Editor's Note: This is it, the last chapter. After 12 years, it's still hard to believe this story finished. Back when I wrote "Dark Prophecy," I planned to have Ash and Misty get together during the course of that story. It became clear early on, however, that for it to work, they needed to already be together at the start. This was my attempt to finally write a "Ash and Misty getting together" story. I have to admit I'm pleased with the result, even if it took more than a decade to complete. I do hope you have enjoyed the journey as well. Thank you for reading and thanks to everyone who have left reviews.

-o-o-o-o-o-

The next morning came quickly for Ash, although he slept soundly. Brock was in the shower when he awoke and he spent the time talking to Pikachu about their upcoming battle with Candy, going over possible strategies for the various scenarios they might face. So consumed by other matters, he hadn't spent the time to conduct much research on the gym leader's style or even what kind of match she demanded for badge battles. He only knew she was a water specialist and had a gyarados which would undoubtedly appear at some point.

When Brock was done in the bathroom, Ash took his turn and then, with Pikachu on his shoulder, they left the room. Ash knocked on Misty's door and he heard her tell them to go ahead and she would be down in a few minutes.

In the cafeteria, he grabbed a tray and collected his food, Brock doing the same behind him. After he started eating, however, he felt his nerves begin to tighten as they always did before an important battle. Although collecting every badge was important in his quest to compete in the Johto League Championships, this battle had taken on a more personal note.

When Misty arrived, she handed Togepi to Brock before going through the line, and then brought her tray back to their table, taking a seat next to Ash and giving him a smile. He smiled back, but refrained from anything else, knowing that without Lisa to distract Brock, he would surely notice something was different. Ash told Misty the night before they would tell Brock about their relationship today, but now just didn't seem like the right time to make such an important announcement. He risked a glance at Misty, and as if reading his mind, she gave her head the tiniest of shakes. Ash felt a portion of the tension growing inside him dissipate and tried to return his attention to the battle.

They took their time eating and Ash was struck by how normal it all felt to him. He then realized this was the first meal they had shared together since arriving in Blossomful City. He knew things were not exactly as they had been before, and part of him wondered how Brock would ultimately react upon learning the news of his and Misty's new relationship, but he couldn't help but enjoy himself, his worries about the future, at least for the moment, set aside.

After they were finished, they put away their trays, and with a wave to Nurse Joy on the way out of the center, they were off through the streets of Blossomful City toward the plaza, most likely for the final time, as long as Ash won his battle against Candy.

Ash stopped outside the bakery to show Misty the pokémon-shaped cookies and she once again thanked him for the flowers, which were now sitting on Nurse Joy's desk since they had no way to take the arrangement with them when they left. Ash wondered briefly about stopping at The Green Hose to tell Judy what happened as a result of her questions, but he decided against it.

When they reached the plaza, Lisa was already there along with Teresa, Trisha, Vicky and Carol. They were all dressed casually and gathered in the shade of a large oak.

"We wanted to be sure we weren't late," Vicky said when the approached.

Brock immediately went to Lisa and struck up a conversation, picking up where they left off the night before. The others gathered around Pikachu and Misty, who was holding Togepi in her arms. Both pokémon seemed to enjoy the attention and Ash let them soak it in, giving himself time to mentally prepare for the battle.

He had been afraid the gym would remain closed with Candy mourning her loss at the pageant, but as they approached the building, he saw at once the sign from before was gone. He paused in front of the massive doors and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Misty standing next to him, smiling brightly.

"Your turn," she said.

He knew exactly what she meant and her confidence in him boosted his own resolve. For the first time, he silently thanked Candy for closing the gym in the run up to the pageant so he could be here this morning, with Misty, Brock and their new friends by his side.

"Pika," Pikachu chimed in from below, completing the moment.

"Alright, let's do this," he said.

The inside of the gym was just as grand as its exterior, large stone columns flanking a short entrance hall. The doors at the opposite end were closed with a red light above them indicating a battle was underway. Ash could hear the muffled sounds of combat and briefly wondered how the match was going. There were benches situated between the columns on either side of the hall and he went to one and sat down. Misty sat next to him while the others took their time examining the architecture. After a while, they sat down as well to wait for the match to end.

"This is exciting," Trisha said, breaking the silence.

"Just wait until the action begins," Brock said.

The wait turned out to be short one and within minutes the light went out. A few moments later, the doors opened and a young boy stepped into the hall, his head hanging low. He looked about eleven, probably near the start of his pokémon journey, and was followed out by another boy around the same age. The doors shut behind them.

The trainer didn't appear to notice Ash and his friends until he was halfway through the room. Looking around in surprise, he said in a low voice, "She's tough."

His friend patted his shoulder and said, "You'll get her next time. You just need a bit more training against water types." The pair continued their way out of the gym and soon quiet once again filled the entrance hall.

Ash watched them leave and then stood up, feeling the others' eyes on him. He approached the inner door and saw a metal plaque to one side instructing those who wished to enter to press the button below and state their business. The entire process felt very impersonal and he decided Candy probably used it as a tactic to intimidate her opponents even before they entered the arena. He had visited many gyms over the past three years, however, and wasn't going to let tricks like this bother him. He pressed the button and waited.

"Yes?" Candy's voice asked from an intercom next to the button.

Hearing her voice brought him momentarily back to the cafe and her words about riffraff, but he pushed the thought away. "My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and I'm here for a badge battle," he said, trying to sound as confident as he could.

There was a pause before Candy replied, "Fine. The doors will open in a minute."

"Alright," he said, turning to the others and giving them a nod.

They stood and walked over to him. True to Candy's word, the doors soon opened, giving them access to the arena. Ash tentatively walked inside, with Pikachu at his heels and the others just behind. The room was round like the building itself with a tall ceiling sporting skylights, which allowed sunlight to illuminate the circular walls decorated in detailed reliefs of pokémon in battle. The grandstands were stone risers similar to the ones at the city park, and Ash estimated they could hold several hundred people when full. The seats were split into two semicircles, with a break above the doorway he had just passed through and another at the opposite side where an identical doorway was currently closed. That would be where Candy entered, he knew.

"Good luck," Lisa said from behind him. He turned to face his friends, old and new.

"Yeah, good luck," Trisha said, both she and her sister giving him a thumbs up. The rest gave similar words of encouragement and then broke off to take their seats to his right along the bottom row of the risers.

"You've got this, Ash," Brock said and slapped him gently on the back, following Lisa and sitting down next to her.

Then it was just Misty beside him. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"You've left big shoes to fill as far as beating Candy in competitions goes," he said. "I'll try to live up to your standard."

She laughed and the sound warmed him, making him feel almost invincible. "You'll do fine," she said.

Just then, the doors at the opposite end of the arena opened. He and Misty turned to watch as Candy walked out. She was dressed in a short skirt and a fancy red top. She was wearing a belt with several pokéballs attached. Her blond hair framed a face which had been haunting Ash ever since their encounter at the cafe. Now she looked determined and professional, at least until she saw Ash and Misty. Her eyes narrowed and anger seemed to fill her features.

"You," she seethed. "What are you doing here?"

Ash wasn't sure who she was talking to, but suspected it was Misty. Still, he answered her question. "I'm here for a gym badge."

Candy gave him a curious look, and Ash had an uneasy recollection of how his charizard used to look at him before they finally came to terms.

"I remember you," Candy said. "You were at the cafe with Miss Scrawny there."

"Hey," Ash shouted, realizing that Misty had yelled the same thing at the same time.

"Still sticking up for your girlfriend again, I see," Candy said, her voice turning to the mocking tone he remembered.

Out of reflex, Ash almost corrected her as he had two days before, but then realized this time she was right. Although he hadn't thought of his relationship with Misty in quite those terms, she really was his girlfriend now.

Before he could consider it further, Candy continued, "Oh, that's right. She's not your girlfriend."

Ash felt anger brewing inside. Before him was the girl who had made Misty cry. The girl who had called her so many horrible names. The girl who had lost to Misty in the beauty pageant. The girl who would soon lose to him in a pokémon battle if he had anything to say about it.

Fueled by his anger, this time Ash couldn't catch himself in time. "Yes she is my girlfriend," he shouted.

A moment later Ash realized what he had done when he heard Misty's sharp intake of breath beside him. He turned to apologize, but then he saw her smiling and the words fell away.

"What?" Brock shouted from his seat next to Lisa.

The outburst caused Ash to look over at his friend, whose face was set in an expression of shock.

Misty looked a bit sheepish as she too glanced at their friend. She turned back to Ash, saying in a voice low enough only he could hear, "Well, I guess that takes care of telling Brock."

Ash probably would have laughed if he wasn't still boiling with anger at Candy. As it was, he was still thinking of something to say to his friend when he was once again interrupted by Candy.

"Do you need a moment to sort this out, or can we get this over with?" she asked, glancing distractedly at the others sitting in the stands. She seemed to notice Lisa for the first time. "You're here too?" Candy said incredulously. "Well, my day is now complete."

"Glad I could help," Lisa shot back.

Candy didn't give any sign she had even heard the response and turned her attention back to Ash. "Tell your girlfriend to take a seat. Wouldn't want her to get hurt."

Misty shot Candy a look similar to the one she gave Ash their first night in Blossomful City before glancing to him and flashing a determined smile. "I'm going to enjoy this," she said. Then she turned and walked over to the stands.

Ash noticed Brock, who had not uttered anything since his initial outburst, staring dumbly back and forth between him and Misty until she took a seat next to him. Misty put a hand on Brock's shoulder and he finally seemed to wake from his stupor. She started talking to him, but Ash couldn't hear what they were saying.

He turned back to Candy and walked forward, taking his position in the trainer box. Candy did likewise on her side.

"This is going to be a three-on-three battle royale," she said, a level of professionalism returning to her voice now that the battle was about to begin. "The first person to recall all three of his pokémon or have them fainted is the loser."

Ash simply nodded his understanding.

"The battle begins when you release your first pokémon," Candy continued.

Ash reached to his belt and picked the pokéball he wanted and then waited until he saw Candy select one of her own. Then, taking a deep breath, he pressed the button, the familiar red light shooting out of the pokéball toward the battle arena.

"Heracross, I choose you," he shouted and the beetle-like pokémon appeared in front of him, ready for battle.

"Feraligatr," Candy shouted from her side and the reptile pokémon joined Heracross.

The battle had finally begun.

Despite Ash deploying his pokémon first, Candy proved quicker, sending Feraligatr into a flurry of attacks that Heracross only just managed to dodge. Ash felt himself sink into the battle, observing both his opponent and her pokémon for tells, always commanding and reacting. Although he hadn't danced much before Lisa's party, he could feel the similarities between it and the battle, but instead of the gentle equilibrium he shared with Misty the night before, here he and Candy were wrestling for control of the motion. He felt the momentum shift back and forth as the two pokémon continued to attack and dodge, charge and retreat.

Focused as he was on the battle, he could still hear his friends shouting their encouragements and it was indeed a boost to know they were there supporting him.

The young trainer had been right. Candy was tough. Much of her strength came from her aggressive style, pummeling her opponent with a nearly unending series of blitz attacks which left Ash little time to respond. But that kind of approach wouldn't work unless she was also an excellent trainer. He knew she was good after witnessing her routine at the pageant, but seeing it up close in battle conditions was something else entirely. It was if her pokémon was an extension of her will, converting commands into action almost instantaneously.

Unfortunately for Candy, however, Ash had spent the past three years sparring against an even better water-type specialist in Misty. During that time, they had helped each other improve, finding weaknesses in the other's strategies and techniques, only to do the same with the eventual improvements. He played back their numerous battles, seeking an advantage he could exploit now. Meanwhile, he kept Heracross one step ahead of Feraligatr's barrage, knowing it was only a matter of time before both pokémon began to tire and one made a mistake.

Although Misty's style wasn't nearly as aggressive as Candy's, he soon saw an opening in Feraligatr's attacks, similar to one he had pointed out to Misty more than a year before. Misty had fixed it quickly, but apparently no one had told Candy. He waited a few more precious moments to confirm his discovery, and then, when he saw the opening again, he ordered Heracross to counter-attack. The move surprised both Candy and Feraligatr, and the undefended blow knocked out the reptile in one blow.

A sudden quiet filled the arena as the battle came to an abrupt pause. Candy just stared at her unconscious pokémon in seeming disbelief. His friends provided a chorus of cheers and Ash head Misty's voice in the mix. He risked a glance and saw her give him a "V" sign. Candy recalled her pokémon and he quickly returned his attention to the battle.

"Lucky hit," Candy said, reaching for her belt to take another pokéball.

Ash thought about making a comeback, but decided she was most likely trying to distract him while she released her second pokémon. Candy paused with her pokéball in hand as if to see if he would take the bait and then pressed the button, a wartortle appearing in front of Heracross.

As Ash predicted, Candy attacked immediately, ordering Wartortle to send a series of water cannon attacks at Heracross. If anything, she was even more aggressive now that she was behind in the battle. This was a benefit to Ash, who once again saw a flaw in her strategy he had first discovered sparring with Misty. Although Heracross was definitely tiring at this point, he waited patiently for the opening to appear a second time and shouted a command to his pokémon which broke through the giant tortoise's defenses and scored a direct hit. Wartortle was a more powerful pokémon than Feraligatr and it wasn't an immediate knock out, but with a few more select attacks before it could recover, the larger pokémon collapsed and could not regain its feet.

The cheers from the stands redoubled and Candy recalled Wartortle to its pokéball. She didn't bother with words this time and a moment later Gyarados materialized before him and Heracross.

Ash had expected Gyarados would be in Candy's arsenal, being one of the strongest water-type pokémon available. It was a rare trainer who could truly master their tempers to make them a suitable battle partner and based on her performance the previous day, he knew she and Gyarados were most definitely in sync.

Fortunately, knowing for sure at least one of his opponent's pokémon ahead of time had allowed him to plan for a variety of scenarios. Still, foreknowledge and planning ahead could only make up for a portion of the dragon pokémon's brute strength and frightening speed. Although he was up two to zero, he knew it would only take a single mistake to swing the battle's momentum entirely to Candy's side.

Heracross really didn't stand much of a chance, having worn itself out taking on the two previous combatants. Ash thought of taking his battle-worn pokémon out but Candy didn't give him the chance. As soon as Gyarados appeared, she sent it into a dizzying series of moves that Heracross couldn't keep up with and then attacked with dragon rage, knocking out Ash's pokémon.

Ash recalled Heracross, patting the pokéball and whispering, "Good job." Although Gyarados dominated his vision, he saw Candy standing behind it in her box, a cocky smile showing through the determination etched on her face.

He knew there were limited options open to him to battle a pokémon of Gyarados' abilities, and he ran through the various plans he'd developed earlier and decided to go with one of the riskier schemes. If it worked, he most likely win. If it didn't, Candy would almost assuredly be the victor.

He risked a glance down to Pikachu and gave him a tiny nod to alert him of what was to come. Then, he reached to his belt and selected a pokéball.

"Noctowl, I choose you," he shouted and the flying pokémon appeared midair, speeding upward to give itself a chance to take stock of the situation. The entire battle rested on him on finding one more opening. This time he would have to rely on his observations of Candy since Misty rarely used her own gyarados.

Noctowl boasted considerable speed in the air and was able to dodge Gyarados' attacks, although Ash knew it couldn't last for long. Nervous minutes passed, but Ash didn't see the opening he needed. Candy seemed to be growing impatient of Ash's tactic of having Noctowl circle around Gyarados without attempting any offensive attacks. Her own attacks began to grow slightly erratic and then he saw his chance. Not waiting for a second opportunity, Ash immediately ordered Noctowl downward toward the menacing teeth of Gyarados. He saw the dragon-pokémon preparing some kind of attack he was sure would faint his much smaller pokémon.

He didn't give it the chance, however, ordering Noctowl to use its confusion attack, which struck a direct blow to Gyarados' face. As soon as he saw the effects sink in, he recalled Noctowl. He saw the surprise on Candy's face at the move, knowing they were now both down to their last pokémon. But if his plan worked, he only needed one.

"Pikachu, I choose you," he shouted.

The yellow pokémon jumped forward from his place at Ash's side. He didn't need orders since Ash had already explained to him what he was to do that morning while Brock was in the shower. Gyarados, still caught in Noctowl's confusion attack, was thrashing about as if blind, trying to in vain to find its flying opponent who was no longer there. Taking advantage, Pikachu leaped onto the larger pokémon's back and began running up toward its head.

Candy must have realized what Ash was doing and called out to her pokémon to dislodge Pikachu, but Gyarados was in no condition to listen to orders. Still, it could feel something on its back and jerked back and forth. Pikachu managed to keep his grip and quickly reached Gyarados' head. He jumped upward and the spun around to face his opponent.

"Thunderbolt," Ash yelled, although the command wasn't actually necessary.

"Pikachu," the pokémon answered and a second later an intense blast of electricity descended to Gyarados. The light and noise almost overwhelmed Ash's senses and he felt a rush of heat, wind and dust overwhelm the arena and then he was lost in the cloud as well. He could hear the explosion echoing around the circular room.

Unable to see, he could only wait as the echoes died away and the dust finally settled, revealing Pikachu triumphantly standing atop his fallen opponent.

"Yes," Ash exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air to emphasize the victory. He could hear the others cheering louder than ever and looked over to see them on their feet, high-fiving each other in celebration. He caught Misty smiling at him and he felt his own smile widen.

Pikachu bounded off his foe and ran to Ash, jumping into his arms. Ash ruffled the back of his neck. "We did it boy," he said.

"Pika, pikapi," he replied.

Setting Pikachu back down, he turned his attention to Candy, who was still looking at her unconscious Gyarados. She took its pokéball from her belt and recalled it in another blaze of red light. Only then did she look at him. Her face was a mask and he couldn't read her expression. She simply stared at him for a moment before nodding her head slightly to the right, indicating the walkway around the arena on the side opposite the one where his friends were currently congratulating each other. She then left her trainer's box and began walking in that direction. Ash realized what she wanted and did likewise, Pikachu following him.

They met at the halfway point. It was the first time he had been face to face with her since the cafe and Ash allowed himself a moment to take her in. Her hair was slightly disheveled due to the exertion of the battle, but she otherwise looked the same. The anger and scorn were muted but he could still see signs of them beneath the expressionless mask she was maintaining.

He had an odd feeling standing there. In a way, it was because of her that he and Misty were able to put their argument to rest and reclaim their friendship, allowing them to advance to an even closer relationship. But he knew he would never be able to forgive her for the way she treated Misty, recalling her attitude prior to the battle.

"Good battle," she said, her voice flat but once again he could hear hints of her usual scorn bubbling beneath the surface.

Still, it was a classier gesture than he had expected. "You, too," he said, keeping his voice even.

Candy reached down to a small pouch attached to her pokéball belt. She unclasped the top and pulled out a tiny metal badge. She handed Ash the badge with all of the ceremony of a waitress presenting the bill, but Ash couldn't help but smile as he looked down at the metal bauble symbolizing that he was now one step closer to the Johto League Championships.

"You know the way out," Candy said and, without another word, turned to walk away, leaving Ash to stare at her receding back. He watched her until she reached the door and disappeared. So much for classy.

Her departure was so abrupt, it is wasn't until she was gone that he realized he never got a chance to confront her over her words and actions at the cafe. What would he have done? Demand she apologize? From what little he knew of Candy, he figured she never would. Instead, he would have to content himself with the fact that both he and Misty had exacted their own version of payback.

When he turned around, he saw the others gathered at the exit. They cheered as he approached and soon he was enveloped in a whirlwind of handshakes, hugs and accolades. Teresa and Trisha reached him first, grabbing him in a double hug.

"That was amazing," Teresa said, letting him go to hop up and down in excitement. "I've never seen anything like it."

"I freaked out when Pikachu shocked Gyarados," Trisha added. "I thought the whole building was going to come down on us."

"Pika," Pikachu said from below.

Vicky and Carole both bowed down to scratch an ear. "You did great too," Vicky said.

Lisa and Brock approached him together. "That was a great battle," Brock said, grabbing his shoulder and giving him a friendly shake. "One of your better gym battles. I have to admit I was worried when Gyarados came out."

"I wasn't," Lisa said with a smile, giving Ash a quick hug.

"Yes you were," Brock said. "You practically broke my hand you were squeezing it so hard."

She swatted his arm. "Don't tell stories," she admonished.

Ash couldn't help but laugh at his friend. He knew they would need to talk once the excitement over the battle died down, but for now, he simply enjoyed the rush he always felt after a successful battle. There would be time later to talk about him and Misty.

As if on cue, she was there, standing in front of him. She wasn't wearing a dress or had her hair fixed in a special style. She was wearing one of her usual outfits and her hair was in its side ponytail. Still, he couldn't imagine how he had not seen before how beautiful she was. He had known her for more than three years and they had been together in their new relationship for less than a day, but he couldn't quite remember what it was like to not see her as he did now.

"Well, I guess that makes us two for two," he said with a smile.

She smiled back, but didn't answer. Her eyes were filled with a sudden uncertainty he wasn't used to seeing in her. Then it was gone, replaced by that new fire, his fire, only now it seemed to be blazing brighter than ever before.

She placed a hand on his shoulder and this time it was Misty who leaned forward, pulling him to her at the same time. At the last moment, she tilted her head slightly and their noses brushed each other. She continued forward and then he felt her lips on his.

This was different than the night before outside her room. This kiss was more powerful, more intense, more... There was indeed more, but he stopping thinking about it and simply let himself get lost in the sensations.

A few seconds later, or it may have been days, they broke apart. He stared into Misty's eyes and saw her staring back at him. There was no uncertainty there now, only satisfaction.

He was still looking at her when the catcalls and whistles started from the girls around them, Teresa and Trisha chief among them. Ash felt his cheeks warm as he was reminded that they had an audience.

"I told you," he heard Teresa say, triumph in her voice.

"Ok, ok," Trish replied.

Misty was blushing too now and he couldn't help but laugh at her expression.

"I think I may need to lie down," Brock said.

Ash stopped laughing and turned to his friend, who looked disoriented. Lisa took Brock's arm and gave it a squeeze. Ash met Brock's eyes for a moment before the older teen turned his attention to Misty, who was still standing close to him.

"When you said you would explain things after Ash's battle, I didn't think you meant like that," Brock said, his words sounding more like a whine than an accusation.

Once again, Misty looked sheepish. "Sorry, Brock. I didn't mean for it, but it just sort of happened."

Brock laughed at this. "Just sort of happened," he said ruefully. "You two have some serious explaining to do." He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not upset," he continued, beginning to sound more like himself. "It's just a lot to take in."

Still holding onto Brock, Lisa said, "Why don't we continue this outside? I don't really want to have Candy come back in here and kick us out."

"Good idea," Vicky said.

Ash felt Misty take his hand and he squeezed hers. He let the others lead the way and then, still holding Misty's hand, he followed them out through the entrance hall and back into the bright sunlight of the plaza.

They stopped under the same oak tree where they had met before the battle and were soon sitting under its shade in a rough circle. Pikachu bounded into the middle and began playing with Togepi, whom Misty set down in front of her on the grass. Despite the pokémons' antics, all eyes were on Ash and Misty.

"Spill the beans," Teresa said mischievously.

Ash looked to Misty, unsure of what to say. Fortunately, she took over the conversation, filling the others in on what had happened the night before at the party, judicially leaving out certain events. There was still much blushing on both their parts before Misty's story was complete. Ash paid particular attention to Brock's reactions as he was still not sure how his friend truly felt about their new relationship.

In the end, Brock was the first to speak. "Honestly, I had given up you two getting together."

"What?" Ash asked, once again hearing Misty echo him.

Brock simply laughed. "Come on, anyone who's spent more than a few hours around you two would have to be blind to not see the potential. Of course, you two were the blind leading the blind. Tracy and I talked about it after you guys returned from the Orange Islands. By the time we left for Johto, I figured if it was going to happen, it would have happened already, so you will have to forgive me if it the sight of you two locking lips was a shock to the system."

Ash was simultaneously embarrassed by Brock's description of their kiss and shocked by his friend's revelation. Was he the only one who hadn't seen it? Misty said she had thought about it occasionally. Now Brock was saying he and Tracy talked over a year ago, making it seem like they were discussing the weather. Was he really that blind? Apparently so, he decided. But like so many other things, there wasn't anything he could do about it now. Besides, it worked out, so maybe being blind wasn't so bad after all.

"I am happy for you guys," Brock said after a moment. "You are a good match for each other."

Ash felt warmed by his friend's words, both for his acceptance of their relationship and for his declaration that he and Misty were good for each other. He knew that, but it was still good to hear.

"You just need to work on controlling your tempers," Brock added.

"We'll work on that," Misty, squeezing Ash's hand again.

"Yeah, we will," Ash said, finding his voice at last.

Misty rose up to her knees and lean forward to give Brock a hug. "Thank you," she said.

When she sat back down, Ash felt compelled to do the same. Embracing his friend, he felt Brock slap him back a few times. "You're a good friend," Ash said. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Brock said. "You guys are my best friends. Of course I'm going to look out for you. I just want you to be happy."

Their conversation resumed and, to Ash's relief, soon shifted away from relationships. The others began asking him questions about his battle with Candy and he recounted the various strategies he utilized, being sure to give Misty credit for the inspiration behind his counter-attacks.

After some time, Lisa asked, "Do you guys have to leave right away?"

"Our parents are picking us up tomorrow," Trisha said. "We asked to stay over an extra night so we could see Ash's battle."

"Well, there's nothing saying we have to leave today," Ash said.

Brock gave him a surprised look. Usually, he was ready to trek to the next town as soon as he won a badge.

"What do you have in mind?" Misty asked.

"Well, first of all, I'm getting kind of hungry and I thought we could grab some lunch," Lisa said. "After that, I'm sure we can find something to do."

"What do you say?" Ash asked, looking at Misty.

"Sounds good to me," she said.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Lisa took them to the same cafe Ash had found Misty at two days before. At first, he was worried how she would react returning, but aside from an extra squeeze of his hand, she was fine. Part of him was glad they were able to make new and better memories at the place, especially since, in his mind, it was where they had made up, burying the damage from their earlier argument and setting the stage for everything that happened since.

They sat in the courtyard and the same waitress came out to take their orders. Ash couldn't help but smile when he saw her glance at Misty and him holding hands.

While waiting for the food, they exchanged contact numbers, the others making Ash promise to let them know when he made it to the Johto League Championships. Misty assured them she would make sure Ash didn't forget. Brock and Lisa also promised to keep in touch, and Ash again thought that they might work out as well.

They spent the rest of the day taking in the sights and sounds of Blossomful City, with the locals serving as tour guides for the newcomers. Later they went to a movie and Ash saw the "hunky" actor he had been hearing so much about for himself. As for the film, which was the latest romantic comedy, he felt it would be better to keep his opinion to himself.

Finally, it was time to say their goodbyes for real, and there were many hugs and perhaps a few tears shared among the new friends. Brock spent a few extra minutes with Lisa and then the trio made their way back to the pokémon center.

The next morning, Ash awoke and then he and Brock packed their belongings for the trip ahead. Misty met them in the cafeteria for breakfast and this time Ash was able to enjoy their time together without having to worry about secrets or upcoming battles.

Nurse Joy thanked them for the flowers as they left the center and they promised to say hello to her cousin whenever they reached their next destination. Once outside, instead of turning right, they turned left, retracing their steps from their first day in Blossomful City, Misty carrying Togepi and Pikachu trotting alongside them. Ash watched the buildings shrink and grow further apart as they left the city. Reaching the path, they turned off the main road and he could soon see the great forest before them.

"You know, it's probably a good thing I didn't come in first place in the pageant," Misty said, breaking what had been a comfortable silence between them.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"Well, I was talking to Lisa yesterday and she was telling me about all of the obligations she has now as the new Miss Blossomful. I would have had to come back here quite a few times over the next year and that would have messed up your plans to make the cut-off for the next championship."

"I would have made the time," Ash said.

"Easy to say that now," she said.

Ash stopped walking and she did as well. "I mean it," he continued. "I don't want you to ever feel you're just following me around. We're in this together, now more than ever. You've done so much to help me reach my dreams. I want to do the same for you."

Misty was quiet for several long moments. "Thank you Ash, but honestly, my dreams don't include riding in parades as a beauty queen. My dream is to be the best gym leader I can be."

"Well, if we're being honest, I can probably do more to help you with that than I can with parades," he said. She laughed and soon they were both laughing. What was once a crazy idea now felt natural, although when he gave her a quick kiss on the lips, he still felt the same thrill he had at the gym the day before.

"Alright, I still need some time to get used to that," Brock said.

Ash turned to see his friend walking back to them, having apparently noticed his two friends were no longer following him.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not used to it yet either," he said.

Now all three broke into laughter, joined by Togepi and Pikachu for good measure.

After a few moments, Brock wiped a tear from his eye and said to Ash, "You have the map? We need to make sure of our route before we hit the forest."

"Yeah," Ash said, pulling the map from a side pocket in his pack. Looking at the folded paper for a second, he then handed it to his friend. "You figure it out. I think I've proven I'm not the best navigator."

Brock simply stared at him and Ash soon noticed Misty and Pikachu doing the same. "What?" he asked, but the question earned him no response. "Well, you did say we needed to work on our tempers." He turned to Misty. "This way, if we get lost, we can blame Brock and not get into a fight."

Misty laughed. "You've got a point there."

"Hey, it's no fair ganging up on me," Brock said.

"It's not ganging up on you," Ash replied. "Like I said, we're just following your advice. Don't worry, we have full faith in your abilities."

"Yeah Brock," Misty chimed in.

Brock eyed them dubiously but he turned his attention to the map, unfolding and then examining it for several moments. "Well, without our usual shortcuts, we should be in the next town by the day after tomorrow."

"I told you," Ash said. He turned to Misty. "Didn't I tell him?"

"Alright, alright, you made your point," Brock said, but he was smiling. He folded the map and placed it in his own pack. Then he turned and led the way, Ash and Misty following side by side, hand in hand.

Four days before, Ash had arrived in Blossomful City worried he had lost his best friend. Now, as he was leaving, he thought about all he gained instead and couldn't help but smile. He had been smiling a lot over the past couple of days. It felt good to smile. It felt even better to have a reason to smile. He knew his reason was right next to him, holding his hand and ready to tackle the next adventure, whatever it may be.

Ash and Misty shared a look. He saw the wide smile on her face and decided the best feeling of all was knowing you were the reason for someone else to smile. He squeezed her hand and together they walked after Brock, watching each other and the road ahead.

Just before they re-entered the forest, Ash took a moment to think on it all one last time. In his mind, he glanced over his shoulder at the river he had crossed. Somehow it didn't look as deep or fast flowing as it did from the other side. Perhaps that was because he knew there was no going back. Perhaps it was because he had no desire to go back. The landscape in front of him appeared foreign and it most likely held unseen dangers and pitfalls, but this too didn't seem as scary as it once did, because now he knew he wouldn't be facing it alone.