" Misty!" Ash yelled as he frantically ran in the forest. " Misty!"

" Misty?" Brock, a little more composed, asked.

Gary crossed his arms and leaned on a tree. " Where is your Girlfriend anyway, Ashy."

Ash blushed. " She... She's not my girlfriend!"

Gary rolled his eyes. " Sure. Whatever makes you feel better."

Ash rolled his eyes. " Misty?!" Ash yelled. " Your sisters didn't mean it! You're pretty, Misty! You really are! And you're not adopted!"

Nothing.

Ash sighed. " MIIIIIIISTYYYYYYYYYY?!"

Brock put a hand on Ash's shoulders. " We should go. It's getting late."

Ash shrugged it off. " You two can go. I'm gonna find misty."

And with that, he disappeared through the bushes, calling the love of his life's name.

" Misty! Misty! Oh, please come out, Mist! It's.... It's sunset!"

Nothing.

Ash sighed. " MIIIIIIIISTYYYYY!"

Suddenly, he heard it

A faint choke.

It was faint, but it was there.

Ash gasped softly. He ran to the direction and hid behind a bush.

There, back turned on him, was Misty. She was trembling, and she was sobbing.

" Misty!" Ash exclaimed as he jumped over a log and ran to her, hugging her as soon as his hands touched her. " Oh, Misty, don't do that again, please!"

Misty froze for ten seconds.

Then she melted in Ash's arms, hugging him as tight as she could. " A.. ash?"

" Mhm?"

" Do you think I look ugly?"

Ash hugged her tighter." Shhh, Misty, misty, you're beautiful."

" R ... Really?" She hiccuped.

Ash nodded, still hugging her. " Yes, Misty. If you weren't pretty, why would I fall in love with you? Why would I spend all this time looking for you?"

" Because you're my boyfriend."

Ash huffed softly. " No, Misty. It's because you're the prettiest girl in the world."

Misty choked back another wave of tears. " That's what all boyfriends say."

Ash leaned back and looked in Misty's eyes. " But it's true."

Misty blinked at him, her teary eyes searching Ash's face for any sign of insincerity. But all she saw was the same honest, stubborn boy she’d traveled with for so long. The boy who always had her back, even when he was clueless.

"You really mean that?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Ash gave her a lopsided grin. "Of course I do. Misty, you're strong, you're smart, and you're beautiful. Those things your sisters said... they're just jealous because you’re so amazing."

Misty sniffled, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "But they’re right about me being different. I’ve always felt... like I didn’t fit in with them."

Ash shook his head firmly. "Who cares if you're different? That just makes you more special. They don’t see what I see. Misty, I don’t know what I’d do without you."

Misty gave a small laugh through her tears. "You’d probably get lost without me."

"Exactly!" Ash chuckled, his expression softening. "So, I need you to stick around and keep me from doing something dumb."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, her tears slowly subsiding. "Ash, I... I don’t know what I’d do without you either."

He smiled down at her, relieved to see her calming down. "Well, good thing you won’t have to find out. I’m not going anywhere, Misty. You’re stuck with me."

Misty smiled, the warmth of Ash's words soothing the hurt that her sisters had caused. She pulled him into another hug, her arms wrapping around him tightly. "Thanks, Ash. I really needed that."

Ash hugged her back just as tightly, holding her close. "Anytime, Mist."

For a moment, they stood there in the fading light of the sunset, holding onto each other. The forest was quiet around them, and it felt like the whole world had stopped, just for a moment, so they could be together.

Finally, Ash pulled back and gave her a small, encouraging smile. "Come on, Mist. Let’s go back to camp. Brock and Gary are probably wondering where we are."

Misty nodded, wiping her face one last time. "Yeah... I’m ready."

With that, Ash took her hand, and together they made their way back through the forest, side by side. Neither of them said anything, but the silence was comfortable. Ash's heart swelled with relief and happiness, knowing that Misty was okay and that she knew how much she meant to him.

As they approached the camp, Ash glanced at her, squeezing her hand gently. "Just so you know, Misty... you're always gonna be the prettiest girl in the world to me."

Misty smiled, her heart light for the first time all day. "Thanks, Ash."