Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon belongs to Gamefreak, Creatures Inc., etc. I only own Kim Firestar. Email PikachuGirl2538@aol.com with comments or questions. The Race To Mt. Eternity Part One -- Lost & (Not) Found Misty sighed as she slumped into the chair at the kitchen table. Kim sat down too, opposite of Misty. She ran her fingers through her shiny black hair. Her red streaks had faded out months ago and her hair grew long to her hips. She leaned over the table, her hand propping up her head. She drummed the fingers of her other hand against the table in a soft, soothing beats. Misty untied the apron around her waist and threw it on the table. She undid her ponytail and let her long, red hair swing free. "It's weird how two 15 year-old boys can make two 14 year-old girls act like house wives like this," Misty commented. Kim glanced at the clock on the wall. "Where could they be? All they were doing is going to see Professor Oak, and they said they'd be back in an hour... It's almost been three hours... The dinner's already cold." Misty shrugged. "I don't know... Let's start cleaning up." Ash's mother walked into the kitchen. "Hello, girls. Have Ash and Richie showed up yet?" she asked. "No," Misty replied. "We're just going to clean up and go to bed... Thanks again for letting us stay here until the next Pokemon League Challenge..." "Yeah, and thanks for letting us use your kitchen..." Kim added. Mrs. Ketchem smiled. "It's no problem, girls... I'm glad my Ashy has friends like you." She took a glass of water and headed back upstairs. Kim and Misty sighed once more and started cleaning up the dishes and putting the food in containers. When they finished cleaning, they headed upstairs to the guest rooms. They said their goodnights in the hallway and entered their individual rooms. ********************** Later that night... The clock struck midnight. The bells of the grandfather clock in the hallway chimed loudly, waking Misty. Unable to sleep, she decided to go downstairs and watch TV. She passed Ash's room and realized that his door was slightly open. She thought it unusual because Ash always kept it either completely closed, or wide open. He had always hated it when it was in the middle. She pushed the door open and peeked inside. "Ash?" she called softly. "Ash?" She opened the door all the way and walked in. His bed was still made from the morning. "He hasn't come home yet... Where could he be?" She walked back into the hallway and decided to see if Richie was in his room. Misty crept to the room across the hall and opened the door. "Richie? Are you here?" She walked in and saw that Richie's bed was also untouched. "Hmmm... Richie's not here either. Where could those two possibly be?" Misty really started to worry now. She went to Kim's room and woke her up. "Misty? What is it?" She glanced at her alarm clock. "It's almost 12:30... What are you doing up?" "I couldn't sleep," she replied. She shook her head, "But that doesn't matter... Ash and Richie are missing... They never came home." Kim moaned as she hid her head under her pillow. "They're probably staying at Professor Oak's for the night." "But they would've called." "Maybe they forgot... Don't worry, Misty... They can take care of themselves." "Kim! I'm worried!" "Then, go call Professor Oak and ask him what happened..." "Ok, but you're coming with me..." Misty said as she dragged Kim out of bed and downstairs. Kim jolted up, wide awake, as her head hit the floor. She stood up and rubbed her aching head as Misty dialed up Professor Oak. A groggy Gary Oak answered. "Hello?" he said into the video phone. "Gary? It's Misty... Have you seen Richie or Ash?" "No... Those two losers left hours ago..." Gary said rather rudely and hung up. "Where could they be?" Misty asked again. Now Kim started to worry too. "Let's go wake up Ash's mom then start looking for them." ************************** Misty, Kim, and Ash's mom, still dressed in their night gowns, put on heavy coats and walked out into the cold January night. "Ash! Richie!" they called into the still night air. For hours they wandered the town and the forest. Numbness from the cold set in and forced the trio back inside. Ash's mother started calling all Ash's friends, in Pallet and other towns. Brock and Todd they'd be on the look out in Pewter and Cerulean, all the gym leaders promised to keep a close watch for them, and even the Elite Four were noticeably worried for the two young men. Ash and Richie were, of course, the two of the youngest competitors in the Pokemon League, and, to some, the most promising of all the competitors. They were well known, and well admired, for their work in the Pokemon League and their constant fumbling of Team Rocket schemes. The world had watched them grow from 10 year old trainers to 15 year old honorable pokemon masters, and now the whole world seemed to stop and mourn for them. The entire universe had halted and held their breath as the news of the missing masters spread like wild fire. ************************* Back in the Ketchem house.... Kim and Misty continued their crying. Only last summer had they finally found love with Richie and Ash, respectively. They could not comprehend that fact that they were gone. It couldn't be true...not after all the times they had together. The pokemon journey, all the P.L. tournaments, all the adventures...it just couldn't be over now. But in someway, Kim and Misty knew it was....it was all over. In their heavy hearts they felt empty. They did not blame anyone, yet they wanted to scream at the world. They knew it, and they felt it. Deep down, they felt they would never again see the frown of frustration during a match, the smirk of determination, the smile after each victory, and even the single tear after each loss. Misty and Kim were hesitant to answer the door when the doorbell rang. Mrs. Ketchem, also very weary from the loss, answered it. Things were bad and couldn't get much worse, at least that's what everyone thought. In the back of Misty's mind, and Kim's mind as well, they hoped it would be Ash and Richie at the door. Instead, at the door, a man in a blue uniform stood. He had short blue hair, with a strand that fell over his eyes, and dark brown eyes. "I'm Officer Johnny... You're son was found in Viridian Forrest with a friend...I'm sorry ma'am, but they're dead." To be continued... **My Notes** That's right folks, it's not the end yet... Stay tuned to find out what happens... Let's recap: Misty is dating Ash, Kim is dating Richie, Richie and Ash became Pokemon Masters the summer before. Now Ash and Richie are missing and then were found dead in Viridian Forrest. ------------------------------- Comments? Questions? Please be nice, I can handle criticism, but not when people are yelling at me. For example, "You suck! Don't ever write anything ever again!" Okay so maybe that's a little harsh, but you get the idea. Kim Firestar -- PikachuGirl2538@aol.com