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Misty's confession at the doorstep was beyond everyone's expectations, including Ash, Brock—who was about to open the door—and Pikachu.
Brock had originally heard movement at the door and was preparing to open it, but then he overheard Misty and Ash talking. To give the young couple more time to chat, he chose to pretend he hadn't seen them return and quietly eavesdropped at the door instead.
As a result, he heard such a shocking piece of news!
Although he had been thinking about Misty making a move before, this was just too sudden!
Despite Misty's tomboyish nature, ninety-nine percent of girls are hesitant when it comes to romance. Usually, the boy takes the initiative; girls taking the lead only happens in that rare one percent. Because they overthink things, they have many fears.
Although Brock had no romantic experience, his theoretical knowledge was absolute. You could say Brock couldn't pick up girls, but you couldn't say his theoretical knowledge was lacking.
He saw through Misty's situation at a glance. She liked Ash, but because of a girl's typical hesitation, she had been slow to take a step forward. However, as long as Ash took two steps toward her, she would definitely take three or four steps toward him. This was also where Misty differed from ordinary girls.
Yet, even Brock didn't expect that on an ordinary date, Misty would actually explode like this!
It was equivalent to Ash using a basic attack while Misty unleashed all her skills and her ultimate.
"It seems Misty likes Ash even more than I imagined—Damn it, if only a girl would treat me like that. I'd probably burst into tears on the spot, kneel down to propose, and get the marriage certificate the next day! Ash, you idiot, what are you hesitating for?!"
Brock thought behind the door, frustrated by Ash's lack of progress. Ten seconds had passed, and Ash still hadn't responded. Could that guy be planning to reject her and say some nonsense like, 'Right now, I don't want to think about anything other than becoming a Pokémon Master'?
If that were the case, Brock would have to go out and give his brother a piece of his mind!
Outside the door, Ash wasn't thinking about rejection like Brock imagined; rather, his brain had short-circuited from Misty's sudden confession.
Although his emotional intelligence was low and he was far less interested in girls than in Pokémon, he was still a boy. How could he remain indifferent after being confessed to by a beautiful and cute girl?
Not to mention, this girl was a companion who had traveled with him for half a year, inseparable during that time, making her a partner of extraordinary significance to him.
When he first set out on his journey, the first person he met was Misty. While the version of himself from the parallel world was his guide to the illusory world, Misty was his guide to reality.
In the beginning, many common-sense issues, wilderness survival skills, and basic Pokémon knowledge were taught to him by Misty. The experts in the group chat then taught him advanced knowledge based on those foundations, as well as ways to go further and become stronger.
A skyscraper starts from the ground up; without Misty's help, he certainly wouldn't be as powerful as he is now. To Ash, Misty was both a mentor and a friend.
Ash had never seriously thought that Misty would become his partner—well, saying 'never' isn't entirely accurate; he'd had one or two fleeting moments where the thought had inadvertently crossed his mind.
After all, Misty's personality had always been tomboyish, lacking the delicate softness of typical girls. If one didn't look at her pretty and cute appearance, one might believe she was a cheerful boy. When spending time with her, she felt more like a brother walking side-by-side than a member of the opposite sex who needed protection.
But today, Ash truly saw Misty's soft and delicate side. She had mustered all her courage to confess to him, her cheeks flushed bright red, and her snowy-white arms holding Togepi were trembling uncontrollably.
Despite this, she still kept her clear, beautiful eyes open, staring intently at him, just waiting for a single response.
"—I—my feelings—for you—are the same." The usually outspoken Ash became hesitant for the first time. He had never known how to feel 'embarrassed' before, but now, he did.
But no matter how embarrassed he felt, he could never let Misty's feelings down. He had to tell Misty upright and honestly that his feelings were the same as hers!
Hearing Ash's answer, Misty's tensed arms suddenly relaxed. Her already flushed cheeks seemed to turn even redder, but her firm and serious expression gave way to an unprecedented look of joy.
Her heart, which had been racing because of the confession, now beat even faster. However, this was a rapid heartbeat caused by excitement and happiness, which was a completely different matter from the previous nervousness.
"Pika-pi~" Pikachu snatched Togepi from Misty's arms and gently placed it on the ground. Misty felt her hands become empty and couldn't help but look toward Pikachu. Pikachu simply gave Misty a thumbs-up; at this moment, words were unnecessary.
Under the sunset, Misty and Ash embraced. This time was different from the excited hug in the morning; this was an embrace between a young man and girl who had expressed shared feelings.
When Ash and Misty entered the house holding hands, Brock appeared in their sight wearing an apron and covered in tears. The two were stunned, and Ash quickly asked, "What's wrong, Brock? Did something happen?!"
"Finally—finally—you're finally together! Do you know how hard it's been for me to watch you two all this way?!"
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Ash & Misty: —
You're crying because of that? Someone who didn't know better would think Team Rockets attacked and kidnapped your Pokémon. So it turns out these are tears of joy?
The two glanced at each other helplessly, but the corners of their mouths couldn't help but curl into a slight smile. Looking back now, Brock really had been constantly trying to set them up; it was just that one was completely oblivious and the other lacked the courage, leading them to only get together now.
Once everything was out in the open, the two getting together seemed like a matter of course. Moreover, since this happened right after Ash became the Champion, the timing couldn't have been better.
Afterward, Brock told Misty and Ash to sit comfortably while he handled dinner. He wanted to add extra dishes to celebrate them getting together. As their witness, it was perfectly reasonable for Brock to sit at the table and eat with them.
The newly formed couple sat on the sofa, leaning against each other and talking about the details they had overlooked during their journey. For instance, how many times Misty had hinted at things that Ash completely ignored, and how many other girls along the way might have been interested in Ash just like her.
Ash's memory was certainly not bad; he remembered the scenes of those hints Misty mentioned very clearly. It was just that at the time, he had no thoughts in that direction at all, so his ways of responding to Misty were varied—except for any response that treated them as a couple.
When Misty learned about Ash's various inner thoughts at those times, she couldn't help but laugh. Looking back at those scenes after getting together indeed felt very interesting.
Of course, if they hadn't ended up together, reminiscing about those things wouldn't be interesting; it would be incredibly sad—fortunately, that didn't happen.
Soon, Brock's dinner was ready. The table full of dishes left Ash and Misty in awe. This spread was even more lavish than the victory banquet after he became Champion.
Delia, Professor Oak, and Gary had all returned to Pallet Town after the celebration banquet. If Ash hadn't stayed for his date with Misty, he might have gone back with Delia and the others.
Because of this, Ash felt a bit of regret that Delia didn't get to see the moment he and Misty got together.
Speaking of which, Delia had always worried whether his emotional intelligence would allow him to find a girlfriend. Ash never really thought about it, summarizing his philosophy in four words: let nature take its course. When it was time for a girlfriend, he'd have one; if not, he could spend his life with Pokémon.
As it turned out, 'nature' came quite quickly. In just half a year of traveling, he had found his other half. If Delia found out, she would probably be even happier than when Ash became a Pokémon Master.
"Well then, to celebrate Ash and Misty being together, cheers!!" Brock raised his orange juice and congratulated the two.
"Cheers!" *2
After eating and drinking their fill, the two went out for another stroll. Brock went to clear the dishes. Originally, Misty and Ash wanted to help, but Brock chased them away. He stated that since they just got together and were heading back to Pallet Town tomorrow, they should take the time to go out and have fun.
The two were somewhat helpless regarding Brock's logic. They were just going back to Pallet Town, not to some hellish place. They had plenty of time ahead to see more of the world together; there was no need to rush.
But they couldn't win against Brock, so the two were chased out again. The Indigo Plateau at night was just as brightly lit. The Indigo Plateau Conference had only ended two days ago, so the plateau was still quite lively.
However, in a week's time, the entire Indigo Plateau would likely become deserted. After all, the Indigo Plateau Conference was over, and spectators wouldn't stay long. The Indigo Plateau wasn't exactly a tourist resort, so what would they stay for?
While the Indigo Plateau was still bustling, Ash and Misty could experience more of this passionate atmosphere. Shopping, strolling, and playing in such an environment felt like a proper date for a couple.
At night, they as usual had Mewtwo help them mask their presence so that others couldn't recognize or see their true faces. In this way, the two walked all the way to the edge of the Indigo Plateau, a place Ash often visited during the Indigo Plateau Conference.
This edge was like the brink of a cliff. Looking down from here, one could see dense forests and distant cities with scattered lights. It was a good place to relax and release one's emotions.
Despite Ash appearing very relaxed during the matches, the pressure in his heart was not small. After all, his opponents were Superiors who had collected eight badges!
A single loss meant saying goodbye to the Indigo Plateau Conference, which was different from Gym battles where you had multiple chances to challenge.
But the final results proved that Ash's pressure was entirely unnecessary. In the entire Indigo Plateau Conference, including Paul, no one was a match for him.
However, this place still provided Ash with a great emotional outlet. Today, Ash brought Misty here as well.
The two sat together on the edge of the cliff, gazing at the distant scenery and enjoying the beautiful night view, their hearts filled with peace.
"—Ash, I might not be able to continue traveling with you later," Misty said softly, leaning on Ash's shoulder.
Ash's body trembled slightly, and Pikachu beside him also showed a look of shock and confusion. What was going on? They just got together and were already going to separate?
"Is it because of the Gym?"
"Yeah, I am the Gym Leader of Cerulean Gym, after all. Now that I've grown sufficiently by Ash's side, it's about time I go back and resume my duties as a Gym Leader. I can't let my sisters keep carrying the responsibilities of the Cerulean Gym forever~"
Although Misty tried her best to say this in a lighthearted tone, Ash could still hear the reluctance in her voice. Setting aside the fact that she'd have to separate from her companions and stop traveling, they had only just gotten together. It would be strange if she were willing to leave for the Gym now.
"I—" Ash really wanted to say he would go back to Cerulean Gym with Misty, but the words wouldn't come out no matter what. Because if he stayed at the Cerulean Gym, it would mean he couldn't continue to pursue his dream.
"What are you thinking, Ash? I'm not telling you this because I want you to stay at the Cerulean Gym. I'm just giving you a heads-up. Although I have to go back to the Gym, it won't be that soon. We can still travel together for another month or two. And even if I really had to go back to Cerulean Gym immediately, you couldn't come with me!"
Misty raised her head and used her small white hands to turn Ash's head so they were making eye contact. She said with a serious expression, "Have you forgotten the goal you told me at the very beginning? To become a Pokémon Master! I don't want to see you stop your pace before you achieve your dream, especially not for me!"
"If you really made that kind of decision, I would feel guilty for the rest of my life. So Ash—regardless of whether I'm there or not, you must head straight toward your dream! I believe with your talent and hard work, in a few years at most, you will achieve your dream. And then—come and marry me properly!"
"Misty—" Ash's mouth hung open slightly, a shimmer in his eyes. He had many things to say to Misty, but now he didn't know which one to pick. It seemed that no amount of words could clarify his current feelings for her.
The next second, a warm sensation pressed directly against Ash's slightly open mouth. Under the bright moonlight, the young man and girl embraced and kissed.