Whispering Darkness Part 10 By Crysta Disclaimer: What's not in the cartoon's mine, what is is Nintendo's and Gamefreak's. Note: I know it's not been very Ash/Misty but this is the turning point. Sorry to keep you waiting so long for it. ********** "Like, is that you Misty?" "It's been, like, so long!" "Where have you been? Like, we got worried!" "I see what Misty meant." Crysta whispered to Ash. "Reminds me of a girl at my old school." Ash cringed. "I'm glad I was an only child." Crysta frowned. "Yeah." "Huh? Is there something you need to tell me?" Ash looked her in the eye. For a moment, he thought he saw the green of her eyes become the same hazel as his. But then, it was gone. Crysta shook her head. "No, at least not yet." "Not yet? What are you - !" Ash was cut off by Lily. "So, like, you're welcome to, like, stay the night!" she offered. Tracey looked over. Ash nodded. Crysta sent her reply psychically to Tracey. "That'd be great." Tracey said. "Well, like, slight problem." Daisy pointed out. "Yeah, like, there's only two guest rooms." Violet said. "Oh, that's OK! Me and Ash will share and Tracey and Crysta will share, I'm sure. Right guys?" "Like, do we have a choice?" Crysta joked. Lily laughed. "You'd make a great Sensational Sister!" she joked. "Well, if it's OK with your boyfriends, I'll take you to your rooms." "Boyfriends?!" Crysta and Misty choked with laughter. Ash and Tracey blushed. "Aww, kidding Tracey." Crysta stood on tiptoe to give Tracey a kiss on the cheek, which just served to make him blush again, ten times worse. "You little monster! I'll deal with you later." Tracey was kidding, he winked at her. Crysta laughed. Misty winked at Ash. That meant she was up to something. "Well, boyfriend, let's go!" she said. Ash blushed furiously. He heard Crysta's sly crack, which he knew was a joke, from somewhere behind him. "Is that Ash Ketchum or a tomato?" "It's me, Ash." Crysta smiled. "Have fun with Misty, Ash!" "What? Oh! You little - !" "Little? Excuse me, shrimp, who's the little one?" Crysta stood a full four and a half inches taller than Ash. He groaned. "Point taken." "Good. C'mon, Tracey!" Tracey shrugged and followed Crysta, Misty and the Waterflower sisters. ********** "Misty, I have just been thoroughly humiliated!" "Oh Ash, you know we are boyfriend and girlfriend." "Yes, but, we never made a big deal of it." "Maybe it's time we did." "Wha?" Ash got no chance to say anything more. Misty's lips met his. He was startled, then returned her kiss. Overbalancing, he fell backwards onto the couch. Misty landed on top of him. "Ash, you planned that!" she gasped, breaking off the kiss. "Misty, I swear on Pikachu's life I didn't." But did the pok‚mon master have his fingers crossed? ********** "Crysta!" Crysta sat on the couch, laughing hopelessly. "Have you done?" "Ooooh. Ash's face. And yours!" she regained her composure. "Yeah. I'm done." "Good. What was that about?" "Oh Tracey, it was a joke, OK?" "Maybe we take things too seriously." "Misty and Ash never really made a big deal about their relationship." "My point exactly." "Anyway." Crysta looked at Tracey, then gave him a funny look. "Tracey, when'd you last change your top?" "Are you trying to give me a hint?" "Don't rush ahead of me here. I'm saying it's filthy!" Tracey looked at his dirty top. "Ah. Well, this WAS fresh on this morning. Until we dragged ourselves down that road." "Huh. Excuses excuses! Go get changed." "And what about you?" Crysta shapeshifted into a clean top and jeans. "Happy?" "What the?" "Go and get changed!" "Yes ma'am!" Tracey darted off. Crysta sighed and shook her head. "Men." ********** "I'm glad Misty's back." "She's not such a runt now." Violet glared at Daisy. "Maybe it was us who were too hard on heeer!" A loud explosion rocked the town of Cerulean. ********** "What the hell?!" Crysta and Tracey flew up from their seats on the bed and couch respectively. ********** "Ash, what was that?" Misty gasped. "I don't know. Let's go find out." Ash led Misty out. Crysta and Tracey tore past. ********** "Like, it must be Team Rocket!" Lily picked herself up. Daisy tried to calm the water pok‚mon and Violet looked up the stairs. Crysta slid down the banister and Tracey ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Ash and Misty were hot on their heels. "It's those Rockets!" Crysta yelled angrily. "BUTCH! CASSIDY!" A familiar laugh rang out. "Skip the motto. Butch, let's go." "Cassidy, it's time you learnt to let bygones be bygones. I've left now, and I'm never going back!" "Is that so? We'll see. Come on, let's go!" At that instant, at least twenty-five Rockets arrived and went for them. Three Rockets each went for the Waterflower sisters. Five leapt at Crysta. Tracey evaded four more. Misty ducked the onslaught from three more, and Ash dodged the remaining four. The place was pandemonium. Butch and Cassidy ganged up on Crysta. "Tracey, let's go!" "Right Ash. Scyther, we need your help!" "Scyther!" "Starmie, Staryu, Seadra, go!" Several rockets were knocked for six by Scyther's slashes and Staryu, Starmie and Seadra's water attacks. Crysta ducked and rolled. "Time out, Cassidy!" Butch grabbed her tail. "I think you're out of luck." "Misty!" "AAAH!" Both Ash and Misty were jumped on and grabbed. The sensational sisters had ducked aside and wished they could help. "Hey! Why don't you pick on someone your own size!" Tracey called to Butch. He grinned cruelly. "Like. you?" he suggested. "Tracey, run!" Crysta yelled. Butch released her tail and she catapulted forwards. Ash and Misty were pushed into her and they landed in a tangled heap. Pikachu was ducking and diving about. Ash, Misty and Crysta struggled to disentangle themselves. "Ow!" Tracey hit the floor and rolled. Three Rockets grabbed him. "That's enough!" Crysta stood. She was out of the tangle and held ready. "Your time's up!" Butch and Cassidy leapt for her. Crysta stood, let them leap. Then, when they were mere centimetres away, she ducked aside. "Sparkle, go!" "Raichu!" "This has gone too far!" Cassidy gripped Crysta's shoulders. Crysta laughed. "You're lagging Cassidy. I have all I need. Sparkle, Mega kick!" Cassidy only felt the impact. Crysta was thrown clear and Raichu went for Butch. "Body slam him Sparkle!" Crysta called. "Raichu!" Sparkle went for him Butch ran. "Chicken! Afraid of an electric mouse?" Crysta taunted. "Why you-!" Butch stopped for a second too long, and Sparkle's body connected. He hit the floor with a thud. Cassidy stood up. "It's time out for you and your friends!" she sneered. More Rockets attacked. In seconds, all of them were captured. Misty clung to Ash. Tracey tried to get to Crysta, but Butch held her fast. "Oh no, Tracey, she's mine!" Butch laughed. Crysta's head hung low. Tracey was captured. ********** "That rat!" "Butch, Cassidy or Raticate?" Crysta rolled her eyes. "At least they kept us together." "Not for long. Calm down Ash, getting mad won't help." Misty said. Tracey tapped the bars. "They're pretty solid." He sighed. "That's right! And you can't get through them! Any attempts to use electricity will result in a shocking experience for you all. Crysta's wry smile told a million tales. "You know it's me you're after, Cassidy." Cassidy laughed. "Yes, we do. It's time for you to take your place in Team Rocket." "What?" Ash whirled. Crysta shook her head. "I had something to do with Team Rocket, they tried to make me join, but I refused. But that was a long time ago!" "Yet you owe us one!" Butch said. Crysta hissed. "You, Butch, I owe nothing. You're the one I'd settle for killing here and now!" "Crysta?" Tracey put his arm around her. Crysta's eyes closed momentarily. "I can see it in my mind Butch. But I was too strong. I resisted. I will do the same again!" "That's where you're wrong!" Crysta looked at him. Then she went deathly pale, and her eyes widened. "He's right." she whispered. Tracey tapped her on the shoulder, and she pulled closer to him, as if searching for protection. Tracey was there to give her the support she needed. "I don't know what's happening but you're not getting Crysta." Tracey gripped her shoulders firmly, as if to tell her he was ready to protect her. She clutched at his arms, true fear in her eyes. "You didn't tell your friend, then." Crysta shook her head in Tracey's chest. Her body was trembling. "Don't let him get me. please." she pleaded. Tracey held her. "I promise I won't. I don't care what's happened." Cassidy's eyes settled on Tracey. She laughed. "You can't stop us, brat!" "Hey! If you want Crysta you'll have to take me on!" Ash stood protectively in front of Tracey and Crysta. Misty held his hand. "Me too!" "And me. You're not going to get away with this." Tracey was as usual, cool, calm, collected. Crysta watched things. Cassidy's purple eyes glinted. Crysta shook her head. Something strange was happening, but what? It was beyond her. Cassidy laughed. "You know what's happening, Crysta." And suddenly, she knew. Butch wanted revenge. Crysta didn't wait, didn't listen to reason. "NEVER!" she screamed. Mew blasted from her pok‚ball. Sparkle jumped out. Crysta looked at Cassidy. "I'll end this now, and you can't stop me!" "Crysta, calm down!" Tracey put his hand on her shoulder. Crysta shook him off. "Leave me! This time." her eyes hardened. "It's personal." She glared at Ash and Misty. "Get back!" Ash jumped back, pulling Misty. They fell backwards, and watched. Crysta. Had she gone mad? "Remember, a shock for a shock." Cassidy said. Crysta smiled. Then laughed. "She's flipped!" Misty whispered. Crysta stopped. "Cassidy, I don't need to shock the cage, if I can kick it down!" "What?" "Mew, Sparkle, all together! Mega Kick!" Both pok‚mon and Crysta kicked the bars. They wrenched and buckled, snapping clear. Crysta pulled herself through the gap, Mew on her shoulder. Butch gasped. "Oh no!" Crysta laughed. "The boot is on the other foot now, is it not? You wanted to drug me, take advantage of me. Attack me for the second time. But I was too strong again. Now you'll pay for what you did to me!" Now, they knew, and understood. Tracey, Ash and Misty knew better than to hold her back. Crysta's rage could no longer be stopped. They could only watch. Crysta walked around Butch, taunting him. "You daren't move, for fear I'll attack. But the truth is it's only a matter of time before I snap and let you have it. But what you don't know is when. Butch was being backed up against a wall. His back hit it, and he looked about. Crysta's hands slammed against the wall on either side of his head. "Face it! I'm in control now!" Ash, Misty and Tracey slipped clear of the cage and watched. Cassidy was worried for Butch. Crysta toyed with him like a cat with a mouse. Without warning, she drew back. Angry psychic energy welled up, and a powerful bolt hit Butch. Cassidy screamed. Crysta's eyes glowed as she started to tear down their prison. "These were your last four walls, yet I can make them fall! Leave me alone, or I will not be so willing to spare you." Crysta pointed to a door. It burst open on a psychic command. "Go!" Butch, Cassidy and the others turned tail and fled. Crysta smiled, watching them flee. Then, she staggered backwards, into Tracey. ********** "I hope she'll be OK." For once, Lily, Daisy and Violet were talking like normal people. Crysta was resting in a room upstairs. Tracey was by her side. Ash and Misty were back in their room. Ash pushed the door open. Crysta smiled, and waved him in. Misty followed. "So, I exert myself yet again. How much longer." Crysta murmured. "You were great!" Misty said. Crysta looked away. Her eyes were unseeing of what was in the room, but saw only her past. "No! That's over now." She snapped back to reality. "My apologies." "No problem!" Ash said. Pikachu leapt onto the bed. Crysta scratched him behind the ears. "Oooh! That's nice, just there! Aaaah. That's been itching for ages." "Pikachus." Crysta was joking. She tweaked Pikachu's tail, and he pretended to try to bite her. "I guess I have finally come to terms with what was and what is. I see you and Misty are making a little more of your relationship." Misty blushed, but put her arms around Ash. He nodded. "We're a couple now. 'Bout time we acted like one." "Well said. I'm sure you'll be very happy. Is that the sound of little Ketchums running around I hear?" Tracey, Ash and Misty laughed. Crysta rolled her eyes. "I wasn't kidding. I predict you and Misty will have children that will be just like you." "How accurate have your predictions been recently?" "Offhand, one hundred per cent!" Crysta winked. "For example, I predict Lily will come in to ask me if I want anything in approximately one and a half minutes." Sure enough, Lily did ask. "One minute thirty-five seconds." "So I was five seconds out!" Tracey hugged her. "Well, who cares! I like you the way you are!" "Aww." Crysta smiled. "Hey, nobody's perfect." "So true." Misty pulled Ash's sleeve. "Let's leave them to get some peace and quiet, Ash." "With you next door? Fat chance!" Misty pretended to whack Crysta across the head. Crysta hissed and took a playful swipe at her. Misty ruffled her fur and left, Ash's arms around her waist. "Again, I fall prey to Team Rocket." Crysta laughed sarcastically. "And yet only a week to the League." "You can do it." Tracey said. To Be Continued.