Wow — A Heat Generator
"Ash Ketchum" story draft
"The Big Picture" story draft
It was such a nice day

Karrli loved video games, cartoons, and movies. She wrote about her fascination with these "unreal" forms of entertainment, especially animation, in one of her essays on this website, the one entitled "To aliens, video games, cartoons and movies would be so strange."

Here's what she wrote:

To aliens, video games, cartoons and movies would be so strange.

These things don't "exist." They were never "real." They are not born, and they can not die.

But maybe that's what's special about humans, or life.

It's kinda contagious. Humans can make objects that are never living appear to be living.

To feel like they are living, a stuffed toy is a best friend, a book character lives next door.

Unfortunately, we always get carried away.

Karrli wrote several stories that feature characters from the Pokémon animated series: Brock, Ash Ketchum, Misty, and Pikachu. As far as we can tell, these come in the category of "fan fiction" where fans use well known characters to tell a new story. Don't let the "Pokémon" origins of the characters fool you. These are teenage romance stories featuring raging emotions and incredible first kisses. The "kiss" scene in the story "Wow ­ A Heat Generator" really does generate heat. As Karrli would say, "humans can make objects that are never living appear to be living."

"Wow — A Heat Generator"

Ash + Misty = 17
Brock = 19
Pikachu can be understood.

A breeze went by just often enough to keep the temperature nice. The sun was setting, clouds passed by to enhance the orange hew of the sky, and rather abruptly birds flew in fright from a near by tree as the rumble of two trainers voice's escalated into an explosion.

"I've had it up to my neck with you dragging me away from every girl I meet! If they didn't want me around they would tell me!"

"They do Brock! But you don't even know what a turn down is! No matter how many times it's slapped in your face, so I have to step in!"

Brock looked to Ash and Pikachu, they both rubbed the back of their necks and gave a nod in validation. Caught in saddening disbelief Brock threw his hands in the air.

"Fine! I guess I 'm too much of a geeky-weirdo to get any one to go out with me! I get dumped and rejected where ever I go!"

Misty calmed down as best she could to be rational with the upset 19-year-old boy. She almost was caught by surprise at Brocks open flow of emotions. She grasped Brocks shoulders and made sure he was listening.

"You need to think Brock, your not a weirdo or a geek, you just have to learn to control your self. I know what you're like when you're normal; you're a cool calculating guy who knows what's what. If you just acted like your self instead of letting your hormones get the best of you, girls wouldn't be able to keep away."
Brock grinned and blushed as he considered what Misty said.

"Now promise that the next girl who catches your eye will get to know you for you. And that you will control your self." Misty made sure he got the picture.
"Ok," Brock lifted his head up and sighed. "I'll try my best."
"Good." Misty grinned with a nod.
Right then the wind picked up and blew away the adrenaline from the argument. Misty smiled and snatched her bag from the ground. Brock ran his hand through his hair and turned to Ash while asking.
"Do you have any thing to add?"
Misty looked up.
Standing silent, Ash stared at the ground.

"No."

Pikachu gave a curious prod to Ash's lack of cheerfulness. Suddenly coming out of his near trance Ash cleared his throat and looked to Misty and Brock with a grin.
"It's a nice day, we should camp out tonight. I re-filled our supplies so it wouldn't be a problem."
Misty took a step forward about to speak but Brock cut her off.
"Sounds good to me, the sun is going down anyway."

It got pleasantly cooler as they found a decent clearing to camp out in. If there had been any humidity in the air it had now moisturized into droplets and stuck to the shining blades of grass around the campsite. It was as beautiful a night as it had been a day. Misty had noticed, but Brock didn't; he had been busy doing little things around the campsite.
She heard him shining his few poke balls and muttering things to him self like
"Take care of their home like you would your own, oh you agree officer Jenny?"
Misty couldn't keep from laughing,
"You articulation is astounding Brock."
Brock looked up puzzled then walked over to his backpack with his back to Misty.
"Oh like I was aiming to please you." He stated.
Laughing slightly Misty looked around for Ash. Pikachu was curled in a tight ball by his things but he wasn't to be found.

"Do you know where Ash went?" she asked double-checking the area.
"Ah ain't cine naw Ash round 'ere." Brock spoke with fake enthusiasm.
Misty ignored his mockery, heading out to look around.

Walking towards the open meadow Misty noticed that there was a path freshly pressed through grass. Following it to the center of the enclosure she stopped seeing some one just standing looking up at the starlit sky.

"Stop it..." Ash let out a scoff as he kicked at the tall grass in disgruntlement.

Misty wanted to call out to him because of the wave of guilt coming over her. She didn't want to intrude and spy on him. He was acting unlike Ash; maybe he needed to be alone. But if she went back now he would see her path in the grass, and might be suspicious when he returned. It was best to let him know she was there, for him if need be.

"...Ash?"
"Ahh!" The startled trainer whirled around and clutched his heart "Misty!"
"Ash I'm sorry, are you ok?" She stepped forward so he could see her.
"What- are y- I- I'm-" Ash took a breath and massaged his face. "Yeah I'm ok, sorry, you just surprised me. I thought you were asleep."
"Not yet, I noticed you went off and you know," Misty looked up at his still troubled face. "It is a nice night anyway, why waste it by sleeping?" Slowly Misty saw him chuckle and smile at her comment.
"That's a different way to look at it."

Misty nodded as she looked at the sky not expecting the conversation to go any further, like so many before it. Then she watched as Ash, starring at the sky as well, sat down in the grass growing a few inches above the earth. His hat was back at the campsite so she saw his almost timid expression.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked in an open manner. Misty was hesitant on her response but thought as she moved. Ash watched her as she sat next to him hugging her knees to her body. He had never inquired her with an (she assumed) honest question. Then again they had never really talked before either. An idea came to her mind.
"If I can ask you one." Not daring to look at him she rested her head on her knees. Ash became curious but put it aside.

"Okay, if you felt like you really needed to do something, but being nervous, scared, and worried stops you every time what would you do?" Ash then appeared to be struggling as he flexed his arm muscles with tight fists.

"I don't know, seems specific. It sounds like you just want to bulk up all your courage and do this thing you want to do. Which by the way, is how you do everything." Misty giggled and watched him blush. Continuing she tried to reason through an answer. "But for some reason I'm not sure of, for this particular thing, your courage seems to melt away." She paused rolling about the concept of his question in her head. It reminded her of certain feelings she had; ones that she felt guilty thinking about right next to him. She closed her eyes and looked away trying to put away her thoughts. It was likely that the trainer was talking of a particularly hard badge, or another trainer he didn't quite know how to face. Ash seemed to be taking in her response when he spoke up.

"I'm just scared doing this thing, using all the strength I have, will result in something terrible" Looking at the silent girl to his right, he got up. He clasped her hand to assist her, causing her to look at him with attention.

'Something terrible?' Misty thought with slight confusion.
"Your turn." He grinned, though there was still struggling in his eyes. With out a second thought Misty said.
"What is it you need to do?"
"What?" Ash said smiling, caught off guard. "That couldn't have been what you were going to ask."
"Hey it could have, with the way you've been acting today."
Ash crossed his arms.
"How have I been acting?" Misty paused and took a step closer to him, taking her time she looked strait into his eyes.
Still unwavering Ash looked strait into hers.
They didn't feel like they had to stare, blinking quickly when needed. But since it was the first time for them to actually try to see the other, it started to take up time.

Unwillingly Misty sensed she was getting caught up in something. Looking him strait in the eyes was harder then she realized. With each passing breath her feelings for Ash wanted to surface. Ash had no idea what she could be thinking, which made him more nervous. He hid his emotion from his expression, but still explored with his eyes. In a fraction of a second Misty's stare went wide and she turned around quickly blushing. Knowing she had reacted to the boy's surprised look when her stare started showing the slightest bit of longing. Ash thought that he must have been imagining things. The look on her face, it seemed so heart felt, but it couldn't be. He had never seen Misty reveal something like that. Quietly looking away, Misty spoke up.

"Like you feel, you need something impossible to get."
Ash, looked down and away from her turned image.
"Really...?"
"Well.... that's how you've been acting." Misty turned back around, now at wits end to find out what was troubling her far away Ash.
"Please tell me what it is Ash."
"No way, its impossible right? No need talking about it." Ash seemed at a loss now.
"Hints? Paraphrases? I want to help." Misty took a step closer trying to get him to accept her comfort Ash sighed, sounding almost choked.
"I told you, I don't even think with all my strength I could do this. It makes me afraid to think about what could happen if I tried...."
As he trailed off Misty could feel her heart beat in her chest, she prayed she wasn't crazy as she moved in front of Ash and waited for him to look at her. He looked at her appearing so nervous and apprehensive.
"Ash," Cautiously she moved close enough to place her hands over his heart, he seemed to freeze in place.
"Then take my strength."

Ash could barely breathe, but his heart began to beat faster. Misty was showing him such wholehearted emotion. He couldn't process words, all he could feel was her hands, slightly beginning to tremble on his chest. With out thinking, he slowly covered her hands with his. By then she could feel his heart beating faster. Now she was nearing her breaking point, what was happening to the guy she cared so much for?

"Misty..." Ash barely exhaled, to move at all he had to do was let his body be guided by the trance felt her put on him.
He leaned closer to her lead by nothing but his feelings, "Your strength..."
Barely finishing his words, Ash captured her still lips. His trance conveying over to Misty, all she could do was absorb his kiss. They both felt like this was the event they had rehearsed endlessly, every night, in every dream. The overwhelming feeling, the emotion flowing, the heat they generated.

Ash released his grasp and clenched his teeth; he had to suppress so much feeling and yearning it physically hurt. All he could do was wait for her response.

Misty had to realize what was happening. This couldn't be real; it was impossible that this was real. She had painfully gone through this every night to wake up to a cold lonely sleeping bag. How can this be real? With out opening her eyes she could feel tears starting to build under her eyelashes. She was going to wake up any moment now; the electrified feeling on her lips and the sensation through her heart would vanish from her again. Ash heard her tinniest sob and opened his eyes to see her.

"Misty?" Ash looked to her in worry.
"Ash, please tell me this is real, please." She whispered, her voice shaking just slightly.
Ash was overwhelmed, his heart stopped to see her in such suffering. The fact he had kissed her still had his body weakened. His urgent need to tell her he loved her was screaming to be fulfilled. Acting swiftly, he left her hands on his chest and put his arms around her, holding her as close as he could. He could feel she was supporting most of her upper body weight on his chest.
"Open your eyes." Ash breathed as he looked to them anxiously.
He felt her hands grip the spot of his shirt they were covering and her body press against him.
Ash couldn't wait any longer, rushing to suppress his burning desire, he held the sides of her face and claimed her lips again. Swallowing her breath, kissing fully and tenderly over and over to relieve her and end her fragile state. His rush forced a soft moan from her throat.
Slowly he felt her weight begin to fall and he kneeled down to the ground with her in his firm grasp. He leaned back to look at her. Her head was fixed in place from their kiss, but she was summoning the will to speak.

"Ash, I love you." She breathed in still disbelief. Un able to open her eyes or move her body. Ash seemed to barely register what she had said. With a shaking hand he caressed away her tears from their path. Causing her to finally open her eyes. She saw Ash, in shock and in restraint; he was using any strength he now had left to hold back tears. Misty took in his intense stare, this was real, and she had just told him she loved him. Quickly she tightened her grab on his soft, black shirt and pulled him into her embrace. As they fervently began their tender cycle of kissing she held his upper body close. Ash began to let go, all of the pent up desire and dreaming began to spill between them. Misty leaned back and felt him lower her safely to the ground; he took her hands from his chest and held them comfortably at their sides intertwining their fingers, pining her body with his. The kissing got more aggressive as both their bodies felt alive with fire. They had no idea how long they kissed before they ended to take full breaths and felt heat being produced by the two of them being so close.

Ash met Misty's slightly opened eyes; slowly he reached to brush away a damp strand of hair from her complexion, and managed to speak.

"This is going to happen every time I look at you now." He confirmed, grinning as she blushed slightly. In a slightly hoarse whisper she near hinted.
"Was this why you were acting so grim today?" Ash gave a quiet chuckle,
"I was afraid to tell you that..." Ash stopped, realizing he hadn't spoken the words yet, sounding slightly choked he began again, "I love you."

They held their stare after that, never tiring of what they saw. Until the distance was too great for Misty to handle and she reclaimed his shirt and his lips. Unfortunately it was short lived as they heard Brock and Pikachu back at camp calling them.

Misty started giggling, but then realized they had to get up. So soon? She couldn't end this so quickly. It wasn't fair that they were in a place that limited their desire so extremely. Ash watched her expression fall to saddened longing. He agreed kissing her lips lightly and softly.

"I finally have you." He spoke hovering above her mouth feeling her breath. Misty was in pure awe. Her eyes closed as she felt Ash suctioning and caressing where her collarbones met with his lips, working up the middle of her throat causing her to swallow and take in air. Speaking in desperation.
"Ash.... no, it already hurts to stop." He heeded her words, lifting his glance to meet hers.
"But there are so many feelings I want to show you."
Misty looked at him watery eyed already feeling too far away.
"Believe me, I know." She whispered, being tortured by the thought of waiting such a long time. She motioned for them to get up. Ash held her as he helped to lift her from the ground. He tried to let go but couldn't move his arms from their place. Understanding, Misty held the side of his cheek causing him to relax.

"So I'll meet you in my dreams right?"
Ash smiled softly at her, knowing all to well she would be in his.
"We better be careful, the reality wont be far away anymore."

"Misty?!"
'Ash?!'

Startled they broke apart hearing the voices getting closer, then tried to submerge their love for a few precious seconds enough to head back to camp.
"There you two are, jeez did you get lost?"
Misty laughed and glanced at Ash behind her.
"We were, for the longest time." She said as if recalling it. Ash grinned and welcomed Pikachu as it jumped up to the top of his head.
"What ever, the fire is gonna die out soon, we should get more wood unless you guys are-"
"I'm sleepy." "Exhausted." Misty exclaimed with Ash.
Brock and Pikachu looked at them suspiciously as they both hurried to their things.
Too tired to care anymore Brock went into his sleeping bag and turned away from the trainers. A few seconds later he heard Pikachu scream.

'SWEET JESUS BROCK THEY'RE MAKING OUT!!!!'

Brock nearly gave himself whiplash as he looked over to them. Misty was inside Ash's sleeping bag, Ash had his arms around her, holding her back close to his chest. Misty's neck was craned behind her, letting her lips meet his, they were tenderly kissing unaware of the two beings freaking out by watching them, but smiling into their kisses when hearing them. Misty spoke so the other two could hear.

"Oh is that what we're doing?" she grinned not breaking their chain.
"No, we're defiantly fighting over something, or disagreeing." Ash played along.
"Oh, okay good." Misty briefly kept hold of his lower lip "Mmmm, I guess that's enough, you win."
Misty moved as close to him as possible, feeling Ash rest his chin above her head, intertwining their legs in the sleeping bag.
"Good night." Ash husked into her ear smiling. Misty took in a satisfied breath grinning.
"Finally, it was."

- - -

Brock and Pikachu stayed there for a few minutes, starring at their friends with mouths a gape and constantly open eyes.

'Well it's about time.' Pikachu shook its self back to life. It sluggishly went over to Brock, hitting the side of his face with his tail. 'Stop staring, move over.'
"But they were just- I can't- how the- when the- where the hell was I?"
Pikachu curled inside Brocks sleeping bag flap and shrugged it off.
'Yeah like they are going to tell us now, not after such a flawless act like that, I think they got a picture of our faces when we looked. That was pretty good though I'll admit.'
"My brain feels confused. Are we in an alternate universe?"
* Zap *
'No, see how electricity still hurts? Go to sleep.'

"Ash Ketchum" story draft

"Gayrados! Rain dance!"

Not a moment after the trainer had finished his command, the enormous pokemon facing Ash Ketchum's Pikachu closed its eyes in concentration. Darkness and black clouds covered the area above the battling pokemon. The creature then let out a yell to summon the horrendous down pour of rain.

Ash sheiled his eyes with his hand from the abrasive droplets of water reflecting off the ground, he yelled in warning. "Pikachu! Be careful!"

The first is never the last, in any case.
wdok
First guy I ever spend more then a day with and I feel like this? I need to just forget about it!
I need to just forget about him...
My first crush, and I get this? Is ANYTHING fair in life?

What's funny is she is so incredible. I mean when I don't annoy the hell out of her, she is the most caring and gentle person I could know. The way she helps people, and children, is a means totally different then mine. She is so thoughtful and kind when she does it. If she wasn't with me, I never would have tried to help so many random people that I did.

It's just that feeling, the feeling of her near me that gives me the energy to help others. I haven't been too thankful for it because I guess I didn't notice, but now I look at it.

I'm more thankful then I can say.

Then comes the so many ways I am constantly annoying her, and challenging her and, fighting with her. Why am I? Is it because I want to seem independent? Is it because I don't want her to see the affect she has on me? Is it because I want to test how she reacts to each thing?

I think its because, I know, I can never tell her how thankful I am that I have meet her. It would be pointless, through the years I practically forced her to become a friend, because of her bike she is still lacking. I'm starting to feel so guilty.

It's strange, she doesn't seem like someone who could get forced into anything but that's probably just me...

Knowing I have held her from doing anything with her training, or gym hurts. Because I know she would be the worlds kindest, strongest, and most wonderful trainer....
She has the person one down already.

This... is the first time, I have really felt like this, the very first.

The feeling was nothing of one to control, which was in fact what made it so heavenly. A sensation that was felt by the heart, and overpowered the brain, a sensation that made one feel alive by causing a strong, blissful, pain in the very center of their being. Elaborate strings of nerves in the stunned girls body set off a blissful wave that only one person could ever incite, and that person was, and forever shall be her beloved Ash.

Walking though her doorway Ash slowed his pace as he felt something in side him want to utterly crumble and shatter. She was on the second bed in the room with an empty bed accompanying it. She was totally motionless at first glance. Swiftly he padded over to her bedside removing his gloves and his hat as he walked. Tossing them on a side table he stared at her. Brock could barely stand to watch his expression as he entered the room. He never knew a guy like Ash could express so much pain.

Carefully Ash sat down in a chair that was next to the bed. He looked over Misty's full motionless body and held his mouth closed. Looking down he asked the nurse.

"What now?"

The nurse looked up to meet his eyes. Feeling them pierce her trained emotional shield.

"We, we gave her the antidote. But given the time it took her to get it. Two things can happen."

It wasn't that difficult. The silence in the room even understood that either Misty would awaken. Or she would slowly cease to waken forever. Brock thought for a moment then cut in.

"What are her chances?"

The nurse appeared to ignore that blunt remark as she glanced at him.

"She does have a chance of the antidote working, but the chance is so small. Its shares the scenario of police catching a computer virus before it hits the main system."

Brock took the response in and rubbed the back of his head. How could everything of happen so fast? Ash struggled to speak again.

"What if, what if she does wake up?" he questioned placing his hands on the side of the bed. The nurse sighed lightly as she turned to walk back to her desk.

"Then she would be fine. I need some information, I'll be at my desk when one of you are ready."

Tears were slowly coasting down his face.

He closed his eyes and held so still to just sense every shallow breathe that filled her lungs. Each time she paused his heart seemed to start braking all over again. It was slowly killing him, killing him just to witness how incredibly weak she was. How could this be, some one so strong as she could be so faint? It was too wrong for any means. What could possibly of controlled those normally docile pokemon to step on to the deadly list of creatures? He knew that there was some one behind it, and he knew he would not rest till he found out whom that some one was. That some one who was trying to steal the dearest person to him.

He thought of just how recent they had become true friends. Just how recent he had noticed all she really was to him, but what was going to happen now? What?

All his newfound feelings and all his wonderful emotions he got when she was with him where scared. Scared they were never to be experienced again. And their immense fear contributed to his. He was scared for her life, he tried to ease his fear but he couldn't manage through his variable shivers. There was not a thing in the world he could do, not a single hopeless thing. All he could do was listen to her life and keep hold of it.

Closing her eyes she felt their lips meet, lingering to embrace until they were completely touching. A feather light, long awaited heart felt embrace.

"But... before I do...anything."

Ash looked down at her warmly, un-able to successfuly hide the wariness in his expression, as he caressed the side of her neck. He spoke barely above a whisper leaning closer to her cautiously.

"Is it all right...if...if I finally, I finally...finally."

In a sheer daze, Misty closed her eyes. Except in the depths of her mind, she had no thought towards her un-noticed and hardly visible nod.

Closing her eyes she felt their lips meet in a gentle and tender embrace, a feather light, long awaited heart felt embrace. It was completely un-describable. They felt each others soft lips against their own, so close, and so cohesive, so loving. After such a length of time, where each second they longed to be this close felt like a day and each day felt like a life-time. Their worldly clash of their emotions faded every aspect of their surroundings except each other. Barely able to move his lips from their hold, he reluctantly pulled back.

Sharing his awe with his object of affection, Ash brought his hand to the side of her facade. Hovering there gently with a light caress. In a whisper further quitted by the strong emotion still stirring him, he spoke.

"Finally tell you, I love you."

Gazing forward once again, he saw her eyes remain closed. After a pause in her motion at the instant he had spoke, her breath began to increase slightly. Small streaks of her tears pushed through the barrier of her eyelids and slowly coasted down from their place.

Misty had heard the words from his lips and absorbed them; she was in a state far to strong and unexplored for any thoughts to stream her mind. The only thing she knew was the feeling she had been struck by and unfairly caught in a heavenly shock. She desperately wanted to reply, but needed the strength to move. Which was rapidity getting depleted by his light breathing against her neck and the caress of his hand.

Their kiss had been a brake through, in fact brake through wasn't right. It had been an awakening to them both of how deeply they had actually longed to be that loving towards the other out of their dreams.

As she quickly forced a thought to her mind, Misty considered her reply.

She couldn't say, "You do?", because the boy more then obviously did. Through her elated state in this simple fact she couldn't just stay as she was, she had to reply to him. But what could she possibly say to express what she felt? She smiled to her self for a brief second as she found the answer.

Forget this.

Opening her eyes to his equally emotion felled pair, she quickly brought her hand to the side of his head and ran her fingers threw his hair, and just as quickly leaned up to him to capture his waiting lips with her own.

(Misty....)
caress tears- or look away in rejection (save by M.).- or wait and explor feeling for A—
"Ash, I love you so so much." She breathed as she rested her face against his. " and I'm sorry."

"I love you." She breathed as she opened her eyes concurrently with his.

"I have for the longest, longest time." She continued swallowing in an attempt to regain the proper felling on her lips in order to speak. Then she moved her hand to caress the side of his face. Watching him close his eyes to truly feel her touch.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry...why?" He replied gazing into her eyes, still needing to convince him self that what was happening was not a dream.

"For everything I did to hide it." She said with the look on her face turning to remorse.

Ash smiled to her warmly and inhaled in quite, finally realizing that he was awake.

"I'll only accept that apology, if you accept mine. For the same...exact...reason."

It took but a second to under stand him, but after she had Misty smiled back, trying to resist the tears falling from her eyes, which he promptly caressed from their coarse.

She leaned forward to softly kiss his lips once again to return to their captivating heaven, but before she did so in repetitive bliss she spoke into his breathe.

"Done."

Return to Top of Page

"The Big Picture" story draft

"Who in the world would want a 4 inch piece of plastic in the shape of them? I sure don't want to walk down the street and see little me's with a permanent cheesy smile and a pull string that says, 'Go Pikachu!' "

Narrator: Things are different today; our friends aren't traveling or getting lost or battling. Today they are simply stuck inside because of a terrible winter storm beginning to develop.

Brock: "Sounding Different"

We see Ash and Pikachu standing near a large window in a corner of a pokemon center. He is looking dejected as he stares at the stat less thermometer out side. Misty is nearby, with Togepi resting in arm, watching a weather forecast on a television screen.

"Well folks it's freezing out there, it's practically a record for this area. This is it; it's 32 degrees below zero. And yes as we said we are expecting rain clouds. So the likely scenario is that the rain will start as nothing but ice crystals. Then late this evening it will turn to regular snow. Be on the alert for weak power lines, trees, and traffic lights."

Misty sighed as she glanced over at the source of a soft Pikachu sigh.

'Poor Ash,' she thought to her self, 'he looks really upset about the hold up.'

Brock is too busy following nurse joy around, and offering a hand at helping, to notice Ash's distress. He was "encouraged to stop" by Misty a few times but she soon gave up seeing they were stuck there and she couldn't watch him every second. Seeing nothing else to do, Misty went to the window to console Ash.

As she started walking over she and Ash heard someone shouting into a telephone. They looked over to see what the commotion was about. A man and wife where standing by one of the center phones, the man was yelling into the receiver and his wife was listening in.

"What do you mean you can't come down to watch them? You're the only person who will do it! How dare you tell me last minute!" The man shuts the phone off with aggravation.
"Uh, excuse me," Ash said, "May I ask what's wrong?" Misty comes over next to him wondering the same thing.
"Who are you?" The man demanded.
"I'm Ash, I'm just wondering if I could help you out."
"And your friend is?" The women inquired.
"I'm Misty, and same here." The couple looked desperate.
"Well," The women started; "do you two happen to know of anyone who could watch our two pets for a few days? My husband Martin and I are going away and need someone to take care of them."
Ash's eyes lit up, 'Hey we need to do something other then wait for the storm to pass why not?'
"Lucky for you two that my friends and I are professional pokemon sitters. We would be happy to do it."
"Oh would you? Jill had someone lined up for it but they bailed last minute. It would be so kind of you." Martin replied.
"Of coarse we will you won't have to worry. Let me get my things and we will be over in a jiffy" Ash and Misty turned to fetch Brock.

"Wow Ash," Misty spoke while counting on her fingers, "you've have surprised us all by turning out to be a detective and a pokemon sitter, honest might be a nice choice for door number three."

"I was honest, pokemon-sitting can't be any harder then training, and I am a professional trainer." Ash replied with a sweat drop on his face.

"Your right, sitting pokemon is SO much easier then the long dedicated years of training, which you are so wonderful at. Charizard should be the spokesman for your new company." Misty appeared to have shut him down. She was half expecting an un-thought come back switching the subject. But it didn't come.

"Okay, okay your right, I haven't done this before, but this has got to be a great opportunity to learn. Plus we can do something helpful now. You can't blame me for being bored." Ash replied shooting a glance at the falling ice storm. Misty gave in to his logic and followed his glance. "You're right, I can't"

-----

Once they separated Brock from the center, they met Jill and Martin in their house; the couple didn't have much time so they went through things quickly.

"Okay," Martin educated as he zipped around the house, "the food is here, and the snacks are here, their dishes are there and there, over here are their leashes and toys. They have a rough schedule that I posted on the fridge. The guestroom is over there;" they went through everything else needed and were about to head away in their car. Martin added a last piece of info.

"They are really friendly, just very playful. I'm sure you three will be fine, One last thing though." His head got large and in Ash, Misty, and Brock's faces. "IF YOU LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO THEM I WILL HAVE YOU ALL ARRESTED!" He smiled as he waved goodbye and drove off.

"Well, Ash, you wanted a learning experience and this is it." Brock said with the same look of fright on his face as Ash Misty and Pikachu had.

------

The layers of ice caked on objects was getting thicker as the group headed inside. Jill had said that there pets where in the play area of the house. They where both girls, and both Growlithes. The one that was a year or two old and was named Sinder, and the more mature one of nine or ten years was named Shiva.

Ash un-latched the separation gates and called their names. Sinder bounded up to him and nearly knocked him over. Shiva trotted her way over to the group with a waging tail.

Misty and Brock kneeled down to pet them. They seemed to have no trouble getting along.

"This won't be so hard, let's see what's on the schedule first." Ash went over to check as Pikachu and Togepi got aquatinted.

"It says we should feed them around 3:30." Ash looked at a clock. It was 3:40. "Alright lets feed'um."

Misty set off to get their food. As she passed a window she glanced out side to check the weather. The ice had softened but hadn't turned to snow yet. The three inches of mounted ice on phone lines and trees was what bothered her.

Misty tore her self from the window when she heard the Growlithes start to whine.

Once Sinder and Shiva had finished they spent a lot of time running around the house and playing with Pikachu and Togepi.

"I think I'm going to go back over to the pokemon center. You guys seem to have everything under control.
Besides," Brock started to blush; "Nurse Joy might need help with any pokemon injured in the storm."
"Fine go," Misty had a devilish grin on her face, "But when you get back don't be surprised if you have to put extra effort into Sinder's 'bath time', and Shiva's 'medication'." With a sweat drop on his face, Brock headed out into icy night as the ground crunched beneath his feet.

Misty sat on a sofa with Ash as they watched their pokemon play with the two Growlithes. Shiva was chasing Pikachu when something caught Ash's eye. Sinder was whining and scratching at the door. She wanted to go out side. He got up to let her out.

As she was frolicking outside Ash could only manage to see her black silhouette against the white earth, running around the yard. The yard its self wasn't fenced in though; there was a patch of trees separating two small fields. The treed area was dense but not too broad, although Ash couldn't see to field on the other side.

"Ash, I don't know if it was a good idea to let Sinder go outside when it's this dark with out a leash on." Misty stated warily.
"Oh she's fine, she'll come right to the door when she's done."
" 'Oh she's fine' huh, famous last words. I guess I must have missed it when you asked Jill and her husband."
Ash started to get angry towards Misty's teasing mistrust.
"She is a smart Growlithe! She can figure it out!"
"You don't know that! You're just too lazy to go walk her out there in this tiny little storm!"
Shiva, Togepi, and Pikachu stop in mid-play at the volume of the two trainers' voices.
"Me?! Lazy!? Come to think of it, you have always been the lazy one! You say you won't stop following me until I pay for your bike huh?" Ash was letting his rage overcome him "well by this time you could have probably earned enough money to get another one. But no, you rather follow someone else around to get it for you!"

Ash paused for a seconded, what he just said wasn't up to par with his heart. He couldn't take it back now though. On the verge of trying to stop the fight and calm things down, he was cut off.

Misty had evidence of saddening anger in her eyes. "I wouldn't want anything from such a hateful jerk like you Ash. All I want was to never have met you!"

Misty grabbed a flashlight and ran out the door to look for Sinder. She was crying, some of the wind hid the sound of her sobs. She felt one or two hot tears run down her cheeks.

"Why did I ever stay with him? I've always known he has hated me its not like I'm surprised!"

Misty slowed down as her mind came to a halt. Her heart paused to start suffocating as she had found the truth. For all he was worth to her, he didn't care about her. Misty wanted to rip her own heart out, just to stop the unbearable feeling that it wouldn't stop giving her. She crumbled to her knees in the numbing ice and leaned against a tree.

"No, it's all my fault. All of it, its my, fault."

-----

Ash had to process what had just happened, he had no intention to fume at Misty like he did. He would never. He grabbed another flashlight and was about to head out the door as her words came back to mind. "I wouldn't want anything from such a hateful jerk like you Ash. All I want was to never have met you!" She sounded odd when she had said that. A sound that made him feel terrible. He leaned against a chair with his head in his hand.

"No, she can't, I can't let her no madder what. It's not important what happens to me she just cant...go." He stared at the floor; he felt a deep pain in his chest when he thought about how much Misty meant to him. The feeling he had for her right then was very habitual. And every time he got it he never quite knew what to do with it.

"No! I have to do anything to tell her I'm sorry. I just have to."

He Sprinted out the door and started to head to the separation of trees. The bouncing beam of the flashlight was clearly seen through the now soft falling snow.

He focused his energy on searching for Misty, but his thoughts went to Sinder as she came running up behind him. She had been racing around in the forest out of view until the flashlight, and the sound of Ash's feet crushing the icy grass caught her attention.

Ash quickly returned her to the watch of Pikachu whom he had forced to stay behind (along with his hat which Pikachu attempted to restrain him with). In defiance of his punishment of a few electric shocks, Ash continued his search. It was freezing, and Ash could only fear how long it would take for the summer dressed girl to catch hypothermia.

Once he had returned to where he had found Sinder, he stood among the fallen iced twigs and branches to survey the area.

He could only see what his flashlight was pointing at as he frantically scanned the ground. Then not far ahead of him was a couple of old trees with a figure that seemed to be crouched beneath one of them. He started for it.

-----

Misty lifted her head for a moment. She saw a beam of light flashing around her; she knew Ash was running up to her. She became angry as she got up and spun around to meet him. She began to speak with so much anger in her voice it stopped Ash dead in his tracks.

"What do you want Ash? Sinder isn't over here!"

Ash couldn't bring himself to speak. He had never felt he had to more then now. But his voice was snuffed as he winced down at the ground then looked back at Misty with eyes building with sadness. His heart seared with pain as he realized what he had done to his best friend.

Without warning the more alert Misty heard a crack and shot her glance upward. In the time it took Ash to blink he was hit with a tremendous amount of force in his side, a small yelp was heard and twigs where thrown every which way.

Ash was able to prop himself up on his elbows as he regained the air in his shaken lungs. After coughing a few times he turned his head back to the direction of his impact. Nothing but a mesh of iced twigs on a massive tree branch.

Ash stood up while feeling his heart beat in his throat. He was so scared; it felt like things weren't real. He could barely breathe, or feel the cold white snowflakes covering him. His ears strained to hear anything from the other side of the large branch. In his state of trepidation his mind was slightly numb to anything going on around him. Instantly he was jolted back to life as he saw the branch roll over. Not a thought came into his mind before he clumsily sprinted to the spot where they used to be standing. With out stopping he located Misty and slid down next to her. She had miraculously rolled the branch off her legs. And had just collapsed back to the cold ground. She was in discomfort, and seemed un-able to even attempt to move.

"Misty, can you feel your feet?" Ash spoke in a quivering voice, afraid of touching her.
Misty didn't reply; she had a hand out stretched towards her left leg. Her breathing was soft and uneven. Misty tried with all she was worth to answer him, but she failed. Her legs felt so paralyzed with pain, and she was so cold. She wasn't very aware of what exactly was happening. Ash watched her frozen form; he could barely restrain the water droplets in his eyes from running out of control. Slowly and weakly Misty turned her head a few millimeter's closer to the sound of his voice.

Ash noted this movement and, almost as if he was catching the world's most delicate piece of porcelain, cupped his hand on her cheek. He looked at her with apprehension wishing for her eyes to open and meet him. But all he saw was the soft white snowflakes gently skidding across her face and some airily landing on the tips of her eyelashes. The last thing Misty knew was the feel of a loving hand on her cheek as she fell unconscious from the pain and cold. Ash gathered her in his arms to quickly elevate her upper body from the ground. He was watching her legs, knowing that they where in bad shape. She didn't respond from his action, and felt nearly frozen. He leaned her against his self and held her close. With out moving her away from his side he carefully picked up her legs and, with some strain, lifted her off the ground. Carefully He made it back to the house and through the door.

-----

He carried her a few more steps till he reached soft carpet and only had enough strength left to gingerly set her down on the floor with care. With out moving her from his side he removed his jacket to wrap it around her for the time being, then as fast as he could run, he dashed to get the quilt from the guestroom.

Taking her by his side again, he un-covered her with his jacket and tossed it aside. Then in the few seconds he paused to think, he wrapped her close to him for heat to get to her quicker then it would from outside the blanket. Her legs looked really swollen and red, and she felt so cold and still. Ash looked at her as a few small tears silently fell from his near overflowing brown eyes. It was his first time to see her in the state she was in, weak, unconscious, frozen, and hurt. And it was his doing. She just had to make it through this, and if she didn't, neither would he. He leaned down to her and lovingly held his face next to hers.

"Misty, I know your stronger then me. I know you can get through this. Please, I don't care if you hate me. You just can't give up." Ash's heart beat a strong and now finally deciphered message to his senses. He cared, or loved, he loved her. The grief he had when she was angry, and the feeling he felt when she was weak and in pain. It was caring. But it was when he shivered and held her as close as he could after being deathly afraid of loosing her that made him realize; he cared for her more then he did for him self, or even Pikachu, or life.

"Misty I'm sorry. Please, you can't leave me. Because if you leave like this then I can't get you back" Ash trembled as he spoke into her ear.

The lights in Misty's head gently flickered on, as she became aware again. She felt safe, but began to stir as she experienced the gentle air of Ash's whisper on her ear.

Ash lifted his head to look at her.
"Ash..." Misty barely spoke, calling to him. She opened her eyes weakly to focus on Ash's loving brown stare. She was somewhat shocked, he was so close to her, and had his arms around her. She felt so warm and comforted. Ash gazed back at her as he welcomed the angel-like aquamarine wonder after having such a deep fear of loosing it.
"Hey." He smiled warmly.
He saw the daze in her eyes and desperately needed to succor her. Ash rested the side of his face with hers. She closed her eyes and relaxed, his touch felt something unreal. She only dreamed of being this close and snug with him. And until now, dreams had always been something that would never come true. She almost started to speak when Ash hushed her.
"Shhh, You need to rest. Don't try moving." Ash's voice was so soothing to her. She had gotten past being stunned, and just let her heart beat heavily with fondness. "I have never feared anything more; then when I thought I was going to loose you." He held her close, never wanting to let go.
"Ash.." Misty spoke so softly. Ash moved to look at her. She slowly leaned up to him and kissed him ever so tenderly on the area near his eye that had hosted a soft stream of tears. She kept her eyes closed and relaxed back in his arms.
"I'll never leave you."

Ash smiled at her with affection. She was so tired, but she nuzzled against him to reply to the emotional attachment that she sensed. Ash pressed his lips to her forehead as he looked around for his friend Pikachu, who happened to be watching with a tissue box in hand. About to tell him to call the hospital; he heard the soft wailing of an ambulance coming near.

------

Brock walked in the door half an hour after the ambulance had taken Misty and Ash to the hospital. Pikachu and Togepi met him at the door with a note.

"Hey Pikachu and Togepi, where did Ash and Misty go? Oh a note."

Brock took the note and began to read it.

Brock-
Misty got hurt in the storm; she's ok though. We went to the hospital for her to get looked at. Sinder and Shiva should be asleep in their pens. We need you to stay there to watch everyone. I promise I'll call soon.
-Ash

Brock held the note in his hand as a worried look came to his face.

"Oh no, Misty." Despite Ash's insight of her being all right, he couldn't help but to worry about his best friends. He sub-consciously glanced at the phone for a good 40 minutes before it rang.

He jolted from his deep thought as he sprang to answer it.

"He, Hello?" Brock managed to speak as he quickly reminded him self of the time, 12:00 am.
"Hey Brock what's up?" Ash sounded tired but calm. Brock heard him yawn in the background.
Brock tried to sound relaxed due to his relief of Ash's undisturbed state. "Uhh, nothing here buddy, how is Misty doing with her uh, um.."
Ash interrupted casually "Misty was out side looking for Sinder when a big branch kinda fell on her legs, they needed to be patched up. She is doing good now, asleep."
Brock still trying to have a relaxed voice replied. "Wow really? Aw it's good she's resting now. Uh, um, how did that happen? How did she get out from the branch?"
"It's a long story, I'll tell you later. I'm gonna stay here with her. I'll call ya tomorrow, get some sleep."
"Yeah okay cool, you get sleep too, see ya." Brock hung the phone up and wiped the perspiration off his face. He was slightly perplexed.
"He's staying with her overnight? That seems weird." He spoke to no one.

'He sounded different, not his same self. Almost like he, maybe he was, more, more, oh whatever, I'm just tired.'

'Complete' Pikachu finished brocks thought.

Brock looked at Pikachu with a 'yeah-but-I-don't-think-so' look, and shrugged it off and chuckled as he got up yawning. After a moment or two he lethargically walked over to the guestroom to turn in.
"Hey! Where's my quilt?!"

_____

Ash smiled as he concluded his phone call.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you later. I'm gonna stay here with her. I'll call ya tomorrow, get some sleep."

After Brock finished his reply Ash absent-mindedly hung up the receiver. Through the whole conversation Ash was to busy listening to the heavenly feeling in his body to be sympathetic to Brocks obvious panic.

'I can't believe I never paid attention to my heart when it beat like this. I must have been dead.' Ash chuckled at his own mental joke. But it was true; he could feel every wonderful pulse his heart gave. He couldn't resist blushing as he glanced back over at his angelic source of why.

It was weird, in a good way. Ash had traveled with Misty to every ware and through every thing. On many days he just wanted to get closer, she would be so wonderful. Being as dense as he was he would just pay her back with another strike of pokemon obsession. But deep down all he wanted was to embrace her. Admit this? Never, not when he knew she was being kind to a hotheaded pokemon trainer.

To know she cared back, almost brought him to tears. He walked back over to the chair by her side.

All though it wasn't the first time for Ash to watch her sleep, she seemed more amazingly beautiful at this moment. He looked at her with the same loving stare as when she awoke from her cold unconsciousness. Now came a stronger urge to hold her. He desperately wanted to attend to it.

Standing up, Ash brushed a few escaped strands of her tied back red hair from her forehead. He wondered if she ever had strong urges like this. Fortunately now they where close enough as friends so he could find out some time.

"Hello?"

Ash turned his head to the sound of the entering voice. When the paramedics brought Misty from the Ambulance, Ash had given a doctor the info they needed to pursue to help Misty. The same doctor, Dr. Seana, was in the door way now.

"Ash I'm surprised your still awake," Dr. Seana said adjusting her watch. "That's ok, want to know what's what?"
"Sure." He replied shaking his brain awake after his heart had taken over.
"Okay, take a look at this." Dr. Seana walked over to an X-ray viewer in the room. She pinned two shots of Misty's right and left leg up and flicked the switch.
The average human knows how an average leg should appear to look. Misty's left leg didn't look average to Ash. He cringed when he saw the painful misshapenness in it. Dr. Seana noted Ash's reaction.
"Yeah, It does look bad doesn't it? Let me explain everything, "Dr. Seana pointed to the two bones that had most the damage. "The tibia and the fibula are fractured. The tibia fracture, a regular brake, can have a healing range of 2 months to 12 in a cast. As I said the fibula is also fractured, this is a problem, because usually when the fibula is fractured we just put two pins in the persons leg to hold the distance between it and the tibia normal while it mends. But since the tibia is also fractured we will have to put in an extra two just to hold that one together. For her to be able to walk, it could take as little as 4 months, to a whole year. Rehab takes about 5 weeks."
Caught out of his poor attempt to know what the doctor was talking about, Ash nodded and rubbed the back of his head.
"Okay, now to her right leg," the doctor moved over to show it to Ash. It didn't look as bad as the left leg.
"The only things damaged here are some bones around the ankle. Misty has type I Talus fracture. When the branch fell it hit right on top of this talus bone and resulted in a brake. So, we're going to put a below the knee cast on her right leg for about 8 to 12 weeks." Dr. Seana watched Ash's hand move from the back of his head to his neck as he tried to rub the late night tension from it. He glanced back at the resting Misty.

'Mist, I can't believe you're this hurt.'

Dr. Seana cleared her throat to get the saddening trainers attention.
"We have her scheduled for surgery tomorrow at 9:30. She should be back by the time you wake up." The doctor removed the X-rays while trying to lighten Ash's spirit. Ash laughed as well as he could, but his mind wasn't feeling to humorous.

"Thank you so much doctor." Ash shook her hand as she turned out the door.

Ash's hand fell to his side as he walked back to his chair. Once he sat down he stared at the floor, he felt so bad that Misty had gotten hurt. If it wasn't for him being such a dense moron Misty could get up and walk tomorrow, instead of getting wheeled to surgery. Why did she save him after the years of neglect and after the harsh fight? After kissing his tears away before the ambulance came, his heart wished it finally knew why, he wasn't just caught up in the moment, right? It didn't matter now though; He was going to say how much he regretted every mean thing he had done. Any way he could.

Suddenly he felt a gentle caress on his cheek. Closing his eyes, he thought, 'Misty; I really don't deserve you.' Ash looked up to see her loving look, in just that one look Misty spoke to him. She seemed to say, "Ash I would have ended up doing anything if it was keeping you from getting hurt, I love you." Ash stared back, "Why do you love me after all I have done?" Ash thought he heard this in the space between them, but decided not to make Misty aware. He knew how much she has been through. Deciding to push his questions aside, the urge to hold her resurfaced.

Misty remembered everything that happened, the only thing she knew right then was her total bliss, Ash cared for her. He actually cared back, she finally knew. Misty could brake down and cry for her happiness. But the first thing she wanted was to be in his arms, and then she could let the tears come.

Slowly Ash did just that. Being more cautious of her legs then ever, Ash wrapped her in his arms. They just remained at that, holding each other.

"I'm sorry Misty."

"What?"

"I'm such a jerk; back there I had no reason to fight back at you. I was just being a total jerk like always. And now you're really hurt. That's all I have been doing to you for the past years. I wouldn't have been so stupid if I knew you cared back." Ash looked at her thinking of what she'll have to go through in the morning. To his surprise Misty smiled at him.

"Do you think we would have found out this if I hadn't of saved you?"

"No probably not," Ash almost laughed as he rested next to her on the bed. "Why not though?"

"Ash I was to scared to admit anything. So afraid that you, wouldn't feel the same."

"So I guess this way did finally work it out, despite the injuries." Ash chuckled, "If only I first started to listen to my heart before your life was at stake."
Ash turned his head to her.
"Love can hurt." She smiled turning her head to his. "But I have a feeling you'll make up for it."
"How long do I have?"
Misty looked at him with seriousness back in her face.
"Forever."
Ash couldn't think of anything better then that. Reaching his hand over to caress Misty's cheek, Ash hugs him self as close to her as he can. With his face close to her ear, Ash whispered three words with teary eyes.
"I love you."

Misty just paused as tears streamed from her aquamarine globes, that's all she could do. Ash really did love her. It had already silently passed between them, but just to hear it was Misty's vaccine for un-happiness.

Ash looked over her with his own teary eyes. Misty opened her mouth to speak when Ash just hushed her with his index finger. It's not as if she could manage to speak anyhow.

Leaning over her Ash kissed her lovingly on the path her tears had run near her eye. Misty did try to stop her happy tears at Ash's echo of her action. Misty was grinning ear to ear, even though Ash couldn't see it he knew she was, he was in the same way.

"I love you Ash."

To Ash, Misty could have said nothing at all and he would be happy just breathing with her. But nothing heals uncertainty of forgiveness quite like words.

"I know Mist." Ash lay back next to her again. "Get some rest; I'll be here when you come back from surgery tomorrow." Misty moved her face right in front of his and stared into his eyes.
"Ash, you'll be with me everywhere."

Moving to kiss Ash on his lips softly, Misty felt him quiver from the electricity of their feelings clashing, knowing all to well she had trembled her self. It's amazing something so exhilarating for a few moments could make her so at ease after ward. Keeping her eyes closed Misty smiled as she sighed.

"Thanks for the good dream kiss." Once Ash could come from his wonderful trance he nuzzled close to Misty and let his eyelids rest as well.

"The pleasure is only ours."

-----

Stopping any form of fear is hard. Even though the still slumbering Misty was getting carted off to very routine surgery, he couldn't help but be a little unsure of her safety. Leaning against the door way to her room he took a deep breath to help relieve him self of worry.

'Hey lover boy.' Pikachu said with a hint of tease in its tone. Ash smiled and turned around to gather his life long friend in his arms.

"I'm sorry about before pal. If it wasn't as cold as it was I would have wanted you to come." Pikachu tapped Ash on the side of his face with its paw.

'I think I'll recover, I know how dedicated you are.' Ash chuckled. The chuckle had time to fade when he remembered what he saw Pikachu doing last.

"Hey how long where you standing there when I was with Misty back at the house?" Pikachu hopped to Ash's head and smirked.

'Certainly long enough.' Pikachu laughed as it jumped off of his hat and away from his master's attempts to stop the teasing.

"Are Brock and Togepi still filling in?" Ash questioned as he watched Pikachu examine the small breakfast near Misty's bed.

'No actually, Jill and Martin came back early. Brock and Togepi should be around here some where.' Ash rolled his eyes. 'Brock set loose in a hospital with a cute baby pokemon, god help us all.'

-----

"Brock would you give it a rest?" Ash was watching the sad display of Brock on his knees in front of a random nurse asking for her number. After reclaiming the confused Togepi, Ash dragged Brock away. Letting go of Brocks collar a few feet from Misty's room, Ash thought it was safe. But the sound of a harsh slap could attest to that. Brock entered Misty's room with a red mark on his face. Still blushing as ever as far as Ash could tell.

"If the nurses keep hurting me like this then I'll have to stay here. That must be what they want." Brock held his head in his hands as he daydreamed in a chair by the doorway. Ash was busy comforting Togepi with the help of Pikachu.

'It's wondering where mommy has been for so long.' Pikachu translated.

"Don't worry, mommy will be back real soon. You'll be right here until she is." Ash said softly. Once Togepi calmed down; it rested near Pikachu on Misty's bed.

-----

Things flashed in and out of focus, Gayrados crashing, Vulpixs' fainting, explosions, yelling, and thunder. Misty felt her heart racing until a scene of Ash came into her mind. She felt pulsing stop and her mind freeze as she heard herself speak.

"Please no." Misty stares with disbelief at the scene before her.

Everything quickly faded to black as she felt a touch on her cheek. She tried to see what happened to Ash but it was to late. She was awake. She opened her eyes with a jolt to see Ash glancing at her with deep concern. She also felt extremely tired.

"Ash are you ok?" She asked still unsure of where she was. He looked back at her with confusion and laughed a bit.

"I'm fine if you are." Misty relaxed and stopped her racing mind. 'It was just a dream.' she leaned up to kiss Ash tenderly on his lips. 'Thank god'

Ash rested next to her still staring into her eyes.
"Someone has been missin' you." Ash looked over to Togepi. Misty could only manage to let Togepi hug her neck while Pikachu brought it over.
"Hey my little Togepi. I'm sorry for leaving you." Togepi was happy as ever getting as close to Misty as it could.
'Its not like I wasn't worried.' Pikachu hugged Misty opposite Togepi. The recovering girl welcomed the small hugs.
As he watched at the foot of her bed, Brock saw the pins sticking out from Misty's left leg and the cast on her right foot. That was a lot of damage that the branch caused. But how did she get under it, and what happened? He decided to ask Ash later. Just plain glad she was going to be ok, Brock went over to his fellow gym leader and took her slightly limp hand. Petting the top of her hand, Brock didn't have to think of what to say.
"Sinder is clean for ya." Misty laughed good old Brock.
"And Shiva's medication?" She went along with him.
"Yeah that's over and done with; I had to wash my hands until the skin came off."
"Thanks Brock." Laughing quietly, he set Misty's hand down gently.
"I feel so tired;" Misty looked down at the chunks metal sticking from her leg and almost gasped. "Oh man."
The pieces of metal drilled through her leg looked so painful. Yet none was felt, even when she timidly experimented by moving her feet slightly.
'I wonder how many painkillers they got me on.'
"Does it hurt?" Ash asked watching her foot move beneath the covers.
"No, but it looks real bad doesn't it?"

------

"So, Ash." Brock Ash and Pikachu where getting a late lunch in the hospital cafeteria. As they settled down to a table Brock observed Ash sit next to Pikachu with the world's biggest smile on his face. Since the second he saw Ash back at the hospital it seemed nothing could make him unhappy again. Holding his chin in thought his mind itched to ask.

"So Ash, how did this come about?"

Ash glanced at Brock with a spoon of fried rice half in his mouth and eyes widening. He stopped his bite short and swallow the rice whole, coughing a little he replied.

"What?"

"Well, Misty has strips of metal in her leg, a cast on her ankle. Oh and you just happen to kiss each other now, I just occur to miss all this. You want to up date me on how you two finally found your feelings for each other?" Ash thought for a minute and decided to shock Brock back and go through every wonderful detail he wanted to share. He held his head in his hand and kind of blushed as he began.

"It all started when Misty and I got in a fight." Ash went through it all from Misty running out the door to him hearing about her leg condition.

"So it could take anywhere from 4 months to a year for Misty to walk again." Leaning back in his chair with a semi-sorrowful look on his face. "5 weeks rehab."

Pikachu was handing Brock one of his mysteriously appearing tissues as they tear together.
'I told you man, it was so,' Pikachu couldn't finish as it cried into Brocks shoulder.
"I never thought it would finally happen like that."
Ash rolled his eyes and went over to drop his try off at the door.
"Let's go guys."

-----

As the three headed back to Misty's room they bumped into a nurse and a doctor right out side her room.
"Listen Jesse James I am not in the mood to blast off your behind. So please, just go." Ash pushed them out of the doorway and closed the door in front of them.
The doctor spoke, "This is so disrespectful of them, but James I think you should be the one that's male next time."
As the nurse removed his fake DD breasts and lipstick he replied. "You think that's what tipping them off?"
Jesse shrugged as she took Meowth out from her lab coat.
"Yeah we are gettin' real original."
James glared at Meowth with Jesse; "Concussions can usually heal smart Alec's in about 3 to 4 attempts. Shall we doctor?"
"Oh let's."

- - - -

- - - -

Hospitals are never a great place to be, over the next couple of days it would be more evident. Constant noise of people walking by in the hall, emergencies running by with heart monitors beeping. The more the three spent there the more they knew they wanted to leave as soon as possible. The two other beds in Misty's room had been unoccupied, which was one small relief, until one afternoon.

"Do I have to?"
Ash had his arms around Misty's shoulders from behind while she was sitting in her wheel chair near the hospital entrance. Earlier Misty had ordered Brock, Ash, and Pikachu to go to the outside world to "just get a lot of real food" for their dinner.
Misty smiled as she rested her head against his and held his arm back.
"Yes you do."
"But why?" Ash glanced at Brock and Pikachu observing the cuteness of the seen from one of the hospital doors. Misty giggled as she replied.
"Because if your stomach growls any louder it will be the security guards kicking you out instead of me."
"Oh yeah, hungry. Sorry I'm new at this love/hunger management thing." Ash began to let go when Misty reached her arms backwards to stop him.
"Hey I thought you wanted to stop the growling."
"I do, but right now I am the one having trouble with love/hunger management." Misty gave him a light kiss on his arm. Feeling him squeeze her back she continued. "Just, be careful for me it's raining." They both looked out side at the shower the dark uninviting clouds where giving. Ash turned his head to whisper to her ear.
"I'll be back safe every time if you are." Misty turned to him smiling. Ash gently held her face in his hand, "Be right back."
The trainer missed having his love in his arms the second he let go to run over to his waiting friends. He knew Misty felt the same. Indeed feeling this, Misty sighed as she gathered the gleeful Togepi in her arms.
'That dream was just to weird; it must of effected the way I'm thinking. Rain seems more dangerous to me then it ever was.'
As she made a slow u-turn in her wheelchair she shook her head and laughed.
'And it's rained worse.'

- - - - - -

In her wheel chair with Togepi in her lap wheeling back to her room from seeing Ash, Brock and Pikachu off to get an edible meal from the outside world. Misty was in a 'what to do while I wait' situation. Looking up from her view of her cast covered legs suspended over the white blur of the hospital floor tiles. It looked like a medic was coming from her room and he seemed to be talking to someone inside.

"Alright, you should really rest now, I'm heading back to my station. If you need anything just use your call button and your nurse should be right in." The medic walked off and disappeared around the other end of the hallway.

'I guess I have some one to share my room with.'
Misty slowed her self down as she neared her doorway, a little unsure of what to expect. She was hoping for either someone who was nice, asleep, or at least liked pokemon. Asleep was what she wanted at that moment. Slowly wheeling herself through the door, she glanced around to see the bed to her right was still empty. Looking to her left she saw her new roommate. Eyes where confirmed closed, and so she proceeded further to get a closer look stopping at the end of the person's bed, ready to wheel away at any moment.

'Kezzian, Ace.' Misty read the nametag on the foot of the bed. 'So I'm guessing he must be Ace.'

"Hi Misty." Misty jolted in her seat as she heard a voice come from Ace's direction. It was no doubt he, greeting her, using her name. She saw his features, dark brown hair, naturally spiking in the front and on top, cut short and so short on the sides that it almost appeared buzzed. His eyes where of the darkest green she had ever come across. He was lying there; he seemed groggy and just slightly pale. But he sounded sincere when he spoke, not threatening. Calming down a little Misty replied.

"How, how did you know my name?"
"I saw it, on your bed."
"My bed? Oh yeah, hi Ace is it?"
"Yes."
"Hi."
"Hello, I'm sorry for frightening you."
"Hey its ok, I shouldn't be bothering you, you look like you need rest."
"No, not at all. Please stay, I need someone to help me wake up essentially. I'm just here to recover from a minor concussion. It wont be long." Ace propped himself up on his bed and asked with deep interest.
"Tell me, what misfortune have you come across with your bone structure?"
'Wow for some one my age he sure speaks weird.' Misty shrugged as she leaned back in her wheel chair, playing with Togepi's small little arms she smiled.
"I wouldn't call it a complete misfortune. There was a storm the other day and a lot of events lead me to find my self out side during it. I was with a friend of mine under a large tree branch. The next thing I know it falls and I push him out of its path towards earth. My legs take then impact instead and I save him." Misty blushed at sharing her experience with Ash to a total stranger, but something about his serious yet understanding look made anything seem to drip out of her.
"Because you love him."
Looking up at Ace with a questioning look. "More then he'll ever know."
They sat there as Misty studied his face further.
"Ace I feel like we have met before, somewhere."
"Not that I recall. Now you and your friend, you are together, I am sensing after a long awaited time by you. Correct?" Unable to remain questioning Ace's randomness because of sheer mood, Misty convinced herself it was all simply due to him needing some one to talk to.
"Yes." She swore that the look on Ace's face crossed from pleased to worried and back again.
'Man this guy would beat me at being a romantic any day.'
"So what about you? Who would give you a concussion?" Ace looked out a cloud filled window behind Misty's bed and laughed at her query.
"I did not receive this from a person." He looked at her by moving his eyes, seeing her questioning look return he tried to rephrase himself. "What I mean is, the rain caused me to loose my footing on some sediment near the bay."
"Oh I see. That's too bad."
"Yes this rain can be so troublesome. But it's such a complex element to deal with, it's really quite astounding."
"Yeah, my friends are out in it, I hope they come back soon." Misty looked nervously out the rain filled window. Ace replied with a slightly stressed look on his face.
"Don't worry your Ash will be fine."
"What?"
Suddenly a Nurse rushed into the room.
"Miss.Waterflower I'm so sorry. Mr. Kezzian I apologize. The Hospital rules state that males and females under the age of 18 can't be in the same living quarters. The people who run the floor are checking status today. I need to get Mr. Kezzian out of here to the other recovery area a.s.a.p. We need to move or the staff's jobs are at risk." In no time at all three floor hands rushed into the room unlocked Ace's bed from its place and started wheeling him down the hall in which the medic had excited
Misty wheeled out after them and watched them go. Half way down the hall she heard Ace say in his strange cheerful voice.
"I will be seeing you Misty."

- - - - - -

Everything happened so fast; Misty was back in her room, wheelchair facing the window behind her bed.
"Who was that guy? How the heck did he know Ash's name?" As many times as she could run the meeting of this strange boy through her mind, the less sense it all made. Finally she yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I really need a good nap."
Since she had an outstanding maneuvering technique for her bulky useless legs. Misty was able to use her, better then average, upper arm strength to put her self onto her freshly made bed with ease. Plopping down on her pillow, Misty held Togepi by her side and just lay there. Even if she didn't really sleep, it felt good to just relax and let her mind go into self-drive. Which eventually lead to thinking of how much she loved Ash.

- - - - -

Pair of eyes peer out at the ocean waves. They seem to be busy on the inside. Then suddenly they "return" to their glowing state.

'Well I guess we will meet again, against my favor but so be it. I just hope that before we do nothing happens,' the eyes close and then spring open again. 'To you.'

----

"Slow down Ash, you're going to drop something!" Brock was running behind Ash and Pikachu a block away from the hospital.
"Alright, alright I'm slowed. Sorry Brock." The panting follower came next to Ash and placed a hand on his shoulder as he leaned over to catch his breath.
"No problem, I was just, relaying Misty's, whew never mind."
"Sure Brock. Lets go Misty must be starving." Pikachu looked down from Ash's hat.
'Yeah, or maybe it has something to do with that love/hunger management you two are so found of.'
Pikachu laughed, Brock joined in when he caught his breath. Ash whirled around with a smirk on his face as he pointed to Brock.
"The more you laugh at something you'll never have, the more work it will take to get it." Ash shook his head and hid a laugh as he turned around to stroll towards the hospital entrance. The look on Brocks face was priceless. It would make Misty's day just to see it. A heart shattering realization that his most cherished fantasy would never come true. Since the fantasy provided such a humorous behavior it provided a humorous depression as well. Brock hung his head low as a constant flow of comical tears streamed from his eyes.
"There's a limit to how many rejections a guy can take."

--

Smiling like crazy as he walked briskly down the hall towards Misty's room, Ash couldn't wait to be with her again. Suddenly he stopped as Pikachu almost fell off his hat, Ash saw a doctor coming from Misty's room carrying something in his arms. It looked like a piece of machinery of some kind. The doctor put it in a gray hard plastic box and latched it in.

'What? What was that? Is Misty even in there? Are we sharing the room now?'

Reaching the door, Ash and Pikachu just peeked in to see if anyone was indeed inside. Not seeing any new comer to the left or right, they proceeded to Misty's bedside. Her back was to them as she sat in her wheel chair. Unsure of what was going on, Ash set the bag of food quietly down on a small table, and let Pikachu scamper next to the dozing Togepi on her bed. About to touch her shoulder, Ash saw her move her arms so they where right on the edge of the wheel chair arms rests. Swiftly she pushed her self up and forward from her seat for first time in the last 7 weeks. There she stood. A little wobbly, but for balancing on her one leg and having the other still full of metal, she could of fooled Ash for a ballerina. Leaning over to get two near by crutches, Misty placed them under her arms. And relaxed, she sighed and stood there, gazing at the rain continuing to shower.

Ash was speechless; he had almost forgotten what it was like to stand near her. And now she was up, away from that wheel chair.

Hearing the two brakes on her old form of transportation click from their place, Misty jolted and slowly turned around to see Ash moving the chair out of the way of his path to her.

She smiled with her tear filled eyes of happiness. Ash walked up to her and held her face in his hands. "Your standing." He barely managed to breathe in awe, Misty nodded.

"They said it was ok to take it off a few days early." Ash smiled as he choked a laugh.
"Really?" Now the happiness was welling up in side him. As she wore a wide grin in return. He trough his arms under her crutches and around her, holding her as close as he could. Just absorbing his embrace, Misty rested her head against him.
"Great job Mist."
"This was all you Ash," He leaned back to look at her. "All you." When she really looked into his eyes, she could tell there was something different. His usual constant energy to just get where he wanted to go and win as quickly as possible was gone. Now it was almost if you could tell that he was taking his time, and appreciating every thing he came across in life. Just a little wiser, and a little smarter. She felt slightly weak in her knees.

'I love him so much. I can't believe he is really mine. My little pokemon master.'

She used her hand from her right crutch to reach up and take his hat off his trademark hairstyle. Just so she could really look at him.

"My Ash." Slowly, He leaned in to plant a loving kiss on her lips.
"Yup."
She laughed blushing very slightly as she covered his eyes with his hat.
"Out of my way, I'm starving Mr. pokemon master."
"Uh, which way is back." Ash looked around.
Misty smirked as she pushed him to fall back into her wheel chair.
"Have a seat and pull the wheels towards you."

--

Brock was out with Togepi, and Pikachu along with the rest of Ashes pokemon to get revived at the near by center. Through the next couple weeks, Misty had been getting around on crutches and had regained the full strength in her right leg. A few times she left the hospital with her friends to watch Ash do some training so his pokemon would stay in shape. Misty had been in the hospital for 5 and a half months. Three and half of which had she been on crutches.

She and Ash where walking back from her latest x-ray. In a few minutes her doctor would bring back the results to discus if they could take the pins out of her leg and maybe begin rehabilitation.

"I hope I'm healed enough to finally start rehab."
"Me too, 'cause then we can hit the road again, but this time it will be a million times better then before, now that we're together."
"Don't I know it."
"Yes." Misty rolled her eyes, and held out her right crutch so she tripped Ash up. She started laughing as she saw the look a nurse's face walking by the re-stabilizing trainer. Ash couldn't help joining Misty in laughing at the scene.
"What was that for?" Misty was still giggling slightly when she replied.
"That was for a couple of things actually. First I just want to see what might happen. Second saying 'yes' wasn't needed. Lastly you haven't done it on your own for a while, which is good, but I always find it makes a nice little session of un-boredom. Don't worry I wont do it again." Ash looked at her with slits for eyes.
"What? I wont, really."
"Uh yeah, sure." Ash started walking again.
"But you have to admit, it was kind of funny." Misty said catching up and giggling a little. Ash couldn't resist the sound of her laugh, it mad him loose and carefree.
"Yeah ok, it was a little."
When they entered Misty's room, Misty fell to her bed and just sat looking at her still cast covered leg. Ash came next to her and put his arms around her.
"Don't worry, we are going to be out of here. You'll be weak on your left side for a while, but that was expected and we'll slow the pace down for you."
'Slow the pace? Whoa this is big.'
"Really? Thanks Ash, you usually don't slow for anything." Misty put her arms around him in return.
"Misty, the night you where cold and hurt in my arms, I promised my self you would never get that injured again." Ash choked a little when he said hurt, it brought back memories. Misty looked at him with eyes starting to glisten.
"Ash you shouldn't make promises like that, life is to unpredictable."
"Not when you mean more to me then it does." Those words from Ash could have brought Misty's heart back to its task of beating, but she knew she had to speak, so she held back her emotions. She held her hand up to his face.
"Well Ash, how much do you think you mean to me?" He thought for a moment, Misty could tell when he remembered that she saved his life. Tears where about to fall from his eyes, but he resisted them, and told them not to. Taking in a shaky breath he replied.
"Life."
"You do mean life to me, and living it. Do you know how many times you have been hurt Ash? Way, way too many. So if I get hurt, or if you get hurt, then the only promise we can truly make, is to always be there for each other. There is not a second I wont be there for you Ash not a second. I promise." Ash took her hand from his face and laid it on top of his chest, right over his heart.
"This is yours Misty, you make it beat, and you make it want to. I promise every second of my life I'll always be there for you too." They where both over whelming each other. Living with each other for all those years, observing from a far. Now being able to hold each other and know there isn't anyone on this earth they could be loved by and love more. It was implausible.
Misty pulled his head closer to her from the back. And placed two affection kiss on his lips, in a cherishing slow fashion. Ash stared to smile and let out a very small chuckle. Seeing him smile right then made her smile also but curious as to why.
"What's so amusing?"
"I'm sorry, really. But I have this problem, when life is going really good; I just smile for no reason I don't know what it is. It's like winning in the orange league, but like so much better. What's wrong with me?" Misty laughed as she grabbed a pillow and smacked Ash backwards on her bed. Then she leaned back next to him. Reaching over to pull him close and look at him.
"Not a single thing."
Ash leaned up to her and kissed her tenderly on that same area beneath her eye. That emotional feeling worked its way back to Misty's tear glands.
'You can't be any more wonderful then this Ash.'
"Ash you should stop being so great now, you're starting to make me cry." They laughed together. She noticed a tear had streamed down Ash's face. But he quickly reached to rub his eyes and stop the process.
After a few seconds they leaned back up. Just as they heard a knock on the door.

"Hello, Misty?" Misty waved a greeting.
"Yes I'm her."
"Well I have good news for you. It appears your fractures are completely healed. Lets get those pins out of you."
"Any thing I can do?" Brock huddled closely listening intently for instruction.
"Sure Brock scrub up."
"Really!?"
"Then you wont get the river infected after you jump of the bridge."
Ash laughed hysterically rolling on his back upon the waiting bench. He pointed at Brock's face, just to spite him. The nurse Brock had been conversating with smiled proudly as she turned briskly into the surgery room area. Ash calmed down enough to sputter out a few words between laughter.
"Brock I don't even think the sun gets burned more then you do." Staring at the floor depressed and bewildered, Brock had comical tears stream down his face.
"I think something's wrong."
"Well your thinking, that's a good thing." Ash retorted
"I think I need to be more careful about the way I act around those gorgeous ladies." Brock said holding his chin in thought. Ash looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Brock are you really serious? "
"Yes! The next nurse I see ill go up to her and act mature and cool."
"Hey there is one over there smooth, go right a head. "Ash folded his arms ready for a show. Just as Brock was enclosing the last few feet between him and the nurse, Ash heard the door to Misty's surgery room open. Turning around to meet a medical person who had a slightly perplexed look on his face.
"Are you Ash Ketchum?"
"Yeah, what's going on?" The masked person brought out a long sheet of paper; Ash remembered it from nerve readings. The pulses where all over the sheet, some even went off the chart. Ash stared at them wide eyed. "I'm Misty's anesthesiologist. Not a few seconds had passed as I put her under that the brain monitor went crazy. I have never seen anything like this Mr. Ketchum. It doesn't particularly worry me but, what I need is, do you know of any dreams She has been having lately?" Between perplexed and worried Ash had to make his brain think. 'Misty sleeping problems, come on Ash think. Hey the last time she was under surgery stuff she acted kind of weird after waking up. Like she dreamt of a tragedy or something.'
"Well doctor, the last time she went into surgery she woke up strangely. But I'm not sure what the details of her dream where, I'm guessing pretty realistic because she thought something had really happened." Before the doctor could reply a deafening thud was heard as Brocks body was slammed against the wall next to Ash, He was upside-down as he slid down on top of his head. Ash shot a look at the nurse he was supposed to be talking too. She brushed her hands together and strained her shirt as she marched down the hall. Brock finally fell face down from the wall sprawled out on the ground he through a thumbs up to Ash. Ash usually would care but he was busy. "Yeah great Brock, anyway doctor as you where about to say."
"Yes well," the doctor said clearing his throat. "That must be the problem, her mind must be taking her dream in as a real event. This is really weird."
"Is she ok though?
"Oh yes she is fine, they are about a quarter of they way through. But I suggest you find out about her dreaming from her." The doctor couldn't wait for Ash to reply, he turned busily back into the surgery room. Sitting down next to the napping Pikachu, Ash leaned back on the bench and looked around the hallways. There was Brock scraping himself from the floor, a child and her mother walking down the hallway to the elevators. Equipment personnel wheeling around hospital supplies. Then back to the door Misty was behind, and when she came through it to her room the first thing he had to do was to find why her body lived in her sleep. According to her brain anyway.

- - - -

'No not this, no.' Running through the mysterious stadium Misty's mind burned with mental thought. Hard Black orbs where impaling her and the pokemon around her. Whichever way she turned they wouldn't stop attacking. While running as fast as she could, she looked in horror as her pokemon started to get captured by the horrible devices. As her body operated outside her physical control, she felt her feet hit the floor as quick as she could make them. Then she heard Pikachu shriek. Turning towards the scene of Ash chasing after his faithful pokemon and reaching it just in time to shield it from a large formation of attacking shapes be receiving the shot instead. "Run Pikachu!" she hears him scream in vain. Still looking in disbelief Misty slows just slightly as her attention is taken by the fury yellow mass running up the spiraled staircase. A huge flash of light coming from the fur shortly blinds the area.

"Pikachu!!!"

- - -

- - -

*Splash! * Ash's body plunged into the water, it got all too real.

Her body shook with a jolt, as she forced her eyes open. The shot of adrenaline in her lasted for a few seconds, she was breathing heavily and sweating.

Eyes not wanting to stay open, she felt tired and groggy and the worse thing to combine with those horrible two is fear. It just doesn't mix in the human body, so Misty's, just back from surgery, was no exception. After the moments of tense action waking from her very strange "sleep", her body shivered in a last resort to warn Misty to calm down. All the recovering girl could to was listen to this and let her eyes close again, her body had to regain its balance from its shock. Still trying to achieve a normal breathing pattern, she heard the deeply worried voice of someone come into the area.
It was Ash.

Ash looked up from resting his head in his hand, he heard the sudden inhale coming from Misty as she woke up. Looking over to her, he saw her body grow tense in shock.
Almost as if she had nearly been hit by something, or seen something happen to someone. Then he rushed over to her seeing her eyes close almost un-willingly as she shivered in front of him.
"Misty!" Reaching her, he saw that she seemed to be fighting her body's burning to rest. She might faint if he wasn't careful. Brock entered into the room hearing Ash shout. He came over next to Ash.
Fearful of what was happening to the person he cared for so much, he went on his knees to be at her level. Ash didn't want to worsen what she was going through. But he wanted so dearly to comfort her. Brock saw his distress, as quick as he could; he went to get a hand towel. He damped it with water and handed it to Ash.
"Thanks." He said to his still concerned Friend.
Carefully, Ash folded the towel and gently caressed Misty's forehead with it.
"Its alright Misty, Everything is safe. I'm right with you ok?" Ash whispered gently. She seemed to resist her body's demands, less. When she felt his touch and voice, unharmed of coarse.
Misty tried to speak, but she could only do so softly. Straining to speak she couldn't manage to get out she wanted to say. Trying harder only relayed in her incomplete thought.
"Ash..w-why...what..hap-p.." She took a deep breath and relaxed, she could ask questions later, she actually was forced to. Right now she knew Ash was in-fact ok, and she was back at the hospital recovering, feeling his presence and his gentle touch calmed her greatly.
"Misty I'm right here, I don't know what your dream has told you, but I'm here." He carefully lifted her hand to his chest so she knew for curtain. Now that Misty had truly calmed she had the means to slowly speak clearly with out having her thoughts jumble.
"Ash, I think something has gone.. r-really wrong..wi-with the way I'm dreaming. I-" At a total loss for what she was going through Ash held back the emotion in his watering eyes and caressed the side of her face. He held her lips from trying to move further with the tips of his fingers.
"Hey Mist, it's ok. We'll figure out what's going on. Please, you gotta rest. I'm not moving ok? I'll be right here, and ill be fine if you rest." She breathed his name a few times through his fingers before she fell softly back to sleep. It was Naturally too, so they hoped she wouldn't have the same affect on her dreaming.
He brushed his hand over her cheek. Exhaling slowly as he tried to make as little noise as possible. His eyes shimmered with emotion. It was so painful to see her in this condition. He had to find what was causing it and how to stop it before it ever happened again.
"What are we going to do?" Brock sighed falling in to a chair rubbing his eyes.
"For now wait till she gets 100% better," Ash, said facing him. "I can't do anything till then."

- - -

"Ok, I'm ready let's go."

"To where?"

"Any where we want," Ash replied to Misty laughing happily, "your able to come with me."

"Yes! And don't you forget it."

"Never will, never can."

"So where are we really off too?" Brock asked rolling his eyes.

"Well, I'm not sure, I wouldn't call our little visit to the hospital a slight detour. I'm completely off track." Ash began to think when a nurse ran out after them from the hospital.

"Mr. Ketchum wait!" reaching them the nurse held out a piece of paper to Ash. "This came to Misty's room right after you left and was addressed too you."

"To me? That's strange, thank you so much, uh.." Ash was about to ask for the nurse's name but she turned quickly back into the hospital.

"Weird." Ash looked blankly as his friends gathered around him to stare at the Mystery paper. Opening to read it he noticed the shortness of the note.

AshKetchum-
From the winds of water, but not today, your curiosity is here to stay.
You will come to the island that seems pure and green, but greater things are sure to be Seen.
You'll find them there unknown true, although having great matters to do with you.
This is not a riddle, nor a Rhyme, the sender only wants to you show the crime it had to commit to keep you safe but now that you're wiser come and see the way past originally was to be.
-AK

"What did that mean?" Brock queried.
"Ash if it's to you, AK, then why is it from you?" Misty asked.
"I have no idea what this is about, do you think some one like me could come up with this?"
"Good point. Maybe it's telling us where to go." Misty implied
"Lets see," Brock said whipping out a magnifying glass. "It mentions us going to an island, that seems pure and green. And it must be around here, so maybe there is one on the map." Ash looked at the map and located they bay. There he saw one island.
"We should try that one, it's not to far from here." Ash looked to Misty who had a concerned expression on her face.
"What is it?" He asked gently.
"It seems a little creepy Ash. Look at those words, 'seen' and then 'was to be'. Its almost implying that something happened we don't know about. And," She took a deep breath and looked into Ash's eyes realizing something. "I know who the sender 'AK' really is."
"Who?"
"Ace Kezzian."

7
---

"What exactly is this trip for again?" Asked a burly man from his passenger boat.
"Tourism sir, I mean besides our natural curiosity of the untouched parts of the world."
Ash responded cheerfully.
"Well that's all well and good, but I'm sorry I still can't take you."
"What's wrong with the island?" came from Brock's direction.
"Nothing really," The man turned around and pointed to a fading piece of green land right on the horizon, "Its just that that island has a funny reputation of appearing out of thin air in a raging sea that only and always rages around that certain spot. Any person would be hell bent just by going there."
"Is that so?" Misty smirked. "So its just a big scardy cat island is it?"
The man stood up tall and spoke with certainty, "By no means miss am I scared, if I could go to that island I might. But for right now it seems to have a bad idea against any visitors. If you get to close the waves get impassable and you have to turn back in order to return at all." The man folded his arms and continued with a glare. "But if you like ill take you as close as I can for the full pay."
"Oh I think not," Brock said mimicking the mans stance, "I'd rather walk."
"Okay you walk, we'll take the boat." Ash spoke boarding with misty and Pikachu.
"But Ash it's not like he is going to take us there and leave us! Were just going to come back here and end up where we started."
"Who said we were going to come back here?"
"What?" The man intruded.
Ash turned to him, "Look we will pay you full price if you take us as far as you can."
"That's fine, but what are you going to do once we get there?"
Ash took a poke ball from his belt and looked at it with confidence.
"Swim."

---

On the passenger boat the three friends were on the Bridge keeping an attentive eye on their goal of the island.
"Swim he says, ha!" Brock scoffed a laugh.
"Listen Brock it's alright, believe it or not I have a plan."
"Oh I believe it. Its not like you haven't had 'plans' before. The only problem is your kind of plans always involve backfire, failure, and disaster."
"Yes it's true, I'm not denying my mistakes. But this time its different, there is a lot influencing me here, and a lot telling me it's the right thing to do." Ash looked over to Misty with Brocks glance following. She was sitting before the window viewing the island. She looked nervous and almost mesmerized at the waves.
"Ash," she spoke softly as he came over next to her she cleared her throat and continued. "You know how the feeling of dejavu usually only stays for a couple seconds?"
"I think so, why?"
"When it doesn't it," Misty just held her mouth closed and shut her eyes. At a loss she shook her head, she couldn't continue, more or less explain what she desperately needed to too her worried Ash. He kneeled in front of her searching her eyes for maybe a slight lead on his part. He paused for moment thinking.
"Who is Ace Kezzian?" he asked softly, but her answer was interrupted.
"5 minutes kids, I don't know what you plan getting your selves into, but whatever it is, its not my responsibility for you got it?" The man looked at Ash with a stern glare. He wasn't about to take the blame for 3 missing children.
"Yes sir, thank you for all you have done for us." Ash smiled. The man huffed and continued steering the small passenger boat towards the ever-growing waves.
'They have no idea, but it's not of my concern..'
Ash looked back to Misty and softly asked if she was ok. She nodded and reassured him with a smile. Picking up her nap sack she ran her hand on the side of his hatless hair.
"Its better now. Once I stop starring at the waves and rain."
"Hey Ash, exactly what type of pokemon were you thinking of using in this weather?" Brock asked. Ash turned to him as the group got their things together.
"Water of coarse, which is already a step better then you, Brock the rock trainer." Ash laughed and released a pokeball. "You can use one of the new pokemon I caught."
Without delay Brock released the pokemon, he saw it held a Seadra. It looked at him and smirked, immediately spraying him with ink. Looking down at himself he sighed.
"That's got to be love."
Ash rolled his eyes while releasing his coveted pokeball, then handed it to Misty.
"This one, despite your large collection of water types, is one I caught for you."
Slowly the flash revealed a large pokemon with strong and wide flippers that seemed to take up its bodies whole, a Mantine. Misty gasped and stared at the marvelous creature. She grabbed Ash and hugged him closely.

"Thank you Ash," She spoke looking at him returning his smile. "Why just give it to me?"
"Because when I saw it, it was the most beautiful pokemon I have seen on this earth." Misty blushed slightly glancing away, "It was the strongest solid Water type I have seen too." They both looked at Misty's Mantine, only to see it immediately warming up to her, coming to her side. The two laughed for a brief moment before Ash gently held Misty's stare to his with her chin, "It also took ages before I finally could catch her." Misty held her arms around the back of his neck staring back at his eyes lovingly "She's a she?" Brock asked, Misty Answered.
"Yes Brock a female, you know the one aspect in a pokemon or person you will never catch. I mean if you keep using "pick up lines" like, 'I never seen the stars before, in a persons eyes I mean.' And 'Aphrodite right?'" Brock Stepped out on the rain drenched deck and got ready to depart.
Ash let out a whistle, "oh that hit home for Brocko."
"I have better things to do, meaning other then nearly slicing his ears off when ever a girl his age is around."
The object of her mockery was heard muttering outside, "Well sorry miss "I fish my lovers from a lake.""
"Oh good god lets go." She grabbed the, struggling to hide a laugh, Ash by the arm and pulled him with her out side.
They got lined up, Brock with his love struck Seadra, Misty with her Mantine plus Togepi safely away in her nap sack, and Ash with his Squirtle and Pikachu firmly getting a grip on Ashes hat,
'Alright every body your about to see the eighth wonder of the world commence in my skillful act of remaining my hold on this "one of a kind" hat. Watch and observe.'
"Everyone ready?"
"Ready!" 'Ready!' the three replied.
"Ok we are gonna stay together and head towards the island, its only about a half mile or less away. Misty if you get how ever you get let us know."
"Right." She confirmed.
"Ok! Let's go!" the three dived into the water and were off.
The Man back inside the boat started to turn the vessel around but froze his motion with his hands on the wheel and simply watched the figures make their way through the coarse waves, edging closer to the green patch of land that automatically became shrouded in thick rain.

---

"Ash! These waves are getting more merciless by the second!" Brock screamed as they appeared from under a small wave to the raging surface of the water.

"I know! But I don't know what to do at this exact time." They both looked at Misty in-between them and saw she was holding up ok. Suddenly she turned to see a colossal wave about to crash on them again and she went into action.

"Ok boys your gonna listen to me and we are gonna get to the island. Ever heard the word DUCK?" She grabbed the two pokemon at her sides and towed them along with her as she directed Mantine under the swell they sat in. As they rushed forward under the storm, Brock looked above to see the impending wave crash right where they were floating. He looked at Ash and gave him a "she's good" expression. Ash nodded.

This cycle of ducking under every other wave worked until just when they felt they where almost near the islands shores. If the hairs on the backs of their necks could stand on end under water they would have drastically. The water seemed to fill with static. Misty started to slow as something started blaring in her telling her something was brewing. Rapidly a fierce cyclone started in front of them sucking them in. It whisked the group up into the air with in seconds. They yelled in pure shock calling back their water pokemon, yet all where unable to locate the other before they simultaneously blacking out.

---

Seeing the world gain clarity as she opened her eyes, Misty noticed she wasn't in water anymore. She maneuvered her limbs, no instantaneous pain, a good sign. In the process of doing so she noticed she was on sand. Her sight returning completely she saw the same gray clouds as before. But to her sides was nothing but a solid line of drenching rain. Right on the borders on the stretch of beach she was on. She looked questioningly at the rain; maybe it possibly started raining while she was a sleep. Why it wasn't raining directly on the island was the strange thing. She turned her head to the sky again and decided to take it as a fluke.

'Fresh from a cyclone and waking up on a beach, better not be a trip back to giant pokemon Ville.'

Low and behold, Pikachu popped its head right over hers, making it appear rather large. Misty shrieked in surprise and shot up.

"Don't do that to me!" She clutched her forehead.
'Sorry, wanted to see if you were conscious.' Pikachu laughed a little before turning to Ash and Brock. '
She's ok, over here!'
She heard the two boys foot steps run behind her as she massaged her eyes. Feeling Ash's arms go around her she returned the embrace. Pulling back to look at him she gave him a quick soft kiss.
Holding the back of his head she noticed his hat was not in its place.
"Ash where's your hat?"
"I don't really know, I mean Pikachu was around when I woke up, but minus my hat. " He paused for a second watching her face, "Misty what's wrong?" He looked at her struggling complexion.
"My, my leg." She slowly put pressure on her leg and at the same speed lowered herself down again.
"No not again, no." Ash straitened her leg with utmost care. She turned it to the opposite side to reveal a medium size red area, the size of a well of bruise.
"Its not, is it?" Ash asked.
Brock leaned down and examined it slightly. Continuing to feel around her lower leg, he noted nothing but a strait bone, no complete break. Misty grimaced barely noticeable as she kept her stare at the source of pain.
"Its not broken, I think its just a little hit around."
"Good." Ash sighed as he and Brock helped her to her feet.
"Alright Ash, part 2 of your plan would be..." Brock asked.
"Well," Ash looked around, all there was to see was beach and rain. The green part of the island was off a ways on the top of a semi-large cliff. "We must have landed on the other side of the island or something."
"The other side? Wow that was some cyclone." Misty commented.
"But ya know, that was really, really weird for it to just start like that. I mean usually two or whatever numbers of waves need to crash into each other to start one. And it just like manifested its self." Added Brock.
"With weather like this around this spot anything is possible."
"True." Brock replied to Ash.
"So lets go forward to that cliff. We will probably get a better view of things from there." Ash reasoned.
As the group started moving Pikachu glanced to the rear of them.
'Uh guys.' Ash and the others looked up to Pikachu seeing it point behind them. Turning completely around, there was the rain barrier; in one quick fluid sweep it advanced right in front of them. The surprise of the movement sent them back to the sandy floor.
"Wha, wha, what was that about?" Brock stuttered.
Ash shook his head as they helped Misty up again. They stared at the Mysterious rain. Tentatively, they took a step back. At that moment the rain stepped closer.
"This isn't right." Brock stated.
Misty let go of the support from Ash and Brock. She assured them she was ok to walk. Slowly she went up to the barrier, it was fast falling rain and a fair amount of it, she couldn't see to the other side it seemed blurred out. Hesitantly she raised her hand to the border, but stopped right before it. She then reached into her nap sack, checking on the dosing Togepi, and going for an empty potion bottle.
"Lets see how glass handles this." She walked back wards to her watching friends. Swallowing hard she slowly tossed the bottle to the barrier like a twirling baton. Making contact the bottle exploded, in a brilliant unexpected light. They shielded their eyes from the fierce reaction. The fibers of the glass dispersed in a suspended cloud only to be quickly drawn in again.
'That's not rain.' At once they all nodded.
"This must be the Island we were meant to come too." Ash said mesmerized.
'And apparently we should never leave.'

---

Wearily the group continued, uncertainty literally followed them, and they turned back to watch it shadow every so often. Making it to the cliff they surveyed the situation.
"They only way is up and on." Brock stated.
"Its funny if I knew there was a cliff on this stupid island I would of gotten a flying pokemon or two." Ash said annoyed. "Wait it's ok, I'll just toss Chickorita and Bulbasaurs' pokeballs up there and shout to them to help us."
"Right good idea." Brock commented. "We all know Chickorita would never stand being 30 feet away from her trainer," he teased.
Misty smirked as she whispered to Ash, "I know the felling." This caused her boyfriend to smile as he threw the two pokeballs up onto the cliff.
"I always know the feeling."
Misty smiled back to him and put her arms around his shoulders from behind.
"Bulbasaur! Chickorita!" Ash shouted up to his pokemon appearing from their miniature havens.
'Bulba!'
'Chicko!' Ash saw the two pokemon look down to them.
"Help Misty up to where you are!" Within a second, four green "arms" descended from the pokemon to Misty's side. She sat in them in swing style. Slowly she was pulled up to join the two pokemon on the edge of the cliff. She patted them on the heads to show her appreciation, and instructed them to do like wise for Ash and Brock.
Looking about the land that was pure and green she saw a large circular impression in the surface. But she could not see the depth of it, it being higher then their position. Once they were together, Ash returned his pokemon and they slowly went to the edge of the impression.
"Wait, you guys stay here, I'm going to see what is really in this mystery space. I mean it could be anything." Misty said pointing to the rain barrier that had moved to the edge of the cliff.
"No way, that what makes it more dangerous." Ash said grabbing hold of her hands.
"He's right, lets go up to it together." Brock said.
They walked right to the edge of the impression, seeing in was filled with nothing but more solid green grass.
'That's sort of a let down.' The group shrugged and hopped down to the impressions floor.
Feeling the same static as before fill the air the friends looked at each other in second guess. But before a soul could act a barrier of the rain coming in-between each one of them interrupted their sight. Misty took in a breath and turned around quickly only to see she was surrounded by the deathly water curtain. She knew the same was for each of her friends.
Thinking of screaming for a response from them seized because it was probably useless. She didn't hear anything from them when it appeared, and she guessed she would have.
Panic started to set in as she felt for her knapsack because it wasn't there. Everything was in there, everything. Especially Togepi, her "motherly" instincts for the baby pokemon were the prime juices for the panic.
"Ace! What do you want from me? What did I do?" She yelled at a loss. As if struck by inner lightning, her memory flashed back to her conversation with Ace.

"Yes this rain can be so troublesome. But it's such a complex element to deal with, it's really quite astounding."

Looking stern again Misty focused on the direction she had last seen Ash, Brock and Pikachu, staring into her barrier.

"Rain."

'Is life.'

Misty's eyes went wide in fright. "Who said that?" She looked up and behind her but saw nothing and no one. What did return was that familiar static, this time more strong. With out a way to stop it, the ground beneath her crumbled away and revealed a bubble of a purplish hue. Misty fell inside it and knew nothing but of its color.

---

"Pikachu, Brock, Misty.." Ash's eyes sprung open. He had fallen into a mysterious purple bubble as well. It robbed him of his consciousness. And this was where he regained it. Feeling the hard intolerant floor around him let him find he was dry from top to bottom. It made him question the length at which he had slept.

He looked around the room franticly. No Misty, or Pikachu, or Brock. He also noticed that his backpack wasn't with him. But as to the room he was in, it was huge. But held nothing but him. It was in a tall dome shape. And there were huge half circle doorways around the perimeter. In them was nothing but darkness. He got up and ran to one, attempting to run through it. But stopped inches from it as something tripped him up. Ash looked to the cause as he saw the shape of a tied up Pikachu hazed into focus. It was invisible to him before.

"Pikachu!" He kneeled down and gathered his friend in his arms. Untying it and stroking the top of its head.
"Hey buddy, snap out of it." And quickly Pikachu did just that. Sparks formed around its cheeks sensing its owner's touch. It then stood up alert in Ash's lap and rubbed its side.
'Okay, oww.' Ash laughed, glad it was pretty much unharmed by unwanted forces.
"Sorry Pikachu, I literally couldn't see you, you were invisible."
'Its ok then, I'm glad you fell over me. Where were you running too? There is no were to go but here.'
"What do you mean? These aren't doors?"
'Nope, just look like um, I tried it. I woke up in this spot after the bubble ate us. Tried to got out that door and just knocked into it. Then I got knocked out by something.'
"Something?"
'Yeah it wasn't like a hit on the head, like a aroma or sense or wave or something.'
"And that when it tied you up. I wish I knew what it was."
'So do I, hey lets see if anyone else is with us, and you need to cheer up Ash.'
Ash realized the look he was carrying was filled with worry. Manly for Misty, but for Brock also.
"Sorry it's just,"
'Yes yes, I know. Come on she's probably in here.'

Slowly they carefully search the circumference of the room. With eyes and touch. It resulted in nothing, giving the impression that Brock and Misty, if they were indeed in the same room, had never awakened from the work of the bubble. Staring across the floor of the room looking for maybe anything new Ash and Pikachu stared at the center of the room, then at each other. They nodded and then Ash stood behind Pikachu ready for what it was about to do. It closed its eyes, then gathering strength and more realistically energy; it dispersed a huge wide range thunder attack through every square inch in the room. And like magic five objects came to view scattered around the center of the room. The bodies of their friends, Misty and Brock were sprung awake. But they feel back to the ground breathing to regain oxygen from the shock. Their three bags where around the room as well. Pikachu screamed over to them nearly laughing at their frizzled hair.

'TAG YOUR IT!'

---

The friends sat in a very close circle in the very center of the room. Looking around nervously, trying suspect anything. Misty went through every description of her meeting with Ace Kezzian. The way he looked, sounded, acted. How unrealistic he really was. Just when Ash was about to burst with frustration, someone joined in on their conversation, speak of the devil, it was someone's old acquaintance.

"Hello Misty."

Ash looked up at the speaker then jumped to his feet. He stood in front of his friends in protection.

"You," Ash moved closer to him in a threatening way. Ace held up his index finger to the group.
"Before you act, don't." with out moving, the same purplish force returned to instruct Ash's rigid body to sit back down to the cloudy marble floor. Misty and Pikachu went next to him, Brock stood above them.
"Look, you don't need to use this magic anymore, we are just here to help Misty, we pose no threat to you." Brock reasoned to Ace. Ace looked at him and smiled, the same smile he always wore, forced cheerfulness.
"Big brother Brock, you're just the person I wanted to see." Misty and Ash went next to their friend. "What?" Ash spoke unsure of what Ace was getting at.
"I just need to see a few things in order to show you a few." Once again the bubble returned. It surrounded Brock and pushed his friends from him, his pokeballs flew from his belt to the waiting hand of Ace.
"Brock!" Ash and Misty yelled on either sides of the bubble, running up to it. He had been made unconscious and laid on the bottom of the bubble. Misty tried and tired to reach him but failed. She rouse as tall as she could and went right up to Ace. Ash ran next to her ready to get her away from any attacks, of any kind.
"He didn't have to come." She said pointing to the motionless body of her friend in the bubble. "The only thing that made him ever befriend us was because we where real friends to him. A real friend Ace, I doubt you know of them." Misty went over to Brock again. "If you only want to continue to harass him like you have been doing for all of us you have three more things coming." Then it was Ashes choice to look Ace in the eyes.
"Let him go." He spoke solidly.
Ace smiled clearly this time; he walked back a few steps in front of one of the "dark" doorways. "You speak very strong, true, and heart carved words. But tell me this, " The bubble moved from the side of the prisoners friends to the back of the warden. "What if your dear Brock wasn't simply in this bubble? What if I told you, he was in grave danger? Or better yet ill show you." The room grew dark and the only thing visible where Ash, Brock, Misty and Ace. Ash and Misty were unwillingly torn from the side of each other and placed far apart. In front of them, facing the space in-between them was Brock, now standing, but head drooped in his unconscious.

Just as quick as he came to conscious two white blasts of energy hit him from both sides. One forming in front of Misty, and the other in front of Ash. He breathed in pain as he collapsed to the ground quickly. His friends stood in shock, pure shock. Running to him in unison they witnessed nothing but a motionless body. Misty couldn't believe her eyes. She just couldn't in anyway. So she ran to Ace, despite her obvious limp and grabbed the front of his dark gray long sleeve shirt.
"That's not Brock." Misty spoke as she glared at him. He smiled back and spoke flatly and quietly. "Now that you know that. I'm not Ace." Just as he finished his sentence, the body of Ace Kezzian faded. Misty's hand fell from their gripped position. Staring where Ace had been Brock appeared standing up right and holding his head. The room also turned light again, only to revel a different room. Ash and Misty didn't notice they went to Brock to see if he was okay. Pikachu was next to him; it was excluded from the demonstration as well and equally clueless.
"We have no idea what's going on, but Ace came here and made us think Brock had been killed from some reason." Brock looked at Misty in alert. Misty nodded to him.
"Things are turning really weird." Ash spoke while they looked around their new surroundings.
"You just noticed?" Misty asked flatly.
"Look at this place, everything is practically in marble. I wonder where that large black glass door leads too." Brock observed.
"Do you think we wanna find out?" Ash asked.
'I think you may want to come and see.'
"Who was that?" The group yelled.
"Hello again." A voice came from behind. They friends turned around only to be in greater shock.
There was Ace, but his wasn't alone, behind him floated two dark figures. One with a blue fog around its forum and the other smaller one wore pink.
Misty suddenly leaned over and covered her face. It was happening again.
"Misty! What did they do?" Ash asked urgently. Just as fast as she went over she stood tall again. But instead of her normal eye color it had turned that dreaded purple.
"Haunted her dreams." She laughed hauntingly.
"No!" Ash whipped around to the two creatures, eyes in furry. "Stop it! Stop playing games with us! What do u want?"
'What do you three want? Wasn't it, to help Misty?' A telepathic voice entered his brain.
He took a step back, "What are those two?" he spoke.
Misty was taken from Ashes side, despite his resistance. She was suspended between the two things as Ace dissipated. She pointed to Ashes poke belt. And spoke in a mellow version of her own voice. "From the view of any human I am none other than cousins with those around your waist."
The larger creature stepped inline with Misty along with the smaller creature. Revealing their features.
Both cat and even just kitten like in appearance.
"Pokemon?" Brock and Ash breathed.
Misty laughed, "And as you can see, we also possess-" 'telepathic powers.' The large creature finished as Misty was released from the two's control.
Ash ran to her and took her from the sides of the creatures.
"They did it, they, they did it...don't let them get you..don't go near them, please Ash no." Misty stuttered breathlessly as she clung to Ashes form unable to open her eyes."
"Shh, Misty, what did they do to you?" Ash soothed holding her close as tears started in his eyes watching the confusion, and worry she went through. Not getting an answer from the panicked sleeping love in his arms. He glared at the two clenching his teeth together.
"Who are you?"

'I am Mewtwo,' the large one pointed to its self. 'This is mew my equal.' It continued pointing to the smaller one. 'And we would like to reenact,
"What we did".'

---

'Once you come so desperately close to loosing someone, the feeling is never misplaced. Only so often does a single person want something so bad it becomes a spiritual need. The pleading heart of a true love, magically answered in spontaneity is beyond blissful surprise. So surprising it mutates to fear of simply imagining the miracle. Naturally humans with a certain fear seek comfort. This comfort can only be fond next to the soul of the cause, in literal terms. Escaping death is not something you as a race have ever kept to its self. It's the right of the purist love of one for another, to only feel what is and always will be the same actions. The love to escape death, to plead to replace ones self with the endangered, or doomed. In the end, when all the pleading and heart shattering feelings have nearly consumed the owner, at the last conceivable second, they are answered and all is well. Behold the blissful surprise. To see such a hopeless prayer answered isn't something that happens every day. It seems to catch you in disbelief for the rest of your life, on the verge of phobia. Which is exactly the fear that subsides when you see Ash, right Misty?'

Like whispers in a dream, the words were absorbed in Misty's dazed mind. Unbeknown to her she had been released from the control of Mew and Mewtwo. Leaving her in a conscious but not so state. She could feel her body breath, and the perspiration cooling on her face, un-like a true dream, but her mind was held before the verge of full awaking by an unknown force. Not fully understanding what was going on she pushed aside any doubts and forcefully gained full consciousness.
'What about Ash?' She recalled the closing remark of the invading message pulling a hand to her closed eyes. The effect of the mysterious message was taking her emotion. She had a deep urge to break into tears. The thought of Ash leaving her returned once again, it was the unmistakable fear of the messages mention. Knowing that the word fortunate didn't come close to describing what she had been with Ash. About what was the question. She felt like she could grasp it, along with the idea some one or something was defiantly going to show her.
"Misty?" Some thing so soft and so quiet whispered just above her. A feeling set off in the center of her body, a sensation that she knew all to well was the heavenly bite of love. She felt a hand caress a lone strand of hair from her cheek. Dispersing a held breath as tears started to fall from her eyes she looked up to the person who was holding the upper half of her body from the floor.
"Ash." she replied just as soft. Feeling his immediate response of arms closing tenderly around her shoulders and head.
'This is the fear, why? Why now?'
She mentally shook the thought off in order to tend to her burning need for comfort. She held the side of his face gently melting in the feel of his embrace diminishing her nearly forced terror.
"Are you alright?" he asked shakily. She nodded in response, noticing tears in his eyes when she looked at him.
"What is it?" she questioned softly.
"You, you were taken over. By those two, things, and when they released you I had no idea about what was going to happen. Then I, " it seemed he had to pause in order not to break down completely. She was sure she felt him shake as if trying to stop a deep certain, horror. That or he had been over taken by it. "I heard this message."
He looked into to her eyes to see a flash of shock. They had booth heard the same thing? That means he had the fear, the same as her. Blood rushed to her cheeks uncontrollably. She knew how much she really loved him, but to know that he returned so fully. He saw the blush on her face appear then fade.
He looked slightly perplexed before finally realizing they had shared the all to truthful message.
"You heard it too?" He asked in slight awe.
She shook her head in reply correcting him "I felt it too. Ash," Slowly she caught his lips tenderly with her own. Not knowing what was going to happen, or what once happened. The only thing that could ease the clash of their heart made nightmare was heart felt love. Misty sensed how much worse Ash's fear might have been if he heard the message in full consciousness, and observed her state. He took it as a possible threat as to never see her again. Realizing this she forebode their kiss to end, because she could feel his continuing relief. But breath helped win her over.
Unwillingly she ended their kiss,
"I love you." They impulsively spoke together. A warm smile and a soft chuckle following from them both not short after. Ending their moment in another soft kiss they then looked at their soundings together.
A cell, an uncomplicated cell, but in a marble style. Marble, like all other things they remembered before Misty had been taken. Marble bars, floor, looking up provided no ceiling except for the one far overhead. A cell with no cover, but behind them sat Brock and Pikachu holding their chin in their hands watching the two. They mock cried and stared at them.
"While you two were occupied the cell walls appeared and the two pokemon said something about observing for a while then went off."
'But I defiantly wouldn't mind paying eight bucks for a romance like this.' Pikachu added as it wiped its eyes with its tale.

---

Elsewhere from the large chamber holding the cell in the center, two creatures watched.
'I think they have passed, any doubts?' Mewtwo questioned its comrade as it viewed the group from a screen. Mew shook its head and smiled happily.
'Good we shall prepare for the session.'

---

"Observe what?" Misty asked as she sat up next to Ash.
'Gee, I dunno, us maybe?' Pikachu commented rolling its eyes with a playful grin.
"Yeah but haven't they really done enough of that? I mean with the stuff they did with Brock and Misty and all," freezing any motion the group stared at nothing; everyone had been intervened with, excluding Ash. What was to become of his "observation"?

Unexpectedly the marble cell swirled away to nothing. Leaving them free to roam the area, if they had the courage.

'Are you all prepared now?' came the "voice" of the elusive Mewtwo.
Whipping their look to their left they took in the sight of the two pokemon once again.
They stood in a firm line turning to face the creatures. Misty intertwined her fingers with Ashes. His hard glare to the pokemon lightened as he moved his eyes to look at hers. She gave him a look of confidence and love, lightly squeezing his hand she slowly mouthed the words that gave him the strength she knew he needed to answer them.

I'll never leave you

. He grinned in response with soft eyes. He held their entwined hands up between them, his sight focused on their hold then too her eyes. Misty grinned back and nodded returning her look to the beings.

'Even if you leave me first, I'll be with you Ash.' She thought to her self closing her eyes to rid them of the stinging tears. 'Forever.'

"What exactly are you planning to do with us Mewtwo?"
'Do not worry, I plain doing the same to all of you, but you your self holds a unique place in its occurrence.' It stated replying to Ash. Misty took a step forward not letting go of the cherished hand of the one she loved.
"Why are you doing this? What did we do to be lead here?" She spoke growing with exasperation insinuated with fear.
'In a few moments all your questions will be answered and rested.' Mewtwo assured moving his Martian hand to gesture to the large black glass doors they had noticed earlier.
'You better not mean eternally.' Pikachu glared in front of the group.
Mewtwo nearly chuckled, 'Watch for your self, one full of energy, no relation to eternal anything lies ahead. But in order to confirm reason behind the events of this day you must take heed to us. If you please.' Mewtwo finished as it signified to the group to walk towards the vast doors.
Vigilantly the three humans and one pokemon walked toward the doors, the two more alien pokemon followed behind floating in their clouds of blue and pink.
Approaching nearer to the doors they slowly opened reveling, yet again more marble finished interior, and more large arches around the perimeter of the room. But held in the center was a peculiar arrangement of circular raisings in the floor. Three smaller ones facing a larger one in a half circle, but only three smaller ones. It was easy to do the math, Pikachu would be held from whatever was to happen Ash, Misty, and Brock. It looked to its owner apprehensively. Ash looked to Mew and Mewtwo.
"What are you going to do to Pikachu?" He asked.
'Unfortunately I can't do anything. It is not of human physical characteristics, there for I cannot interfere with it. Now if you will take your places on the raised portion of the floor. Youngest to oldest.'
"Why?"
'Yet another question, oldest of its kind. I will be sure to answer it as well soon as we are able.' Mewtwo and Mew moved above the large circle, watching the three friends follow their manner boarding their separate circles. Pikachu went in the middle of them and stepped back until it could view all of its friends in its view. It stood there and kept avid watch of its family unit. At the same time it was careful not to disregard any movement from the creatures located behind it.
'Ah, now to show you the answer to your questions, why Ash here is so important to us, where you are, why you are here, and oh of course; what we did.'
"Show us?" Brock queried unsure.
'Yes as in depict in a mental form, or in other words envision all we need to show you three through our psychic powers.'
"Envision? As in the future?" Brock asked again. Misty answered for him slowly in thought.
"No, was to be, they are going to show us some thing in the past that we have no clue about now."
'Close Misty, o so close. But one of you has already remembered a large portion, or should I say dreamt?'
"Dreamt?" Ash and Brock spoke together, before realizing what Misty had the moment Mewtwo had "spoken" the word.
The now perturbed girl took a step forward about to assault the creatures vocally and or physically, but before she could escape her circle Mewtwo and Mew acted quickly, bringing their paws out full length then at the same moment clasping them together directly in front of them producing a blue and pink light.

'Let us begin.'

-

The now perturbed girl took a step forward about to assault the creatures vocally and or physically, but before she could escape her circle Mewtwo and Mew acted quickly, bringing their paws out full length then at the same moment clasping them together directly in front of them producing a blue and pink light.

'Let us begin.'

And so then, it had begun. From the view of the friends, all whited out. But for some strange reason they didn't feel the need to blink. The feel of the hard floor under their feet had left them. They where left in a temporary dream like state as they gazed at the blankness in front of them. With out notice scenery came into view and they experienced the sensation of exploding to the surface of the ocean. To each ones surprise their breath was experienced and heard, not produced.

'You all are in a self-conscious state in your bodies. You cannot move them or talk to them. The only function you posses right now is observation.'

Mewtwo's message was heard to each of them, this was how the envision was to be formed. From the water they witnessed moving to a dock. At this point the self-conscious of the group made sure to notice each other and their surroundings in the envision.

'Are we on the island?' the observing part of Misty questioned her self. Her past body looked off of the dock. There was the raging sea and on the horizon the bay at which they had come from. Her question was answered. 'But there wasn't anything in the front view of the island before.'

"Greetings." Spoke an unusually empty voice from behind Misty's body. When turning Misty observed Ash taking something from his pocket and held it to an unfilled looking nurse joy. It was a high-tech looking card of a sort. A small eye in the center projected a smaller version of the same nurse speaking of the groups right to be on the island.

From there they were lead up a stone-carved case of stairs; that were hugging the wall of the cavern the dock was held in.

It wasn't a dream, but yet it was viewing something from your own point of view that you didn't have control of or have knowledge of what exactly was to happen. Though at the same time, they felt. They felt physical aspects of the event. The temperature, the rolling thunder, the static that tore through the air when they arrived at the man staircase, every normal thing that you wouldn't notice in a dream.
The object descending down the spiral staircase, after a few events took place, could be viewed as the Mewtwo the self conscious of the friends had met before hand. An eerie emotion filled the group from the vision. Misty her self couldn't fully understand why until they heard the past Mewtwo's speech. It's plan to kill all humans and the pokemon loyal to them. For the three pokemon-devoted friends nothing was more frightening. But what was to become of this notion? Nothing permanent, obviously, but it's the small things we witness that stick.
Never the less, through a good share of occurrences, and a few sessions of running and fear, the group made it to the place. The place only Misty had seen, the place where it was felt to happen, the place that no one had remembered until now.
The stadium. The past Ash had just emerged from its surface being followed by a massive pack of captured pokemon. At this the present Misty fought to ignore her past happiness because she knew all to well this wasn't as good as it a appeared.
Before the group knew it the challenge was made and the creatures were engaged in their warfare. What could they do but watch? When Mew had appeared the biggest fight had commenced. A side from the one that gripped the group most, pikachu's.

Ash had fought his way down to the stadium floor from the place Mewtwo had tried to dispose of him. He fell between Misty and Brock.

Misty felt her worry with her other self as she watched him get on to his knees. At this point all the battling pokemon had found total fatigue, and had retired to the out skirts of the stadium floor. All except Pikachu and its clone. The duplicate had near run out of strength and motive to fight with its resistant counterpart. While they struggled Mew and Mewtwo hovered down to the opposite ends of the stadium.

They stood for just a moment, staring each other down, before they seemed to conjure a massive ball of energy between their paws. Mews was a pink-ish; Mewtwo's was a light blue. It was until the formations had gotten to be the seize of Mewtwo its self that they forced them towards the other. The balls hit in the center of the stadium with so much force it caused a wind of resistance. In relation Pikachu and its clone were blown to the stadiums end.

It appeared that the two powerful creatures were preparing for another blast.
In all the wonder Ash heard his former minds thoughts stream through his head.

'They have got to stop before they kill each other. Why are they even fighting? This has got to stop!'

Brock and Misty were distracted from the sight in the middle of the stadium as they notice Ash's movement. They barely had a chance to get up on one knee before Ash had dashed between the two energy paths of the pokemon.

Sounds muffled its self from Misty's hearing. By total reflex she shielded her eyes from a bright light born from the collision of the attacks.

'Ash!' "Ash!" Misty and her past self shouted.

Then felling Brock's body vibrate the ground as he was blown back to sitting beside her she opened her eyes.

Wind was swirling around a motionless figure, one that was glowing pink and blue. Hovering there for the briefest moment before slowly collapsing to the ground lifeless.

Misty started forward, her heart stopped. Her self-conscious was almost speech less, it tried in vain to move but her body was frozen. She felt her eyes lock on Ash's motionless form as she sunk to the ground. She seemed to lose all physical feeling, the need to breathe, the need to blink. The air suffocated her, as she wanted to somehow not see what she had seen.

The three stare at Pikachu running to his master's side.
'Ash!'
As it comes to a stop near its master's stone cold body, it stares in disbelief.
'Ash, wake up.' It moves around the lifeless body and shoves it. Stopping at Ash's head it prepares to go to extremes.
'Wake up!' Pikachu uses all its worth to hopefully shock the lifeless body alive. But to no avail. It tries over and over again. Ash gone? It couldn't be true, he can't be. Then Misty heard her self say the dreaded words.
Staring at the scene all Misty's body could manage to speak was simply the only thing she felt.

"Please no."

In the out side world Pikachu watched Misty, Ash and Brock's faces worriedly. There expression didn't change, but in there eyes it saw raw emotion. Suddenly Misty fell to her knees. Pikachu ran to her side, being careful not to disturb the purple glow around her body.

'Misty are you ok?'

There was no reply, but in her eyes Pikachu could tell she was viewing something tragic beyond words. Glancing back at the concentrating Mew and Mewtwo it glared protectively.

'Don't you guys try to hurt them, or ill stop this insaness.'

Pikachu saw that it could not revive its friend. Not willing to except the truth, tears streamed from its tiny eyes.

'Ash, no. Wakeup, please wakeup.'

Misty couldn't keep track of what was happening, but in her complete shock, she noticed the strange floating tears going by her and strait to Ash from each of the pokemon's eyes.

She stood up along with Brock and the others to take in what was happening. The tears where making Ash's body glow. Brock, and Misty's mind thought.

'What's going on?'

Then when it seemed Ash's body could glow no brighter, a blinding of light filled the area.
The second it lasted, not a soul in the stadium knew what to expect. The tower turned too normal and the overcast of the island seem to lessen dramatically.
Then the light dissipated, all stared in awe at what it unveiled.
The trainers stone body had turned back to normal, and his eyes slowly opened. Pikachu ears perked up in bliss. It tackled its life long companion and buried its self as close as it could to his masters living breathing body.

Misty couldn't believe what she just saw. Her and her body where in total shock. But she was more grateful for Ash's return then her past self. She knew why, and she regretted ever being afraid that Ash didn't care back. She wished she could tap her self on the shoulder and say it was ok to run and embrace him, despite her past self's fears it was truly ok. But there was no shoulder to tap and no Ash to embrace because this all was a realistic dream for the three of them, that couldn't be changed.

Misty and Brock got up and ran over to the reunion of Ash and Pikachu. They where about to speak when they saw Mewtwo start to lift his pokemon from theirs.

"Hey Mewtwo, where are you going?"
'Off to a place where I can learn what your heart knows so well. I will never forget the events conspired here, but perhaps for you these events are best forgotten.'
Underneath them a giant portal forms and engulfs the entire island. For the self-consciousness of Ash Misty and Brock the vision ends here. Every thing faded to white then black as they could feel they where back in Mewtwo's dwelling again. They opened their eyes concurrently with each other, staring ahead blankly at mew Mewtwo and Pikachu. Ash and Brock joined Misty's position on the floor.
Taking in a slow shaking breath, Misty, and Brock turned their heads to Ash. Ash turned his head to them. They seemed to stare at each other out of pure wonder.
Ash spoke first.
"Did tha, did, did that really happen?"
Misty and Brock nodded a yes simultaneously. Ash turned his stare forward again as he fell back to his elbows.
"Whoa."
"Mewtwo," Misty began as she got up "Why did you think that it would be best for us to not remember our meeting? And why did I only have dreams of it?"
"You where too young, you weren't ready yet to remember such an event through out your day. And as for your dream, there is a little more complicated reason for that which I am not 100% positive."
"Try me."
"Well, when Ash got hit by our blasts, a emotion was set off in your brain, I am not sure what kind, but I think this emotion is the strongest you could possibly come across. It's a strange mix of fear, shock, anger, adrenaline, and love that was realized. You brain noted it and in some sort kept the memory of close happenings from that moment in a small human database. When I cleared you active memory of the afternoon's event, I guess my powers could not reach that part of the brain, so it remained. When Ash's life was in danger, and he was about to be hurt right in front of you by that tree branch, you got those exact same emotions in the length of a split second. That emotional mix triggered the memory of the only other time your brain felt that strong mental usage. And that lead to the dreams. They where only so realistic because the anesthetic has strange unnatural effects on the body"
"So what do we do now? All this has happened, and all that's new is that we remember. What are we suppose to do with that?" Ash broke in from his daze.
'In the beginning our purpose was to ease the unfairly corrupted dreams of a friend.'
Mewtwo smiled at Misty, who blushed in return.
'Then when the time came nearer and we needed to involve society our other purpose became clear.
We ask of you, know that we exist. Know that if the time comes we will assist you in any way we can.
Also to ask of you to please guard our existence, it is a fragile thing.'
"Alright." Ash got up and stepped from his area of massive mental activity. He walked in front of the powerful creature and held out his hand.
"Mewtwo you have my word I will guard your existence." With befriending grins on their faces, the two shook hands in a unique clasp.
Felling Pikachu leap to his hat, Ash smiled and looked up to it.
"Hey buddy, sorry to keep you waiting."
'I'm ok if you guys are, you should of seen it. It was kind of freaky
"Don't worry, we will explain it. As best we can anyway."
'You best get to the edge of the beach because the man in the boat wont trust the parted waves for long.'
"We will, Mewtwo I hope we have a chance to meet again some day."
'We will Ash, I am sure of it.' Ash smiled as he turned to Brock and Misty. Misty took a step forward. "You guys head to the boat, ill be right there." Ash nodded as he went over to Brock. Brock shook himself more aware as he looked at Ash with a smirk; he grabbed Ashes head in a lock. "I can't believe you would pull a stunt like that, I think I had a stroke."
Misty giggled as she heard Brock continue and Ash rebuttal on their way back to the section of beach that Mewtwo had secured. She turned back to Mewtwo and mew looking at their grinning faces. Almost uncontrollably she bowed to the creatures.
"Thank you."
She smiled back at the creatures looking at them, and then almost cautiously her stare turned to a serious tone. She had to know something.

"I need to ask of you Mewtwo. What was the exact thing that changed your mind?"
Mewtwo looked back at her in stern remorse.
'Witnessing Your Ash's determination to end our senseless fighting opened my eyes to what I have been doing. I vowed to destroy all I could using my immense power. Which was exactly the purpose of my existence when I was born. I was doing exactly what I was created to do. For the exact beings I wished to destroy. I knew it must end. To truly defeat my creators sick minds I must purify my ways from then on.'
"The second Ash hit the ground you realize this?" Misty stepped forward her eyes sharply looking at the catlike marbles of Mewtwo's.
"What would you do if the pure tears of those pokemon couldn't help him? What would you realize if you had finally killed your first human who's heart had nothing but love, caring and endless strength in it?"
Misty's voice was elevating with each of her questions. Her heart was burning as she was forced to think of what would happen if Ash had not opened his eyes.
Mewtwo looked at her understanding here drive and feeling sadness overcome its self.
'I would await your judgment.'
Misty calmed her self down waiting for the pokemon to continue.
'If that was the coarse the events were to take, then the only way I could purify my self at all would be.'
Mewtwo moved closer to her letting the blue glow from its body fade standing on the ground looking at her.
'Protect you and for fill whatever your biding may be.'
Misty's sternness disappeared to be replaced by soft listening.
'What would you of bid of me?'
She remained silent looking at the ground, honestly not knowing what she would do if Ash would ever...

'Misty you are strong. You don't know what you would do because of the blessed surprise you wound up receiving. That is your Ash's life. If I could love another as much as you love your Ash I wouldn't know either. If there is one thing in this world you can truly believe in it is your heart Misty, nothing else.' After calming her emotions down completely, Misty accepted Mewtwo's reply and smiled.

She stood there and shared a silent respect between her self and the powerful creatures. Slowly she turned around and started to head to the boat. When she heard Mewtwo send one last message to her through its mysterious ways of telepathy.

'Your journey with Ash and Brock has been a grand and vast one. And it continues; the next major event in your lives could be at anytime or place. You never know.' the voice faded into her mind as she felt a purple glow surround her body then disappear. She smiled because, she knew if she turned around Mewtwo and Mew would be gone. But that was just fine because she grasped she would meet them again, and if not, she would always dream.

----

I know in the original version Misty says "Pikachu." Instead of "Please no." but...
*Shrugs* what ya gonna do?

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"It was such a nice day"

by Karrlin Field

"It was such a nice day" appears to be another, earlier version of "Wow - A Heat Generator."  It begins with the following beautiful description:

It was such a nice day.  A breeze went by just often enough to keep it cool.  The sun was warm but not hot enough to burn.  Clouds passed by intermittently to enhance the blue hew of the sky."

---

Ash + Misty = 17
Brock = 19
Pikachu can be understood.

It was such a nice day. A breeze went by just often enough to keep it cool. The sun was warm but not hot enough to burn. Clouds passed by intermittently to enhance the blue hew of the sky. And rather abruptly birds flew in fright from a near by tree as the boom of two trainers voice's escalated into an explosion.

"I've had it up to my neck with you dragging me away from every girl I meet! If they didn't want me around they would tell me!"

"They do Brock! But you don't even know what a turn down is! No matter how many times it's slapped in your face, so I have to step in!"

Brock looked to Ash and Pikachu, they both rubbed the back of their necks and gave a nod in validation. Caught in saddening disbelief Brock threw his hands in the air.

"Fine! I guess I 'm too much of a geeky-weirdo to get any one to go out with me! I get dumped and rejected where ever I go!"

Misty calmed down as best she could to be rational with the upset 19-year-old boy. She almost was caught by surprise at Brocks open flow of emotions. She grasped Brocks shoulders and made sure he was listening.

"You need to think Brock, your not a weirdo or a geek, you just have to learn to control your self. I know what your like when your normal, you're a cool calculating guy who knows what's what. If you just acted like your self instead of letting your hormones get the best of you, girls wouldn't be able to keep away."

Brock grinned and blushed as he considered what Misty said.

"Now promise that the next girl that catches your eye will get to know you for you. And that you will control your self." Misty made sure he got the picture.

"Ok," Brock lifted his head up and sighed. "I'll try my best."

"Good." Misty grinned with nod.

Right then the wind picked up and blew away the adrenaline from the argument. Misty smiled and snatched her bag from the ground. Brock ran his hand through his hair and turned to Ash while asking.

"Do you have any thing to add?"

Misty looked up.

Standing silent, Ash stared at the ground.

 

"No."

 

Pikachu gave a curious prod to Ash's lack of cheerfulness. Suddenly coming out of his near trance Ash cleared his throat and looked to Misty and Brock with a grin.

"It's a nice day, we should camp out tonight. I re-filled our supplies so it wouldn't be a problem."

Misty took a step forward about to speak but Brock cut her off.

"Sounds good to me, the sun is going down anyway."

 

 

It got pleasantly cooler as they found a decent clearing to camp out in. If there had been any humidity in the air it had now moisturized into droplets and stuck to the shining blades of grass around the campsite. It was as beautiful a night as it had been a day. Misty had noticed. Brock didn't; he had been busy doing little things around the campsite. She heard him shining his few poke balls and muttering things to him self like

"Take care of their home like you would your own, oh you agree officer Jenny?"

Misty couldn't keep from laughing,

"You articulation is astounding Brock."

Brock looked up puzzled then walked over to his backpack with his back to Misty

"Shut up! I'm learning!" He wined.

Laughing slightly Misty looked around for Ash. Pikachu was curled in a tight ball by his things but he wasn't to be found.

"Do you know where Ash went?" she asked double-checking the area.

"Ah ain't cine naw Ash 'er." Brock spoke with fake enthusiasm.

Misty ignored his mockery, heading out to look around.

Walking towards the open meadow Misty noticed that there was a path freshly pressed through grass. Following it to the center of the enclosure she stopped seeing some one just standing looking up at the starlit sky.

"Stop it..." Ash let out a scoff as he kicked at the tall grass in disgruntlement.

Misty wanted to call out to him because of the wave of guilt coming over her. She didn't want to intrude and spy on him. He was acting unlike Ash; maybe he needed to be alone. But if she went back now he would see her path in the grass, and might be suspicious when he returned. It was best to let him know she was there, for him if need be.

"...Ash?"

"Ahh!" The startled trainer whirled around and clutched his heart "Misty!"

"Ash I'm sorry, are you ok?" She stepped forward so he could see her.

"What- are y- I- I'm-" Ash took a breath and massaged his face. "Yeah I'm ok, sorry, you just surprised me. I thought you were asleep."

"Not yet, I noticed you went off and you know," Misty looked up at his still troubled face. "It is a nice night anyway, why waste it by sleeping?" Slowly Misty saw him chuckle and smile at her comment.

"That's a different way to look at it."

Misty nodded as she looked at the sky not expecting the conversation to go any further, like so many before it. Then she watched as Ash, starring at the sky as well, sat down in the grass growing a few inches above the earth. His hat was back at the campsite so she saw his almost blank expression.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked in an open manner. Misty was tentative on her response but thought as she moved. Ash watched her as she sat next to him hugging her knees to her body. He had never inquired her with an (she assumed) honest question. Then again they had never really talked before either. An idea came to her mind.

"If I can ask you one." Not daring to look at him she rested her head on her legs. Ash became curious but put it aside.

"Okay, if you felt like you really needed to do something, but being nervous, scared, and worried stops you every time what would you do?" Ash then appeared to be struggling as he flexed his arm muscles with tight fists.

"It sounds like you just want to bulk up all your courage and do this thing you want to do. Which by the way, is how you accomplish most things." Misty giggled and watched him blush. Continuing she tried to reason through an answer. "But for some reason I'm not sure of, for this particular thing, your courage seems to melt away." She paused rolling about the concept of his question in her head. It reminded her of certain feelings she had; ones that she felt regret thinking about right next to him. She closed her eyes and looked away trying to put away her thoughts. It was likely that the trainer was talking of a particularly hard badge, or another trainer he didn't quite know how to face. Ash seemed to be taking in her response when he spoke up.

"I'm just scared doing this thing, using all the strength I have, will result in something terrible" Looking at the silent girl to his right, he got up. He clasped her hand to help her up, causing her to look at him with attention.

'Something terrible?' Misty thought with slight confusion.

"Your turn." He grinned, though there was still struggling in his eyes. With out a second thought Misty said.

"What is it you need to do?"

"What?" Ash said smiling, caught off guard. "That couldn't have been what you were planning to ask."

"Hey it could have, with the way you've been acting today."

Ash crossed his arms.

"How have I been acting?" Misty paused and took a step closer to him, taking her time she looked strait into his eyes. Still unwavering Ash looked strait into hers.

They didn't feel like they had to stare, blinking quickly when needed. But since it was the first time for them to actually try to see the other, it started to take up time.

Misty's scrutinizing look faded and became searching. Ash tore down any secure walls in his glare and became searching as well. Unwillingly Misty sensed she was getting caught up in something. Looking him strait in the eyes was harder then she realized. With each passing breath her feelings for Ash wanted to surface. Ash had no idea what she could be thinking, which made him more nervous. He hid his emotion from his expression, but still explored with his eyes.

In a fraction of a second Misty's stare went wide and she turned around quickly blushing. Knowing she had reacted to the boy's surprised look when her stare started showing the slightest bit of longing. Ash thought that he must have been imagining things. The look on her face, it seemed so heart felt, but it couldn't be. He had never seen Misty reveal something like that. Quietly looking away, Misty spoke up.

"Like you feel, you need something impossible to get."

Ash, looked down and away from her turned image.

"Really...?"

"Well.... that's how you've been acting." Misty turned back around, now at wits end to find out what was troubling her far away Ash.

"Please tell me what it is Ash."

"No way, its impossible right? No need talking about it." Ash seemed at a loss now.

"Hints? Paraphrases? I want to help." Misty took a step closer trying to get him to accept her comfort

Ash sighed, sounding almost choked.

"I told you, I don't even think with all my strength I could do this. It makes me weak to think about what could happen if I tried...."

As he trailed off Misty could feel her heart beat in her chest, she prayed she wasn't crazy as she moved in front of Ash and waited for him to look at her. He looked at her appearing so nervous and apprehensive.

"Ash," Cautiously she moved close enough to place her hands over his heart, he seemed to freeze in place.

"Then take my strength."

Ash could barely breathe, but his heart began to beat faster. Misty was showing him such wholehearted emotion. He couldn't process words, all he could feel was her hands, slightly beginning to tremble on his chest. With out thinking, he slowly covered her hands with his. By then she could feel his heart beating faster. Now she was nearing her breaking point, what was happening to the guy she cared so much for?

"Misty..." Ash barely exhaled, to move at all he had to do was let his body be guided by the trance her eyes put on him. He leaned closer to her lead by nothing but his feelings, "Your strength..."

Barely finishing his words, Ash captured her still lips. His trance conveying over to Misty, all she could do was absorb his kiss. They both felt like this was the event they had rehearsed endlessly, every night, in every dream. The overwhelming feeling, the emotion flowing, the heat they generated.

Ash released his grasp and clenched his teeth; he had to suppress so much feeling and yearning it physically hurt. All he could do was wait for her response.

Misty had to realize what was happening. This couldn't be real; it was impossible that this was real. She had painfully gone through this every night to wake up to a cold lonely sleeping bag. How can this be real? With out opening her eyes she could feel tears starting to build under her eyelashes. She was going to wake up any moment now; the electrified feeling on her lips and the sensation through her heart would vanish from her again. Ash heard her tinniest sob and opened his eyes to see her.

"Misty?" Ash looked to her in worry.

"Ash, please tell me this is real, please." She whispered, her voice shaking just slightly.

Ash was overwhelmed, his heart stopped to see her in such suffering. The fact he had kissed her still had his body weakened. His urgent need to tell her he loved her was screaming to be fulfilled. Acting swiftly, he left her hands on his chest and put his arms around her, holding her as close as her could. He could feel she was supporting most of her upper body weight on his chest.

"Open your eyes." Ash breathed as he looked to them anxiously.

He felt her hands grip the spot of his shirt they were covering and her body press against him.

Ash couldn't wait any longer, rushing to suppress his burning desire, he held the sides of her face and claimed her lips again. Swallowing her breath, kissing fully and tenderly over and over to relieve her and end her fragile state. His rush forced a soft moan from her throat.

Slowly he felt her weight begin to fall and he kneeled down to the ground with her in his firm grasp. He leaned back to look at her. Her head was fixed in place from their kiss, but she was summoning the will to speak.

"Ash, I love you." She breathed in still disbelief. Un able to open her eyes or move her body. Ash seemed to barely register what she had said. With a shaking hand he caressed away her tears from their path. Causing her to finally open her eyes. She saw Ash, in shock and in restraint; he was using any strength he now had left to hold back tears.

Misty took in his intense stare, this was real, and she had just told him she loved him. Quickly she tightened her grab on his soft, black shirt and pulled him into her embrace. As they fervently began their tender cycle of kissing she held his upper body close. Ash began to let go, all of the pent up desire and dreaming began to spill between them. Misty leaned back and felt him lower her safely to the ground; he took her hands from his chest and held them comfortably at their sides intertwining their fingers, pining her body with his. The kissing got more aggressive as both their bodies felt alive with fire. They had no idea how long they kissed before they ended to take full breaths and felt heat being produced by the two of them being so close.

Ash met Misty's slightly opened eyes; slowly he reached to brush away a damp strand of hair from her complexion, and managed to speak.

"This is going to happen every time I look at you now." He confirmed, grinning as she blushed slightly. In a slightly hoarse whisper she near hinted.

"Was this why you were acting so grim today?" Ash gave a quiet chuckle,

"I was afraid to tell you ..." Ash stopped, realizing he hadn't spoken the words yet, glad he stopped him self before uttering it so casually. So he paused and looked at her so she would never doubt or forget.

"I love you."

They held their stare after that, never tiring of what they saw. Until the distance was too great for Misty to handle and she reclaimed his shirt and his lips. Unfortunately it was short lived as they heard Brock and Pikachu back at camp calling them.

Misty started giggling, but then realized they had to get up. So soon? She couldn't end this so quickly. It wasn't fair that they were in a place that limited their desire so extremely. Ash watched her expression fall to saddened longing. He agreed kissing her lips lightly and softly.

"I finally have you." He spoke hovering above her mouth feeling her breath. Misty was in pure awe. Her eyes closed as she felt Ash suctioning and caressing where her collarbones met with his lips, working up the middle of her throat causing her to swallow and take in air. Speaking in desperation.

"AshŠ. no, it already hurts to stop." He heeded her words, lifting his glance to meet hers.

"But there are so many feelings I want to show you."

Misty looked at him watery eyed already feeling too far away.

"Believe me, I know." She whispered, being tortured by the thought of waiting such a long time. She motioned for them to get up. Ash held her as he helped to lift her from the ground. He tried to let go but couldn't move his arms from their place. Understanding, Misty held the side of his cheek causing him to relax.

"So I'll meet you in my dreams right?"

Ash smiled softly at her, knowing all to well she would be in his.

"We better be careful, the reality wont be far away anymore."

 

"Misty?!"

'Ash?!'

 

Startled they broke apart hearing the voices getting closer, then tried to submerge their love for a few precious seconds enough to head back to camp.

"There you two are, jeez did you get lost?"

Misty laughed and glanced at Ash behind her.

"We were, for the longest time." She said as if recalling it. Ash grinned and welcomed Pikachu as it jumped up to the top of his head.

"What ever, the fire is gonna die out soon, we should get more wood unless you guys are-"

"I'm sleepy." "Exhausted." Misty exclaimed with Ash.

Brock and Pikachu looked at them suspiciously as they both hurried to their things.

Too tired to care anymore Brock went into his sleeping bag and turned away from the trainers. A few seconds later he heard Pikachu scream.

 

'SWEET JESUS BROCK THEY'RE MAKING OUT!!!!'

 

Brock nearly gave himself whiplash as he looked over to them. Misty was inside Ash's sleeping bag, Ash had his arms around her, holding her back close to his chest. Misty's neck was craned, letting her lips meet his, they were tenderly kissing unaware of the two beings freaking out by watching them, but smiling into their kisses when hearing them. Misty spoke so the other two could hear.

"Oh is that what we're doing?" she grinned not breaking their chain.

"No, we're defiantly fighting over something, or disagreeing." Ash played along.

"Oh, okay good." Misty briefly kept hold of his lower lip "Mmmm, I guess that's enough, you win."

Misty moved as close to him as possible, feeling Ash rest his chin above her head, intertwining their legs in the sleeping bag.

"Good night." Ash husked into her ear smiling. Misty took in a satisfied breath grinning.

"Finally, it was."

 

---

Brock and Pikachu stayed there for a few minutes, starring at their friends with mouths a gape and constantly open eyes.

'Well it's about time.' Pikachu shook its self back to life. It sluggishly went over to Brock, hitting the side of his face with his tail. 'Stop staring, move over.'

"But they were just- I can't- how the- when the- where the hell was I?" Pikachu curled inside Brocks sleeping bag flap and shrugged it off.

'Yeah like they are going to tell us now, not after such a flawless act like that, I think they got a picture of our faces when we looked. That was pretty good though I'll admit.'

"My brain feels confused. Are we in an alternate universe?"

* Zap *

'No, see how electricity still hurts? Go to sleep.'

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