

oooooooooo

"Erm... Misty, you aren't going to tell me you had this all planned, are you?" Ash asked, a huge sweatdrop on the back of his head as he saw Misty taking a package of pills out of her backpack and swallowing one. There was no need for a genius tounderstand whatthat was all about...

After gulping down the pills thanks to a glass of water, Misty smiled cunningly to her boyfriend. "Well, Ash, having this all planned is taking it a little far! Hehehee... let's just say a girl must be ready for everything!" she answered... and when Ash looked at her without understanding, the Water-type expert giggled and playfully mocked him. "Hehehee... c'mon, Ash, don't tell me you never even thought about the possibility! A boy and a girl in love with each other and living under the same roof... and our Pokemon are all asleep right now! There was a possibility, wasn't there?"

"Er..." Ash murmured as the two walked inside his bedroom. "Okay, you got me there... I really hadn't thought of that! But now... we're there, Misty. You... er... might want to get comfortable..."

Ash and Misty reached the bed and slowly sat down upon it, looking at each other with both affection and nervousness, then came closer and exchanged a quick, sweet kiss on the lips as a warmup of sorts, while Misty caressed Ash's face and then went down his left shoulder and arm. Then, as Misty nodded to him, Ash slowly and carefully untied her t-shirt and slid it off her, leaving her torso only clad in her bra... and one second later, Misty made her first move, sliding her hands under Ash's shirt before taking the piece of clothing off of him, leaving his chest bare and showing off the muscles Ash had developed in years of travel and training, as well as the scar on his right shoulder... Misty couldn't help but appreciate the results of a life spent outdoors!

"Er... you okay, Mist?" Ash asked, somewhat uncertainly. Misty put him at ease with her smile as they cast the blanket aside and lay down on the bad, face to face.

"Everything's alright, future Pokemon Master! I was just observing that you had put on some muscle, since we first met!" she affirmed. "I'm rather impressed, I have to say!"

"What can I say? I try my best at it!" Ash joked, before the two hugged again and started petting each other. Misty nonchalantly unbuttoned her shorts, took them off and threw them off the bed, remaining in just her lingerie in front of her boyfriend. She gently held his wrists and brought her boyfriend's hands, which were now hesitatingly stroking her sides, behind her back... and right on the clasp of her bra, inviting the boy to take it off! Again, Ash blushed and shivered slightly, before gulping and starting fumbling around... until the girl's bra went off and fell on the floor! Now, Misty was only clad in her panties, while Ash was only wearing his shorts... the deciding moment was getting closer and closer...

Misty covered herself self-consciously... but it soon passed, and the girl lay down on the bed, allowing Ash to admire her... while the boy found himself looking longingly at her body.

Her sweet yet strong face, with her shining green eyes and her freckles, framed by long and beautiful red hair...

Her thin arms, toned by the constant exercise in water, and her white hands with graceful fingers...

Her small yet well-proportioned breasts, and her flat stomach, decorated with a cute round navel...

Her long slender legs, ending in a pair of small, dainty feet...

"So... Ash?" Misty asked. "You... like what you see?"

Ash bent down and kissed his beloved on her cheek. "You are... beautiful, Misty!" he said, drawing out another smile from her before they embraced again, and Ash felt her nipples touching his chest. They kissed again a few times, immersed in that moment of intimity... and Ash shifted his kisses on Misty's neck and collarbone, who craned her head aside in order to better enjoy it. Ash's lips left a small trial of humidity on his girlfriend's soft skin, and Misty moaned with pleasure as he got to her nipples and took one between his lips, mock-sucking on it for a while before getting to the other and doing the same thing. The girl archer her back, trying to offer her lover as much of her body as she could...

"Ash... please... go on..." she murmured, completely overtaken by new and exciting sensations. Ash detached from her breasts soon after and went downwards, kissing her belly as his hands caressed Misty's legs on her thighs, her calves, her ankles... Misty moaned again as Ash planted a kiss on the discolored patch of skin on her abdomen, then she couldn't hold a giggle when he gently kissed her navel, and his fingers tickled the soles of her feet and played with her toes. "Hmm... Ash... that tickles... heheheee..."

Ash chuckled again as he got to eye level with Misty again, the girl still hugging him by his waist. "Hehehee... sorry, Misty, I was kinda lost in the moment. You're not offended, I hope!" the young man stated, shivering as Misty's short nails began gently scratching his back and his sides. It seemed Misty was the one who was trying to have some fun now...

"No problem, Ash... what's wrong about getting a little more intimate just now?" she answered, her fingers tracing the muscles on Ash's chest and abdomen, who closed her eyes to better enjoy the moment... and gasped as Misty went lower, stroking a sensitive, while still covered, part of his body. Misty couldn't believe her own audacity as well... and she was worried about not offending Ash without wanting it. "Er... apologies, Ash, I didn't want to... well, you know..."

"No... problem with that, Mist!" he answered, enjoying the sensation Misty's gentle yet strong touch was sending up his spine. If those were just the preliminaries, Ash could only guess how much he would enjoy the act itself...

And it looked like he wouldn't have to wait long, either. As Misty's grasp loosened, the young man felt his girlfriend's hand hesitating upon the rim of his ever-tightening shorts, her intentions being clear enough to him...

He decided that two could play at that game - calmly and caringly, he began lowering Misty's panties... and for a moment, the two lovers stood there, looking at each other's eyes as if asking each other for permission to go further...

And finally, winning their last resistances, they began taking the last remaining piece of clothing off each other; slowly and awkwardly at first, but then, with a last quick tug, they remained naked in front of each other, for the first time ever.

"M-Misty?" Ash asked, as both were at a loss for words - sure, they had been together for quite a while, and they were used to living together... but that was the first time they had seen each other naked, and it was a new, exciting and somewhat confusing experience as well. The air in the bedroom seemed to have been galvanized, as if the surrounding environment itself couldn't wait for the two to make that final step...

Misty took a deep breath... another... and another one... before nodding to Ash, who responded in kind and slowly descended, entering her...

The redhead's face scrunched slightly at first... and as Ash found the last barrier and penetrated it, she grit her teeth in sudden, brilliant pain when something inside her gave, making her feel like she was being split in half from within! She spasmed, causing the bed to rock slightly... she had been physically hurt before, and she still kept a reminder of her most serious accident on her stomach, but that was a different level of pain... and Ash suddenly stopped himself, trying not to hurt her further.

"Oh, dear... Misty, you okay?" Ash asked, massaging her in order to ease the pain. Misty cracked one eye open and, depite the burning feeling in her chest and abdomen, she managed to smile to her boyfriend.

"It's okay, Ash... it will be alright soon!" the girl murmured, taking several quick breaths in succession to calm herself down. Whenever she got hurt, that was a way for her to keep her calm and ease the pain. She waited for a while, as the burning feeling ebbed down to a wave of pleasure that radiated through herwhole body. When the pain died down, Misty gulped and saw Ash standing over her, holding her shoulders lovingly.

"You okay?" he asked.

Misty's body finished adapting to the new situation. Now they were joined, in a way she could only dream of until then. "Now... now I'm feeling well enough, Ash... thanks... for your concern, though!" she said with a smile before clasping her legs around him, in order to push him further inside her. "Please..."

Ash caressed her cheek and quickly got back in the act, forcing himself to as much self-control as possible, at least for now. He saw Misty close her eyes, and heard her breath mingling with moans of pleasure and joy... and hesmiled, kissing her lovingly once again. Misty was feeling in Heaven right now... she couldn't remember ever having felt emotions like the ones that were overwhelming her at the moment. She kissed him back and began shifting slightly, in order to make it more pleasurable for both of them. In the coziness of Ash's bedroom, wrapped in the soft blankets and each other's warmth, they felt like they were the only thing existing in the world for the moment.

A few minutes passed, and Ash accelerated, groaning briefly and feeling that he was getting closerto his climax... and he was fairly sure Misty was reaching her own as well!

Just a little more...

Misty exclaimed her beloved's name and screamed in pleasure, arching her back as she reached her climax as well. Both were feeling like an electric shock was coursing through their muscles and their nerves, sending them into an incredible state of ecstasy! Ash grits her teeth, breathing deeply as he shivered... and the two lovers, for some brief moments, felt like they were merging into a single one...

Finallly, both of them flopped down on the bed, tired yet happy. Ash slowly detached himself from Misty, and both remained laying on their sides, looking at each other while they basked in the afterglow.

Misty's delicate hand flipped a fringe of black hair out of Ash's clammy forehead, and the girl smiled, her face red and her eyes trembling. Ash reached forward and gently rubbed her tummy, keeping as close as possible to her.

"Thanks..." Misty murmured after a few seconds of silence.

Ash smiled back at her. "It's... nothing..." he murmured. "I... didn't know it could be so... amazing..."

"It was fantastic... Ash..." she wheezed. "I'm not... regretting... doing this! Thanks for having... accepted!"

After catching their breaths again, the two lovers got under the blankets, staying close to one another in order to warm each other with their bodies. "Likewise, Misty... I love you! I just wish I had seen it earlier..."

"The important thing is... you finally saw that, right?" she answered, enjoying the feeling of their naked bodies snuggling close. "I'm happy you now... love me back as much as I do!"

Ash chuckled, and he and Misty kissed again. "You're right... but now... sorry, but I feel sleepy... I never imagined doing that... would be so tiring!"

"Neither did I..." she answered, stifling a yawn. "Well... then you won't mind if we... sleep together here, in your bed, right?"

"Of course not! I'll be really happy!" he answered, and the lovers affectionately held each other close as they drifted off to sleep, united in body and soul.

Rain was continuing to fall outside, lulling them to sleep with its soft sound...

oooooooooo

The first thing Ash felt upon waking up the next morning was a feeling of something warm and smooth gently pressing on his skin, and someone moving beneath the blankets, right to his side. Still feeling sleepy, the aspirant Pokemon Master slowly opened his eyes and saw Misty waking up herself. They stood in silence for a while, as they tried to shrug sleep off... then the two smiled at each other, their night of passion still fresh in their minds. The room was dark, but a few small rays of sunlight were filtering through the cracks in the windows, which meant that the bad weather of the previous day was now gone.

"Hi, Misty..." he murmured as soon as he was able to reason.

"Good morning, Ash..." she answered, their hands holding. "It was... a fantastic night! Thanks again!"

"You're welcome..." Ash answered, before winking to Misty. "But... how about we get dressed and get going now? I think we're in for another long day!"

"Hehehee... you're right!" Misty declared. "Now, let's go bid our Pokemon good morning!"

The girl stood up, covering her own nudity with the t-shirt and shorts she was wearing the previous day, while Ash put his underwear, a pair of shorts, and a red t-shirt on. Not even bothering with shoes, the two lovers walked outside, to their temporary house's garden... where they were surprised to find some of their Pokemon already up and about, doing their warm-up training. Misty's Gyarados was getting his coils in gear, while Charizard and Infernape were busy in an arm-wrestling match, and Pikachu was doing push-ups near them!

"Wow, our Pokemon seem to be already pumped for today!" Ash commented, as he and Misty stepped on the dew-dripping grass in their bare feet, getting joyously greeted by all the Pokemon.

"They're right to be already on the move, after all!" Misty said, enjoying the feeling of the wet grass between her toes as she walked to Azumarill and Psyduck and hugged them warmly. "And what about you, Ash? Was... this night useful to you? Hehehee..."

Ash blushed again and chuckled happily. "Well... let's put it that way! It was a rather... exciting experience! But it was really nice, Misty... and I'm glad my first time was with you! Hope... the same goesfor you, Misty!" He said, before taking a deep breath and enjoying the warm rays of the sun on his body. the incrediblesensations of last night still hadn't worn out completely, and the young man could still feel some sort of shiver running through his veins.

"Of course I did!" Misty answered, scratching her Psyduck on his head. "Thanks, Ash, that was some night!"

"Pika pi, pikachu pi pika pikachu?" Pikachu asked as he jumped in his trainer's arms. Ash gently picked up his small friend and hugged him before answering the question.

"Hehehee... let's just say, my friend, that Misty and I took a very important step tonight!" he answered, and judging from the knowing smile upon Pikachu's face, the small yet smart electric rodent had actually gotten the picture! "Er... well, yes, Pikachu... I meant exactly that!"

"Ash!" Misty jokingly protested, while Psyduck quacked loudly. "You don't have to give the details, you know!"

"Alright, alright..." the young man answered with an apologetic chuckle. "Well... guess it's time to move now! Okay, everyone, once you'reall up and about, we get some breakfast, we get dressed, and we head out! We're looking at another day of training!"

Pikachu gave a thumbs-up, and while the other Pokemon got out of their dormitories and got ready for the day, Ash and Misty looked at each other once again, a newfound spark of determination shining inside of them. Their confidence that they would have made their dreams come true together was now stronger than ever, with their bond coming out stronger.

Whatever fate had in store for them, they would face it together...

oooooooooo

THE END

Author's Note: Well, that's about it. My first venture is the world of lemons, with my favourite Pokemon pairing, and I have to say I'm rather satisfied! I hope the same goes for you Pokeshipping fans... and I hope I'll see you again soon, with a new chapter of my saga!

Have a nice day, everyone!

Lily