Shadows on the Heart Window to the soul
by Flygon
Chapter 19

Hearts Dream, Hearts Desire, Hearts Answer

Soon The group found themselves passing the area where they had camped before. They passed it, knowing that they could continue for a few more hours. It was Tommy who found the spot for them to set up camp and Brock soon had dinner cooking. It was muggy though, and Brock asked both Ash and Eddie to let their fire pokemon out. Eddie looked blankly at Brock, until Misty reminded him about his new magby. When Blaze, Eddies magby, who he started to call Blaze, and Ash's monferno were out, Brock knelt and asked both pokemon to keep the area clear of all grass types.

"Excuse me, Brock?" Tommy asked. "Why chase away pokemon, especially grass types?"

"Stun spore, Tom." Brock answered. "It's bad if you breathe it, but worse if it get's on your skin and stays too long." He began to bank the fire for the night. "In muggy weather like this it will stick to the skin. Then it causes: itching; a rash; then painful blisters. When these blisters break, they let in the stunspore right into the body. Then the person will have only a few hours left. Stunspore in the bloodstream will cause the victim to lose consciousness and then slip into a coma. Unless an antidote for it is given, the victim will die within a few hours."

"Jeez, what's the best way to get the stuff off?" Tommy asked, eyes wide in fear.

"The best thing is to avoid it in the first place," Brock answered, giving the stew he was cooking a few stirs. "But if you get caught in a cloud of the stuff, and your body is damp, from rain, sweat, or high humidity, you have to get it off. It can go through most clothes, and stick to your body. So You have to literally strip all your clothes off and get into running water, or have a couple of water pokemon use water gun on you to get it off. After that you have to wash all the clothes that you have or you risk getting re-contaminated by the spores that might have stuck on the clothes. Plus anything in your backpack and the pack itself has to be rinsed clean. And it takes about three to five minutes for the stunspore to start working on you, so you have to be fast."

"But I heard of people who got caught in clouds of stunspore before." Eddie said. "Things like that never happened to them."

"That was in a very dry area, or they were very dry at the time, the spores will literally fall right off you if you shake yourself." Brock replied, giving the stew a taste before nodding slightly. "It's when the person is wet, damp, or sweaty, or the humidity is very high that stunspore can do this, because they stick to the skin and no amount of shaking will help. Companies that work near areas like that or that have a lot of grass pokemon usually have a couple dozen portable showers for this reason. But enough of this, dinner is served."

The group ate, cleaned up and went to bed, leaving the two fire types to protect them. During the trip to Hearthome, they managed to catch some more pokemon, and Ash, Misty, Brock, and Susie tutored Tommy and Eddie in various things. Misty had some more battles with other trainers and it was then that her feebas, who she named beauty, evolved to a milotic that seemed to deserve the name. Ash too, had three of his pokemon evolve during this time. His beldum became a metang; his gible evolved to a gabite; and his luxio became a luxray, all within the space of four days of training on the road. They arrived in Hearthome and Ash in what the gym leader, Fatina, said, slammed the gym to earn his third badge. They stayed for a few days after that to stock up on supplies, and call home to tell everybody what was happening. It had been twelve weeks since Ash left on the journey, and his mother was decidedly larger around the middle. She finally told Ash that she was pregnant, and Ash, as Misty stated to the rest, an award winning performance of the very surprised then happy son role. During the time there Eddie and Tommy both sent back some of their pokemon for different ones, so they could balance train all of them. Then they left the city and again took to the road.

Soon they found themselves camped near an old tower about three hours from Solaceon Town. Brock took one look at the condition of the pitted pothole filled road and urged them to camp here and wait until morning. During that night the camp was raided by some of the ghost pokemon that inhabited the tower and came to investigate the camp fire. In the insueing battles Ash, Brock and Susie got one gastly each while Brock and Susie also added a murkrow apiece. Eddie and Tommy both got a pair of gastly and a murkrow each, and Eddie managed to catch a misdreavus. Misty on the other hand called out her milotic, Beauty and started to water pulse the pokemon. She caught a gastly herself, and managed a pair of murkrow, before the other ghost pokemon started to take this a bit more seriously. Eddie and Tommy were back to back with their eevees out using the only effective attack that the little brown furred pokemon had, bite. Then both of the small eevees began to glow, and evolved in the midst of battle into Umbreons, and the battle turned. The ghosts seeing a pair of dark types that could deal with them decided that this was no longer fun, and fled back to the tower.

The group arrived in Solaceon Town before lunchtime the next day and decided to stay one day to recover from a sleepless night. During that time Eddie called home and got his misdreavus, one of the gastlys, and his duskull While keeping volt, his pichu, his aron and Blaze, his magby. Thomas asked for his other eevee, Gible, and meditite, keeping his pichu, feebas, and his new umbreon. Ash stayed with his pokemon and simply asked how everyone was doing. The next day They set out again and started on route two ten. It proved to be a boon for their training, though slow going. Everybody got some training done, and Tommys feebas and his other eevee evolved there. Eddie was having fun, and he managed along with Ash to catch a wild Ponyta each while everybody got more battle experience.

On route two fifteen they encountered some bad weather and set up camp quickly to wait it out. The older ones in the group took turns teaching Tommy and Eddie more about Pokemon, and their care to pass the time. Brock took this time to teach both Eddie and Tommy how to make pokemon food that would be tailored to individual pokemon, and also to types. He showed them the different berries and how to mix them. Brock also presented them with their own mortar and pestle when they proved that they could make the food properly. Despite this the spirits of the group seemed down because of the weather.

Four days later the rain subsided and the group broke camp, their spirits still not fully lifted due to the cloud cover that looked like more rain would arrive. They pressed on, and just as they got their first view of Veilstone City just as the clouds broke and the sun started to shine. They headed to the pokemon center and spent three days there to try to recover from the rain doldrums that struck them on the trip. The fourth day dawned bright and cheery and Ash went to the gym for his fourth badge. The gym leader, Maylene, turned out to be a fighting pokemon trainer who used a fighting ring instead of the traditional round arena style battle area. Her three pokemon fell, though it was close. Ash's Luxray took out her meditite, with a thunderwave and a few well placed chomp attacks. Her machoke took out the luxray and nearly took out his pikachu, but two thunderbolts, and a full thunder attack finished the pure fighter. Then she brought out her lucario, and Ash's pikachu went down, even though it scored a direct hit with a thunderbolt. And Ash brought out his monferno, who seemed to be incensed to almost berserk fury when it saw pikachu sporting a black eye. Ash called for a flame thrower attack and was surprised when the resulting flame was so hot it scorched the cement wall. It missed the lucario however, but made both it and Maylene much more cautious. Ash called for rapid scratch attacks which caused the lucario to back into a corner, and it started to charge up an aura sphere. Ash called for protect, and the aura sphere struck but did nothing, dissipating a full foot from his Monferno. He told his monferno to use flamewheel and the hapless lucario had nowhere to go since it was boxed into a corner. The attack struck, and Ash called for a point-blank flame thrower, which hit this time and left the lucario smouldering and out. Then Ash's monferno evolved into an infernape, and Ash had his fourth badge.

A short stop at the huge store netted them all the supplies that they needed, including a new item that Ash spent close to twelve thousand on. A camp stove that the Devon corporation put into one of the camper balls. Also the news that this was the last item expected for the camper ball line for a long time to come. They made their calls home and Ash showed his newest badge to his parents, as well as Gary and Duplica who arrived back at the lab the day before. They decided to grab a train back to the Hearthome city area and continue on to Pastoria City from there. They were happy they did. Route two fifteen again was being drenched in a rain that seemed to made it impossible to see more then a foot outside the window. They made it to the city in less then one day, instead of the four to six days they would have spent walking and then went straight towards Pastoria. They passed through some marshy areas where Misty, Eddie, Tommy, and Susie all caught a lotad, and a wooper each.

Arriving in Pastoria Ash waited until the next day before going to the gym there and claiming his fifth badge from Crasher Wake, thanks to Pikachu, and luxray. He spent two more days there, taking a run through the Great Marsh, with everybody, save Brock and Susie. Everybody got some of the unusual pokemon that could only be found at the Great marsh. They all got a Skorupi, save Misty who said it was a disgusting bug. Eddie started to chide her until she glared at him and he showed a wisdom well beyond his years by going silent. Misty and the rest did however get one croagunk apiece, though only Tommy seemed overly fascinated by it enough to swap out his milotic for it. They left Pastoria city and headed north a ways. There was a train to Jubalife City where he could take a ferry to another gym that Ash just found out about in a city called Canaclave. They were at an area between routes two fourteen and two fifteen. Ash saw a sign that pointed through an arched area declared: Lake Valor.

He asked what everybody thought about a three day camp-out at the lake and was not surprised when they jumped at the chance. Ash cast a sidelong glance at Misty and smiled. Camp was set up fast and the new cook stove that Ash had purchased worked like a charm. The area was obviously a local camp grounds and had a picnic tables, set everywhere, along with large areas for tents, and a small showers area for men and one for women. Ash looked around the area and located some long fallen saplings that he knew he could use. He moved them near the camp. He saw that Brock had whipped up a great dinner, and went to join the group. They ate together and then turned in for the night, leaving as usual the two fire pokemon as night guards.

Next morning, Ash woke before anybody else. He had planned it that way, putting an alarm clock under his pillow so that he, and he alone would hear it go off. He dressed quickly and quietly, then reached deep into his pack to retrieve an envelope, the box containing the locket, and a single rose. Those he placed right next to the pillow of Misty who was smiling through some dream of hers. Then he pulled out of his pack a long sign that he had made in Pastoria. Going outside he located the saplings, pushed them into the soft ground, and hung the sign between the them. Brock came out and blinked at the sign, but kept quiet when Ash placed a finger over his mouth. Brock nodded and began to busy himself with breakfast smiling at Ash every so often. Ash turned to admire the sign which read: Happy Birthday Misty. He had planned this from Eterna city. He wanted her day to be near a landmark lake, and had even grabbed a train to get them back on his timetable. Especially since that rain on the one route had put them back by four days. He quietly went into the tent, to the other side where Eddie and Tommy slept and woke them cautioning them to be quiet yet swift in getting dressed and outside.

Misty was slowly wakening from the most wonderful dream. She had been standing next to Ash, He in his pearl tuxedo with that red trim and her in the pearl white dress that she had worn to his mothers wedding. But this time They were not standing in the background. They were before the alter and exchanging vows. She stretched herself out and her hand brushed something feathery soft. She had to try three times to focus her vision after blinking the sleepers from her eyes, and then she saw it. A single long stem rose sat on an envelope next to a flattish red and white box. Her breath caught in her throat and she brushed the feather soft petals of the flower. Then she opened the envelope and found a very simple hand made card. It too had a single rose on it but it was suspended over a picture of a beautiful lake. The words on the front were simple, yet it showed that the maker had put in an extra effort to make them elegant. It said: To Misty Waterflower From: Ashton Ketchum. She opened the card. Her voice cracked somewhat when she read the words inside the card in a whisper.

"I knew from the moment we met, you were destined to hold my heart forever, Mist.

Ash."

Misty felt the tears flow freely, and at the same time felt as if she were being carried aloft by a dragonite, higher then any other person ever had. She clutched the card to her chest, and closed her eyes for a moment, then remembered the red and white box. With trembling hands she picked it up, recognizing it as one of The Heart Shop boxes. She opened it slowly and when she saw the locket she breathed out a sigh. The two milotic were touching head and tail, forming a heart on the front. Made from a crystal that the blind jeweller had retrieved from the heart of Mount Coronet. The Milotic were deep blue, with rubies for ears, and each had a diamond for it's visible eye. The setting was gold and the chain was a herringbone design with alternating sections of gold and white gold. She looked towards Ash's bedroll and saw it was empty, and the aroma of fresh cooked bacon, eggs, and sausage wafted her way. She dressed swiftly, putting on her locket last, and leaving her hair down, instead of pulling it up into it's normal ponytail. On shaking legs she headed through the central area of the tent and saw that the boys side was empty. She stepped out of the tent.

The sign greeted her first, hand made, like the card. The words, Simple, yet they conveyed a message of love. There was no loud cry of surprise, nor Happy birthday. There were all the members of the group with simple smiles. Loving smiles, caring smiles. And standing before them all was Ash. Dressed as he always was, he wore a smile that spoke of his feeling for her. He had done this. She walked toward him, not taking her eyes from his brown orbs. She felt her hand gripped lightly in his own, and watched as he brought them up to his lips to kiss each one, never breaking the gaze. She felt tears of joy fall from her eyes, as Ash touched his forehead to hers.

"I hope that I can make this the best birthday you ever had, my wonderful Waterflower."

She moved her hands from Ash's and embraced him, kissing him softly. No passion was mixed with this kiss, it was meant to show love, and was soft as a feather. She put her hands on his back and tightened the embrace just a bit, then felt his strong hands encircle her as he returned the loving kiss. It was a kiss that she never wanted to have end.

They ate the breakfast and then came some presents. Simple things, yet they spoke of caring, and friendship. Brock made her a hair comb of dark wood, set with some fragments of the moonstone from Mt Moon. Tommy had bought her a simple jewellery box, with a lid decorated with various water pokemon. The inside was a bed of bright blue velvet with slots for rings, space for three necklaces, and several pair of earrings. On the inside of the lid was her name inlaid into the wood with mother of pearl. Eddie gave her a perfume called Water lotus, and she smiled at his impish smile. Susie had hand fashioned her a set of brushes for her to groom her pokemon, each brush had a milotic carved into its handle. She thanked them all and found that she cared for them all. She then learned that Ash had planned this whole thing from the hospital in Eterna City, and was fighting to get them here for her day.

The rest of the day was almost a blur to her. She received not less then twenty calls on her satellite phone from many people that she knew. Even her sisters, called to wish her a happy birthday, and thanked her for helping them realize what they had done, both to the gym and to their own pokemon. Sandy, gave her big thumbs up, her white teeth that she showed in the smile she gave Misty, a stark contrast to the much darker skin. She was sorry to see the sun start it's inevitable downward march that would signal the end of this day, when Ash came up to her. He had a sea blue blanket under his arm, and he took her hand in his other free hand.

"Come on," He told her in a soft tone. "I have something I want to share with you." And began to guide her to the lake.

Eddie saw them leaving and started to follow when Susie, brought him up short by taking hold of his collar. She simply shook her head, and then looked at the two heading toward the lake.

They walked slowly, not talking, yet the contact they shared in their held hands told each other things that words would never convey. She watched as he stopped near the lake and then spread the blanket on the grassy slope of a hill. He helped her sit down on the blanket and then sat next to her and turned his eyes toward the sun. Her gaze followed. He was going to share a sunset. The most romantic and magical time of the evening.

They both watched the sun go down behind distant tree lined hills turning the sky into a rainbow of reds and oranges as it set. They watched it in silence, they didn't need any words just now. She could feel a peace come over her that she had never felt before in her life. She could feel him looking at her as she watched the sun set Her eyes were glued to the sunset she felt a breeze ruffle her short red hair just a bit.

"Thank you Ash," She said in a soft breathy tone. "This is so beautiful."

"Yea, it is," He had replied in soft tones that caused her to turn towards him and meet his gaze. "But not as beautiful as you are."

Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't seem to talk. For the moment she lost herself in his brown eyes.

"I know that we were meant to be together since we met that day when I took your bike to escape the flock of spearow." He began and she felt a tingle as he put his hand on hers. "I know that I have been a bit of a brat at times, but you never left my side because of it. We have been through a lot and I think that we have gotten closer then either of us thought possible." She watched as he pulled out the handkerchief from his pocket, and held it in his open palm.

"You kept it?" She gasped recognizing the handkerchief as the gift she had given him when they had parted. Then she got puzzled when she noticed that there was something inside the folded piece of cloth.

She watched as he slowly unfolded it to reveal a picture of her sealed in clear plastic sheets, and yet another of The Heart Shop's red and white boxes.

"I used to have a dream of being a pokemon Master." he had said while he looked into her eyes. "Now I have a new dream and there is only one person in the world to help me realize it." He had continued and then pushed the button on the box.

It popped open to reveal a ring that looked at if it were made of rope with bands of twisted gold and white gold in it. In the setting was what looked to be a star sapphire shaped like a heart with four diamonds, one at each of the compass points around the heart. She looked at it for only the briefest of moments, gasping at it's beauty. She felt tears of joy begin to fill her eyes and looked into Ash's chocolate brown eyes and began to smile She felt an almost electric charge as he lifted her hand. Her left hand, the hearts hand, and slipped the ring on her finger. He seated the ring then held that hand in both of his.

"Misty, you once told me that all I needed to do was put a ring on that finger. You told me I wouldn't even have to ask, but I will ask anyway." He smiled that wonderful smile at her and she felt her heart melting for him. "Misty Waterflower, will you share your life with me, all of it? The joy, the sorrow, the dreams, and all the waking moments? Misty, will you marry me?"

Misty felt joy swell in her so much it almost hurt. She looked into the eyes of this young man who she loved more then anything on the earth and saw the lovehe held for her shine in his eyes. She had known it was there, but this, made her see it in new light.

"Of course, Ash." She breathed. "Who else in the world could I marry but you."

She watched as his face came slowly closer, They had kissed before but this was to be their first kiss as an engaged couple. A moment of joy that comes only once in a lifetime. And she would be sharing a lifetime with Ash. 'Oh if I am awake, don't let me sleep, and if this is a dream, I hope I'll never wake' she thought as she could begin to smell his slightly musky aroma. It wasn't unpleasant, on the contrary, she loved it and everything else about Ash. His face got closer and his hand gently cupped the side of her face. She closed her eyes slightly and tilted her head, leaning it into his hand and praying that this magic moment would not end. She felt a single tear drift down her face toward her chin and he felt his breath softly on her face just as their lips began to brush together. The kiss was tender, and soft, yet to Misty, it felt like a thousand electric shocks went through her in an instant. Then she felt a calm bliss that she knew would last them for the rest of their lives.

******************************

In the trees, observing the young couple kissing on the lake shore was a small pinkish being with a long sinuous tail and another of similar colour yet larger. The smaller one seemed to laugh slightly, and floated in a small bubble in the air. The other simply floated in the air next to the first.

*I now begin to understand a little of what these humans call love." The larger of the pair sent his thoughts into the mind of the smaller one, who gave off a series of whispered 'mew...mews' *Much of it is still a mystery to me, but I see what you mean. These two belong together, and your dream sharing abilities seem to have bore fruit. Let us return to the others, and leave these two to their privacy."

And Mew and Mewtwo vanished.