Whispering Darkness
Part 4
By Crysta

Disclaimer: Nintendo and Gamefreak own everyone except Crysta.

Note: The POV thing on Part 2 still stands.

**********

They landed in Cinnabar, tired and hungry. Crysta found a small caf‚, which was where they hit their first 
problem.

**********

There weren't any menus in Braille. Blindness isn't very common in Cinnabar. Crysta made things much 
easier for Misty by using her psychic powers to tell Misty what the menu said. Misty was grateful, and just 
ordered a sandwich like the rest of us. Crysta paid, which was very generous of her.
I looked over to her. "Crysta, do you think it's safe to enter the Forest of Fire?"
"It's never safe to enter the Forest, Ash, but with Marril, Squirtle, Staryu, Starmie, Goldeen, Horsea and 
my pok‚mon, we'll be fine."
I nodded.
"Crysta, do you have pok‚mon of your own?" asked Tracey. Crysta nodded. "I'll show you my best one!"
She pressed a button on a pok‚ball and a pok‚mon popped out.
"Crysta!" it said. It was a Pikachu.
I grinned. "A Pikachu?"
Crysta nodded. "Sparkle was my very first pok‚mon. We've been together for ten years now."
"You're twenty?" gasped Tracey. Crysta nodded. 
"I don't look it do I?" she said softly. Tracey shook his head.
"You don't look a day over sixteen."
"I shall leave that to you, Ashton."
I flinched at the use of my first name in full. Crysta blushed. 
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you." She said.
I smiled. "It's my name, I'd better put up with it."
"I know how you feel. My old name was that bad."
"What was your old name?"
"Melisande."
"I see your point."
"When the accident occurred, I changed it to Crysta."
"I see."

**********

". So, if we find this daisy, we'll have to be careful not to miss the bloom."
"Yeah. That would be disastrous." Tracey said. Ash finished his sandwich just as Misty finished hers. 
Crysta and Tracey finished before anyone and were having a conversation.
"So how did you get to be a healer?"
"I spent most of my life healing. I was trained to be a nurse by the Saffron Joy. When she fell ill soon 
after, it was up to me to care for all the injured pok‚mon while she was away. Luckily I had Chansey by 
my side to help me. But I decided the ways of pok‚mon centers weren't for me, and I began to use herbal 
remedies. I've used them ever since." Crysta replied.
"That's really fascinating!" Tracey said, as Crysta led them to the Forest of Fire.

**********

Crysta looked at the plant. "This is it."
"This is the daisy?" Tracey examined it.
"Doesn't look much like a daisy." Ash said. Crysta fell over, anim‚ style. She got back up. 
"Of course it doesn't. It hasn't bloomed yet."
"Oh."

Ash set out their sleeping bags. Crysta didn't have one. Ash put Misty's next to his. Crysta smiled at the 
gesture. It didn't go unnoticed. Crysta looked up. It was beginning to get dark.
Ash and Misty decided to go to bed early. They slipped into their sleeping bags and fell asleep.
Tracey took out his pad and began sketching. Crysta took out the sketch Tracey had copied. She began to 
colour it, adding in fine detail like the embroidering on Ash's jacket.
Tracey sketched quickly, making sure every detail was perfect. Crysta coloured the sketch easily. On a 
notion, she added a piece of extra detail. She felt sure Ash would notice it. 
She finished colouring it and set it aside. She closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep.

Tracey tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hmm? What is it? Has the flower bloomed?"
"No." Tracey told her.
"Then why did you wake me up Tracey?" Crysta asked. Tracey passed her his sketch pad. It was open at 
the sketch he had just done.
"I wanted to show you this." He said.
Crysta took the pad and looked at the sketch. She smiled, every detail was perfect. Her eyes began to 
water. Tracey had outdone himself.
She noticed something written ornately in the corner. She read it. Tears trickled from her eyes.
"Yes, Tracey." She said softly. Tracey grinned, and hugged Crysta, gently kissing her. Crysta snuggled 
closer to him. She looked at the daisy.
"Look!"
"What?"
"It's bloomed!"
Tracey examined the flower, whose petals were tinged with reds and oranges. Crysta extended a claw and 
broke off the flower. She stowed it in her bag with the other essential herbs they had gathered along the 
way. Tracey slid into his sleeping bag. Crysta curled up on the end. Tracey smiled softly, as he drifted off 
to sleep.

**********

There was a lot of excitement. Her hearing told her that. She didn't need her eyes to tell her it was focused 
around her. Misty listened as Crysta gave Ash and Tracey orders to do with the herbs.
There was an explosion, and a thud, and she knew it had all gone wrong again.

**********

"That's the fourth time that's happened." Ash groaned. Crysta pulled herself out from the bottom of the 
heap.
"The daisy is just too volatile. We can't do it." Crysta said, wiping her face with a wet cloth, which she 
passed to Tracey, who, after using it, passed it to Ash.
"Wait a minute. Maybe we're doing this from the wrong angle." Tracey said.
"What do you mean?" Crysta asked.
"Maybe we're doing things wrong. Maybe we shouldn't add everything to the daisy. Maybe we should add 
the daisy to everything."
"Tracey, I think you may be right. Let's give it a try."

They were ready to add the daisy. Crysta held the petal over the bowl.
"Cross your fingers." She said. Closing her eyes, she dropped the petal in.
Nothing.
She opened her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. "Tracey, you're a genius!"

**********

"It's ready."
Crysta handed the bowl to Ash. Ash looked at it.
"You have to make her drink it. She has to take it from someone she trusts with all her heart. That's you, 
Ash."
"Me? Well, OK." Ash said dubiously.
"You know she loves you Ash."
Ash looked up. Crysta winked. 
"I said it psychically. I'll not embarrass you."
"Thanks." He said.
"She needs to drink it all." Crysta said out loud. "And good luck, Ash."
Ash went over to Misty.
"Hey, Misty." He said softly. Misty's sightless blue eyes turned on him, unseeing. She could sense him 
there.
"Did they find a way to cure it?"
"Yes. It's this." Ash placed the bowl in her hands, making sure not to spill any. "You have to drink it all."
"I'm ready." Misty, with Ash's help, raised to bowl to her lips and drank it.
Ash looked on hopefully as she drank the final drop. Instantly, the spark returned to her eyes, and she saw 
a wonderful sight.
"Ash." She sobbed, embracing him.

**********

"You were right, it worked."
"Of course it did. I knew it would." Crysta told Tracey. Tracey rested his head on hers and stroked her fur. 
Crysta smiled.
"How did you know Misty trusted Ash so much?"
"Think about it. He's been her eyes since she lost her sight. She trusted him to keep her safe, and he did. 
That trust will live on."
"How sweet." Tracey said softly. Crysta stepped forwards.
"I need to give them something."
"The sketch?"
"Yes."

Crysta stepped out. Misty's eyes locked on her.
"I'm Crysta. Nice to meet you properly." Crysta offered a hand/paw. Misty shook it.
"I'm Misty." She said.
"I know. I have something which I think rightfully belongs to you." Crysta held out the sketch. Misty took 
it and was overjoyed.
Crysta had made it look alive, not just a picture. Even the sparkle in their eyes was well done, carefully 
coloured with a silver pen.
"When I said Tracey was sketching Pikachu, this is what he was doing." Ash said. "Although if that's a 
Chansey I see in the background, I think Crysta did some additions of her own.

**********

Ash opened the door and put his foot out of it.
"Hold it right there Ash Ketchum!"
He turned, wondering what Crysta wanted. Her green eyes softened and she made her desire known 
psychically. Ash nodded.
"You're welcome to join us."

To Be Continued..
(hehe)