Greetings. I am Arcanine. Here is Part 3 of Nostalgia. Enjoy. (And have tissues by the side, in case you forgot them, flooded your room and shorted out your computer.) And now for the boring disclaimer… I do not own Pokemon. This story is entirely fictional and any content related to anyone in any way is purely coincidental. Happy? Nostalgia Misty’s Great Depression (Part 3) “Well, Misty, what will you have today?” “Hawaiian, Brock, thanks. I get tired of seafood.” A small silent voice answered him from behind the door. As she heard Brock go down the stairs, Misty rubbed her grossly puffy eyes. She dripped some eye-drop into her eye, and blinked. “I can’t seem to get over it,” she thought sadly. “If only we had known earlier. We could be like Rudy and Duplica now. But it’s too late,” she turned her face towards the window. “Ash is gone… forever… Oh Ash…” Misty began to cry again. “Misty! Pizza’s here!” “Coming, Brock.” Misty hurriedly dashed out of the room. Misty reappeared, carrying a wide, flat box. That had been her diet since Ash’s mishap. She had practically grounded herself, refusing to talk to anyone else besides Brock, Tracey and Mrs. Ketchum. Mrs. Ketchum had gotten over her son’s death, and had gone back to her daily lifestyle. She knew there was no use moping about it, and decided to get on with life. Unfortunately, that was not the case for poor Misty. As the cheese-ham-pineapple flavour exploded in her mouth, she continued to write the letter she wanted to send to Ash. “Dearest Ash, I’ve missed you terribly, and still do. I can’t go through every second of my life now without thinking about you. I’m not myself anymore. Please say you know how I feel. You shouldn’t have done that for me. I started it all, I called you a baby, and now it cost your life. I feel simply horrible. Pikachu and Togepi aren’t the same either. They sometimes talk to each other, but almost not hing else, and… oh Ash…” Misty’s pace of writing quickened, and tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t want to live anymore. What’s the point of it all? I don’t even know whether you can read all the letters I’ve sent you. All I want to is to be with you, to live in eternal happiness with you, to be loved every second of my life. What am I worth? I’m just a selfish brat, I only care about myself, and I caused you to…” Misty could write no more. She buried her face in her arms and began to sob loudly, helplessly and dejectedly. Her tears blurred most of the words on her letter, making them illegible. *** “No please, Ash, don’t leave me!” “Misty… I’m sorry… please forgive me… goodbye…” “Ash! ASH! No Ash, you can’t go, there are still things we haven’t told each other… or done together…” “ASH!” Misty sat up in her bed, trembling and sweating heavily. The memory of Ash’s disaster haunted her dreams again. She let out a soft, sad sigh as she entered a state of depression. Walking up to the study table, she turned on the lamp and caught sight of the letter she wrote that day. Most of the words were illegible, but she saw a few sentences: “I don’t want to live anymore. What’s the point of it all?” “What’s the point of it all…” Misty repeated to herself. She knew what she was going to do. *** Misty’s toes trailed in the water. Her socks and shoes were left on the bank. Ripples coursed through the lake, startling a few stray Poliwag. “This was where we first met…” Misty whispered. (Note to readers: As I kind of missed the first episode, the following dialogue may not be accurate…) “Oh, it’s a trainer! Are you okay?” “I’m fine, thanks.” “Not you! The Pikachu!” Misty slowly put her left foot in the water. Followed by her right. Her hands left the river bank as she began to wade in the knee-deep water. “No Misty… don’t do this to yourself…” She ignored the pleas from her mind and waded forward. “I’m going to see Ash again…” she thought. Her shorts were getting damp. Followed by her tank top. Pretty soon her whole body, except her head, was submerged under the cold water of the early morning. From her position, she could see the sun begin to rise. “Goodbye, everybody,” she murmured, a solitary tear running from her eye. Just as she was about to plunge to her death… “Misty…” she heard someone call her name. She turned her head around. Will Misty submit herself to a watery grave? Answers in the next, and final, chapter…