What is an
AAMR2RN you ask?
Well, it's Misty and May both getting Ash in
the same fic.
I wrote this up, and this is the first draft, so
it's a bit rough, but I wanted to see what you guys thought.
I
started out wanting to write an AAMRN, then started thinking about
AAMayRNs, and wondered if it were possible to do an AAM2RN....I love
dancing, and I started thinking about how special it can sometimes be
to dance with someone. It can be almost a spiritual experience. And,
well....
read on:
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Forward,
forward, forward-side-close. Forward, forward, forward-side-close.
The beat of the Tango song swept through the Cerulean City Gym,
driving Misty forward, forward, forward-side close. T—A--N-G-O
She loved dancing, and she would especially like dancing in a few
minutes with her partner. If he ever showed up.
But it
probably wouldn't be long now. At least it better not be. Misty
looked down at her feet and blushed as she thought of the man she was
teaching to dance.
To sum things up, Ash Ketchum was the most
wonderful young man that she had met in her life. They had traveled
together on a Pokemon journey, and then she had had to leave. She had
told him that she had had to leave because her sisters needed her at
the Cerulean City Gym. But the real reason was that she had needed to
get away from Ash to stop and think.
She had been head over
heels for Ash, but she had been too afraid to tell him how she had
felt. And that fear had begun to grate on her. It had gotten to the
point where she couldn't even stand to look at him, she was so afraid
that he wouldn't like her the same way that she liked him.
It
had been five years since then, and she had matured quite a bit since
then. After sitting down and thinking it over, she had been preparing
to go see Ash and tell him how she felt, but when she went to see
him, he was with another girl. That had crushed her, and she had left
before he could see her.
For months she was a nervous wreck,
and nothing her airhead sisters could do would cheer her up. Then
they somehow convinced her to get out of the Gym and go on a blind
date. It had gone horribly, but th bumbling antics of the boy trying
to impress her cheered her up enough to the point where she could get
her life back on track.
And get it back on track she had. She
had overhauled the Gym and its protocols. Her sisters, who had been
on a major losing streak, gladly handed the battling duties over to
her, which she took with a vengeance. Almost overnight, her gym went
from being the worst win-loss ration in the country to the second
best, the only gym better than hers being Koga's.
She buried
herself in work to keep herself from thinking about Ash. Then another
young man from Pallet Town had shown up on her doorstep, looking not
only for her badge, but for her heart. Gary Oak, the new Pokemon Prof
for Kanto, had asked her out, causing quite a stir in the supermarket
tabloids.
Misty didn't accept at first, but after the fiftieth
time he asked, she finally gave in. To her surprise, she enjoyed
herself, and hadn't looked back. Although she and Gary had broken up
long before, and she had had other boyfriends besides him, they still
kept in touch.
In fact, it was Gary that had put Ash back in
her life. In one of his letters, he had mentioned that Ash was coming
through Cerulean. Misty had contacted Ash, and they agreed to meet
for the first time in two years.
Ash had brought the girl that
Misty had seen with him before for her to meet. The meeting of the
three brought her old feelings back to the fore, and a resentment
against Ash. She just couldn't figure out how Ash could like someone
that seemed as bubble-headed as her sisters.
Despite her
reservations about May, as she discovered she was called, Misty was
polite to both of them, and they hadn't been out of contact since. It
turned out that May was actually dating Ash, who had slipped down far
enough in the Pokemon League rankings that the tabloids didn't cover
that part of his life anymore.
Almost a year ago, now, Ash had
settled down in Pewter City to help Brock out with his gym and help
May set up a new Contest Center. Misty had offered her some room in
the gym, but May had declined sharply, giving Misty the feeling that
May knew about Misty's feelings for Ash. Of course, since Ash had
proposed to May, there was no way that Misty would ever act on those
feelings.
Ash had called her up and confessed to her that he
couldn't dance—aside from jumping up and down and waving his
arms around like a maniac to rock and roll—and May was
expecting him to dance with her to more contemporary music. He had
asked her to teach him to dance, and had offered to bring the money
for her bike when he came.
Misty had said yes, and they had
arranged to meet for the dancing lessons. Ash had been learning from
her for six months now, and he was doing very well. For Ash, she was
sure, it was just for fun. For her--
Misty looked up as Ash
walked in the door, his head down. “It's about time you showed
up!” she complained. “What kept you?” she demanded.
He didn't say anything. Alarm bells began to ring in her mind. “Ash?”
she said. “Ash, what's wrong?”
Ash looked up,
tears filling his eyes. “We had a fight,” he said
quietly. “We had a fight, and May says that she might not want
to get married anymore.”
Misty got up from where she
had been sitting and crossed the room to be by her friend. “What
happened?” Misty asked concernedly. “Tell me everything.”
Ash was sobbing too hard for him to respond right away.
Misty
closed her eyes and pulled him towards her in a hug, wanting to make
Ash feel better. To her surprise, Ash pushed her away. “No,”
he said angrily, swiping at his eyes. “No. May thinks that you
like me. I told her that you didn't, but she didn't believe me.”
He looked down at the ground. “It was quite a yelling match.
She just kept accusing me of returning whatever feelings you're
supposed to be having,” he murmured sadly.
Misty closed
her eyes and rolled back onto the balls of her feet, and closed her
eyes. This was happening because of her. Because of what she felt—had
felt, she half-heartedly tried to remind herself, not really
believing it even as the thought formed—for Ash.
“I-I-I
don't know what to do, Misty,” Ash sobbed. She was my life. My
universe. I don't know what to do without her.”
This
was her chance. She could tell him right now that she loved him. It
would be so easy, and then they could be together forever. Misty
closed her eyes. She loved him, she knew that. May knew that. Half of
her boyfriends had broken up with her because of that. She just had
to say a few simple words now and then Ash would be hers.
And
yet—she watched Ash silently blubber in front of her, and her
heart went out to him. She wanted to do something to make him feel
better. She wanted to hug him, to kiss him, to let him know how she
felt She had to. But yet....what if he didn't like her the same
way?
She closed her eyes and rolled that thought around again.
She had been thinking that her whole life, afraid to act on it. Now
was her chance. She opened her mouth to say the words. “Ash,
about what May said?” she said, and opened her eyes. He looked
up at her hopefully, but the pain ever-present in his eyes.
And
at that moment Misty recognized what he was feeling. She recognized
the expression that she had worn when she had come home after she had
first seen him with May. Complete and utter heart-break. If he had
ever felt feelings for her, he didn't anymore. And it wouldn't be
fair to saddle him with the fact that May was, in fact,
truthful.
She had to do the right thing. She didn't have to
like it, but she did have to do it. “She wasn't right at all. I
don't have any feelings for you. I'll go talk to her if you want, and
try to get her to take you back.”
And when Ash's tearful
gaze met hers, she knew that she had done the right thing. Misty
closed her eyes and turned away, feeling tears begin to fill her own
eyes. “I don't think I'll be able to do the lessons today,
Ash,” she said. “Come back tomorrow, usual time, and I'll
do it then.” The tears were beginning to flow. She couldn't let
her see him like this.
She ran through a door and went to her
bedroom, where she shut the door and began to cry into her pillow,
leaving a bewildered Ash waiting in the gym. Misty sobbed into her
pillow. She had done the right thing, but she wondered what it would
cost her.
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Misty watched Ash and May as they ate
together, laughing and talking. It had been a good wedding, and Ash
hadn't done too badly dancing. Ash had even insisted that she be maid
of honor. It had almost been too much for her to bear.
Misty
stared down at her plate and shoveled the food around. The food at
the reception was probably good, but nothing had tasted good since
that day a month before when Ash had come into the gym crying.
Nothing seemed fun anymore,either. Battling had lost its appeal, and
her only escape was sleep.
Misty closed her eyes. She had done
what was right. Everyone was happy. Except for her, Brock had pointed
out when she had told him. True, she wasn't happy, but she had done
what was right. Looking over at Ash's happy face, she could almost
believe that was true.
The song that the band was playing
finished, and there was a small pause before they started on the next
piece. A Dean Martin classic called “Sway.”
When
marimba rhythms start to play.
Before she knew what
she was doing, she was on her feet and had walked over to Ash, and
had put a hand on her shoulder. “Ash,” she asked. “How
about a dance?”
Dance with me, make me sway.
He grinned up at her. “For you,” he said,
grinning, “I will.” As Ash got up, Misty caught an
accusatory glare from May, but Misty knew that May didn't have
anything to worry about. Not anymore.
Like a lazy ocean
hugs the shore.
Before Misty could think, they were
out on the dance floor, and she was in his arms.
Hold
me close, sway me more.
She felt so safe there.
Everything felt right. Their eyes met, and, as one, their feet moved
to the music.
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease.
This band played
the song a little bit faster than she was used to, but she could
handle it. So could Ash, for that matter. But it was like there was
nothing but Ash, her, and the music. She was in a zone.
When
we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me.
She closed her eyes, and felt the music flow through
her. Forward, forward, forward-side-close. Forward, forward,
forward-side-close. This felt so right. This was how it was supposed
to be.
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but
my eyes will see only you.
She felt someone else's
dress brush hers, but the feeling registered only for a moment, and
then it was just her and Ash, sliding across the floor.
Only
you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak.
Ash
was doing a great job of directing her. She had never really danced
with her eyes closed before, but she knew that with Ash, she didn't
have anything to worry about. Not anymore.
I can hear
the sound of violins
Long before it begins.
The
music rose, and the music fell. The steps remained the same. Forward,
forward, forward-side-close.
Make me thrill as
only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now.
In
her mind, she could see Ash and her dancing, alone. Everyone else was
gone. He was apologizing for marrying May, and professing his love to
her.
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my
eyes will see only you.
And then again, in her dreams,
they were swept up into dancing. Nothing but forward, forward,
forward-side-close. An entire universe of forward, forward,
forward-side-close.
Only you have that magic
technique
When we sway I go weak.
Once again Misty
wanted just to open her mouth and tell Ash how she felt about him. It
would be so easy. She felt so safe, so well-at-ease.
I
can hear the sound of violins
Long before it begins.
It
was like she belonged in his arms. Like her entire life had been
leading up to this moment. It was so powerful, she couldn't even form
a thought to describe what it felt like.
Make me thrill
as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now.
And
then the song came to a close, and she was brought back to reality. A
feeling of peace came over her as she looked up into Ash's eyes.
“Thank you,” she said quietly through the polite applause
the band was getting..
He smiled down at her and grinned.
“For you,” he said quietly, “Anything.” He
leaned down towards her, and she closed her eyes. Ash was going to
kiss her! Right here in front of May! That would show her! That would
show everyone!
Then she felt his arms wrap around her, and she
raised her own to return the hug. Misty sighed, and felt the safety
of Ash's arms around her, and knew that for the rest of her life, she
would treasure this day. Even if it meant that Ash was married to
someone else.
She felt Ash begin to pull away, and Misty
reluctantly pulled away as well. She looked up at Ash, but he was
already looking back at May, a dopey grin across his face.
As
she and Ash made their way back to their seats, Misty realized that
she had done the right thing when she had talked to May for Ash, and
got the wedding back on track. Ash was happy, May was....kind of
happy, but a lot more happy when she wasn't around.
And she
had gotten her moment with Ash. The one moment she had been dreaming
about since she had fallen in love with him. The one moment of
perfection that few people ever got in their lifetime.
If
everything else in her life went to pieces the next day, she would
always have that moment, and the memory of moving to the music.
Moving forward, forward, forward-side-close. Forward, forward,
forward-side-close.