Lost... And Alone, But Not Alone
By: LilCupidjr.



Misty slowly opened her eyes to the familiar grey world around her.
'Mm-hm.  The usual' she thought.
"Hey Ash?"  she asked.
He didn't answer.  Misty looked to her side, but he wasn't there at all.
"Oh, great..."  she muttered.  
Just then, Ash fell out of the 'sky' and landed directly on top of her.  Again.
"You know... this is getting... really lame!"  Misty said, shoving Ash off of her.
"Wha-?"
"Save it, Ash.  Let's just find that b*tch Shauna and get the hell out of here before any more weird sh*t happens to us again."
"Since when did you start talking like that?!"  Ash asked in wonder.
Misty gasped.  "Oh.  What'd I say?"  she asked, clasping a hand to her mouth.
"Uhh--"
"No.  Nevermind."  she shook a hand to Ash's face.  "Just forget about it.  I'm sorry."
"Nah, that's okay.  Accidents happen.  I mean, even myself sometimes-"
"Ash.  Ash."  Misty repeated, grabbing his jacket sleeve.
"What?"
"Look."  she pointed ahead of her in fear.
Ash squinted his eyes.  "What's that black stuff?"
"No wait!"  Misty shouted as Ash walked in the direction of the "black stuff".

::Flashback::
A forest.  She didn't remember wishing for a forest.  Why was there a forest in her dream?  Where there are forests, there are definately going to be bugs.  Knowing this, she would've easily refused a forest.  Out of curiousity, she walked towards the forest.   Something seemed to have been luring her there, because she suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked around.
"What am I doing here?"  she asked herself, feeling silly.
"You have come to see me..."  a raspy, thin voice said from inside the forest.  It sounded a bit like Ash's, she noticed.  
"Ash?"  she asked shakily.  Something told her this just wasn't right.
The voice chuckled evily.
"Do I sound like Ash?"
"Ash?"  she asked louder, beginning to fear whatever was waiting for her in those trees.
"Hmm... You are Mistique Buen Waterflower?  Heh heh, I thought you sounded a bit like her..."  
"Who are you?"  Misty demanded, her voice quivering.
"I would normally say, "Your worst nightmare", but too many actors took my line before I ever was able to use the damn thing.  But, yes, I am your worst nightmare.  Creator of all your nightmares and fantasies.  I also see that you fancy that boy you are expecting to see.   Well, he isn't here.  He's in the real world."  the strange voice said.
"What are you talking about?"
The 'thing' didn't answer.  It was gone.
"Who are you?!"  Misty said, outraged that some freaky person was invading her personal dreams.
She stomped into the dark forest where the trees shed little or no light at all, if any.  She walked carefully, stepping over the many fallen tree branches or pinecones.
"What are you doing here?!  Get out!  This is my territory!  Go!"  screeched the raspy voice.
Misty looked up in the direction of the voice, but fell to the ground as a sudden weight fell upon her shoulders.
"Beware little French miss, beware the forests, for they belong to me."  the voice hissed into her ear.  "Here's a suvineire for you to remember thine words."
Misty gasped.  What would it do to her?!  She felt a cold breath upon her neck as the weight nearly crushed her shoulder crudely.  A sharp tip pricked the side of her neck, then another, and another.  Was the thing going to bite her neck?!
'It's going to bite my neck!'  Misty's mind screamed.
"Move!  Move now!"  her brain told her to move, but it was too late...

::End Flashback::

"Mistique Buen Waterflower?!"  Ash laughed.
"Hey!  Shut up!"  Misty shouted.
"Mist-- Mistique!"  Ash said, falling to the ground in laughter and holding his stomach.
"My name's Misty!"  she shouted.
"BUEN!"  Ash cried.
Misty growled and kicked him.  "Shut up!"
"Ho.... Okay."  Ash said, chuckling the last few laughs.  "Help me up."  he held out his hands.
"Screw you!"  Misty said, staring at the young boy still with tears in his eyes.
"Please?"  he asked, stretching his hands out farther.
Misty sighed.  "Fine."  
She grabbed Ash's hands and pulled, but the second before his feet were properly on the ground, she let go of him.
"Ow!"  he said, falling to the ground.
"You hurt my arm."  she said.
"Huh?"  Ash asked.  "Sorry..."
"Syke!  It was only a bruise all along!"  she laughed.  "Ashton!"
Ash's face lit up in anger.  "Mistique!"
Misty giggled.  "Ashton."  and began walking towards the forest.
"Hey!"  Ash stumbled to stand.  "Wait up!"
"No..."  Misty called back, "You catch up!  Ketchum!"
"Shut up!"  he called out, running after her.
"Make me!"  she said, getting closer to the forest.
"I would... If you'd just...  slow down..."  he said, grasping his ribs.
"Oh, come on!  You've only been running for twenty seconds!"  Misty said, stopping.
"No!  I'm serious!  I can't breathe!"  he shouted.
"Ash?"  she asked, staring at him.
"Ahhh...."  he grunted, falling to the ground.  "Shauna must be doing something to keep me away from the forest!  Ahh!"
"Ash?!"  she shouted, running back to him.
She kneeled down next to him.  He stared back up at her in eyes barely open.
"Listen to me..."  he said.
"What?"  she whispered back.
"I..."
"What?  You what?"  she urged.
"I... need you to carry me the rest of the way..."
Misty sweatdropped.  "Say what?"
Suddenly Ash grinned.
"What?!  You--"  she said, standing up.  "You liar!"
"What?  I can't trick you, but you can pull pranks on me any time you want?  Is that how it is?"
"Yes, well that's exactly how it is."
"That's not fair."  he pronounced.
"That's not fair."  Misty mimmicked.
Ash pouted.  "You're mean."
"No."  Misty grabbed his head and ruffled his hair.  "Your mean!"
"Hey, stop!"  Ash said, trying to wriggle free of her grasp.
Misty laughed.  "Make me," she sang.
Suddenly, a streak of thunder clapped and the air darkened.  
"I see you've returned.  Good girl."  the raspy voice said.
"Oh, god..."  Misty mumbled.
Ash, seeing this as his chance to escape, did so.
"Now what do you want?!"  he shouted.
"Your body is what!!"  It screamed back, but cleared it's 'throat'.  "Your next test is ready for the taking.  Please, step this way."
A streaked pillar of blue aura shone down from above that slowly crept towards the dark, clouded substance called a forest.
"You want us to go... there?"  Misty asked.  "In there?"
'It' didn't answer.
"Ash?"  Misty asked.
Ash looked at her from the corner of his eye.
"Will you..."  Misty gulped.  "Ho-hold my hand?"
Ash blinked.  "If you'll hold mine...."
Somehow, their hands found each other in an instant and they reluctantly approached the target.  

"Hello there."  a figure ran up to them.
Misty's eyes widened.
"Richie?!"  Ash asked.
"Yes.  Come along, then."  Richie said, waving a hand in the direction he turned to.
"Come along, then?"  Misty whispered to Ash.
"I dunno.  Let's just follow it."
Misty nodded.
Soon, the three disappeared in the shear darkness of the forest.

"OHMYGOD!!!  They're everywhere!!!"  Misty screamed, grabbing onto Ash's shoulder and arm.
"Be brave, Misty."  Ash started laughing.  "Be strong..."
A metapod slowly lowered itself onto Misty's head and strangled itself in her hair.  Of course, she screamed and flailed around as if her clothes had vanished. *I don't mean to give you a 'mental picture', it just seemed like a good comparison... ^_^;*  
"GET IT OFF!  GET IT OFF!  KILL IT!  KILL IT!"  she repeated over and over.
Soon, a weedle landed on her shoulder and a caterpie crawled its way up her leg, leaving a trail of slime.  Screaming over and over, Ash suddenly clasped a hand over her mouth.
"Shh!  Listen!"  he whispered.
Besides the sudden thud of a metapod falling from her head, their was a slight buzzing sound.
"There could be bedrill..."  he whispered.  "... nearby..."
"Oh..............  GET IT OFF!  GET IT OFF!  GET IT OFF OF ME!!  GET IT OFF!  GET IT OFF!"
Ash sighed.  
"SHUT UP!!!"  he shouted and grabbed her mouth, holding her lips together.  His other hand wrapped around her waist, keeping her from flailing.
Feeling Ash holding her, she soon felt her body at a sudden ease.
"Shhhhhhh..."  she heard him hiss as they began to walk again.
Ash slowly let go of Misty's mouth and messed with the metapod in her hair, trying to set it free.  Misty blushed.
"Um-"
"Just hold on a sec..."  Ash whispered.
The metapod fell to the ground with a small thump.  Misty sighed.
"Well, at least it wasn't a Kakuna."  Ash said thankfully.
"No kidding.  Oh my gosh, where'd Richie go?!"  Misty asked, suddenly realizing that their young friend had disappeared.  
But Ash didn't answer her.  That was when she noticed that the buzzing had long since stopped.  
“Hey, Ash?”  She asked again.
But, looking to his side, she noticed he wasn’t there.  No one was.  There was something clinging to her knees.  Something…  She swallowed once, hoping it wasn’t another Caterpie.  Looking downwards, she saw not a Caterpie, but a beautiful white gown that was damp with something…   Misty bent over to examine the scent.  It smelled like a perfume, since there was a lot it must’ve been deluded in water.  Something then brushed her backside.  Her bare backside.  She flung a hand behind her back to feel nothing but her own hair let down, also drenched in the sweet perfume that smelled of ripe mangos.   Something else caught her attention.  As her fingers caught a smear of red lipstick that appeared on her lips, they smelled like raspberries.  
“What am I?!  A human fruit basket?!  What’s the deal?!”
“Ashton is your goal.  Find him.  Enter the room of walls.”  Said a raspy, thin voice.
“What… who… is this another test?”  Misty asked.
“Of course.”
“Well, why then am I dressed like this?!”
“Well-“
“And… what’s with the smell?  I smell weird!”
“Shut it, Mistique.  Just find Ashton.”
“And quit calling me that!”
“What would you rather me call you?  Mist?  Like Ash does, maybe?”  The demon sneered.
“Shut up…”  Misty mumbled, and spotted an open doorway to the “room of walls”.
“Is this it?”  Misty asked, pointing to the doorway.
Shauna had no answer, and Misty didn’t really care to wait for it.
“Fine.  I’ll play your dumb game.”  Misty said crisply and turned into the room.
There were two walls leading to nothing but a dead end.  Misty spun around to ask Shauna what the heck’s going on, but the door was replaced by another wall.
“God, this dream is really starting to suck.”  She said quietly.
“Well, whaddya want me to do?!”  Misty shouted, throwing her arms to the ceiling.  “Where’m I s’posed to go?!”  
“Take nothing for granted.  Take nothing for what it is.  Take nothing for what they seem.”  Whispered a small voice.  It didn’t sound a bit like Shauna’s.
“Who…”  Misty spun around a few times in confusion.


   Suddenly, Ash’s hand fell to his side, feeling Misty’s leave.  
“What...  Hey Misty!  Where…”
Something felt wrong…  Something…  Ash looked to his hands.  They were coated in a white material.  On him was a fitted black tuxedo.  His hair was set free of his beloved hat.  



“What’s going on?!”  He shouted.
“Mistique is your goal.  Find her, and the game is yours.  Lose her, and she will be lost forever.  Enter the room of walls.”  Said the raspy, thin voice again.
“The what?”
A giant hand appeared, and motioned towards a door opened to pitch black.
“Oh… but where’d Richie go?”
“Who cares where Richie is!  Just go, already!”
Ash ran a hand through his hair.
“Is Misty in there?”
“No duh.”  The demon scoffed.
His hand left his scalp of black hair dragging a scent along with it.
“Blueberry?!”
“Just get in there!!”  The demon shouted.
Just then, a strong force threw him into the room of walls.  The door disappeared.  Ash faced two walls, one on each side, and another standing as a dead end.
“Huh…”  Ash said to himself.
“Take nothing for granted.  Take nothing for what it is.  Take nothing for what they seem.”  Whispered a small voice.  It didn’t sound a bit like Shauna’s.
“Who…”  Ash spun around a few times in confusion.


“It’s… a maze…”  Misty said slowly, looking around a corner.  “I guess it isn’t a dead end, but… who said that?”  She looked over her shoulder once towards the spot where she had heard the tiny voice before.
“I can seem to match it up to anyone I’ve ever known…  Ah, it could just be Shauna trying to screw with my mind.”
She walked, turned a corner, then walked some more.  After what seemed like an hour of walking and turning forks and corners, a dead end appeared.  She sighed and turned around.  There was another brick wall.  
“What?!”  Misty shouted aggravated.  “Magic?  The demon’s been using magic on me the entire time???”
She sank to her knees.  ‘Oh great.  Now, I have to deal with her load of magic but…’ a small tear formed at the base of her eye.  ‘What if that means that it’s impossible to get out...?  What if…’ more tears formed.  ‘What if I never find him?   What if I never find Ash?’
Suddenly, she threw up a fist and forced the tears away.
“No!  I hafta find him!  I have to find a way out!”
She thrust herself upwards and ran as fast as she could, feeling every bit of strength being sucked out of her.  Soon, her legs became weary.  The tears dried against her cheeks, but were soon washed away by the many fresh streams of the salty discharge that signaled her great depressions.   Her fiery red hair flowed behind her like the wings of a cardinal and whipped with the damp wetness that still lingered in its roots.  Her teeth were fiercely bared with great determination.  Sweat seemed to pour from her brow.  
‘I am NOT a princess!  I’m Misty!  I can find him!  I will!’  She repeated over and over in her mind like a powerful chant that was hoped to help her in her search.
Air seemed essential, and she suddenly came to a stop and kneeled over, clutching her ribs for comfort and gasping like a tortured slave under the control of evil.
“This is… It’s just too much.  I don’t think I can take much more of this…”
“Seek deeply, Misty.  Seek for the boy you love.  And his love...” Said the small voice.
“What?  Shauna, quit it!  I know it’s you!”  Misty looked up in anger.
“Don’t you get it?”  Asked the small voice.
Just then, a little fairy in a red satin dress appeared.  Its skin was pale and hair was short with a sky-blue tint, much like its eyes, and ocean-blue streaks.
“This maze is representing you.  Your heart.”
“Who are you?”  Misty asked, standing up.
“My name is Kinawasetinogashichagachukidelopa and I was sent by a spirit.  A good, clean and quite innocent spirit, whom I believe is Ash.”
“Ash sent you?”  
“Well ye-“
“Ahhahahaha!”  Misty laughed.  “Ash was always soooo smart in these kinds of situations!  Ha ha!”
The fairy sweatdropped.  “Uh…”
“So?  Can you show me where he is?”  Misty asked excitedly.
“Uh…  I don’t know where he is.”
“Wha?  Then what good are you?!”
“I can give you clues.  I can help your heart.”
“Yeah yeah…  Just give me all you got, then…”
“Alright!  Follow me!”