Fable

Disclaimer: I don’t own Pokémon.

Summary: Ash wants to cheer Misty up, and give her some hope in the process.

Note: Ash is finally old enough to understand the point of romance, so that’d make him 50! Just kidding, he’s 17... Guys are so immature...

Speech. Thoughts.

‘And they lived happily ever after. The end.’ “Ah, that was sooo romantic, just like a fairy tale.” May sighed as the group left the cinema. Max rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses. “Ech, too girly if you ask me...” Ash nodded. “Yeah, not enough explosions and stuff...” “WELL, WHO ASKED YOU?!” May glared daggers at them. Misty placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, relax girl... they’re guys, what do they know about romance anyway? Ash’s idea of romance is burgers and chilli dogs...” She narrowed her blue eyes in his direction. “Hey, what’s wrong with burgers?!” Misty shrugged. “Nothing... if you’re dating yourself, Ashy-boy... but an actual girl, welllll... let’s just say, Brock has a better idea of romance than you do.” She glanced over at Brock being rejected yet again. “Even if it IS more than a little warped...”

Misty sighed. “Let’s face it, May. The whole thing about this supposingly perfect guy showing up on a blazing white Rapidash, and whisking you away to his castle, is just a fairy tale. That stuff never happens.” she shrugged. “Personally, I’d be happy if he rocked up with all his personal issues sorted out... but if he had his own wheels, then that would definitely be a major bonus...” She winked across at May who giggled. “But when it comes to love, I’ve gotten pretty jaded.” Misty shrugged. “I now know that real romance is dead...”

The next morning, Ash made sure to wake up before anybody else. He silently crept out of the house and ran all the way up to Professor Oak’s laboratory. ‘Maybe this’ll cheer her up...’ he mused as he snuck into the Pokémon storage room and started trying to find...it. ‘Then I gotta go and set everything up...’

Misty sat on the fence, watching Delia working in the garden. “Sorry, Mrs. K... I’d help, but your garden might not survive it...” she shrugged helplessly. “When it comes to gardening, I’m even worse than Ash is... same goes for cleaning, for that matter...” she sighed, ran her fingers through her bright orange hair, and glanced inside where Brock had recruited May and Max to help him clean the house, with interference from Mimie, of course. “I’m not so much the cleaner, but the cleanee...” She rolled her eyes and frowned. “Of course, trust Ash to make a run for it, just to avoid cleaning.”

Misty turned as she heard the sound of hoofs. “Hm, some weirdo on a Ponyta.” She shielded her eyes against the sun, trying to get a better look at the figure as he rode up to the fence. “Hey, it’s...Ash?!” Ash blushed as he looked down at her, black hair waving in the breeze. “Um, I couldn’t find a Rapidash... will Ponyta do?” Misty frowned as she tried to figure out what he meant. ‘Huh?... Rapidash... wait...’ she blushed and glanced up at him. “Huh?!” Ash reached a hand down towards her. “Care for a ride? I’ll... explain along the way.” Misty took his hand and allowed herself to be swung up behind him. “Be back later, mum.” Ash nodded and steered the Ponyta north.

“Okay Ash Ketchum, what’s the deal here?!” Misty half-frowned as she nervously slid her hands around Ash’s waist. Ash shrugged. “Well, last night, you said, all that stuff... and I just wanna show you you’re wrong.” Misty frowned. “Uh-huh. And where you get the Ponyta from?” Ash blushed. “Uh, actually, I snuck into the lab and took it... but I’m gonna take it back afterwards...” “After, what?” Ash just nodded, and as Misty glanced around him, her jaw dropped open. In a clearing ahead, she saw a table had been set for two. Pikachu was wearing a bow tie, and he grinned and waved as he saw them approach. Ash jumped down and extended his hand to her again, brown eyes sparkling. “I’m gonna prove to you that romance isn’t dead.”

Okay, it’s safe to assume that Ash got the idea from the movie he’d pretty much been forced to see the night before. Although, I’m with him on the explosions business. I’m a girl, but I still like explosions more than the usual ‘chick flick’ kinda stuff.

AUSSIE WOLF.

30-Apr-08.

3-Apr-09 (fixed minor typos)