Part Two

      I continued to trudge my way through crunching grass, letting my mind wander to what had just happened between Ash and I. I let out a sigh, stopping to sit down on a thick tree stump. Calm down, Misty. Take deep breaths. That was what I had told myself the whole time. Fortunately, I succeeded. Most of the anger that had been boiling up inside my heart had cooled down. Now I could sit down, relax, and ponder about what to do next.

      My thoughts were interrupted by a soft swishing sound, coming from somewhere behind me. Almost like... wings. Yes, the flapping of wings. That's what it was. I slowly turned my head around to glance behind me, listening as the swishing became louder. That's when a white blur flew out from the trees, aiming straight for my head. I let out a high-pitched scream and ducked, and the top of my head just barely got scratched as I felt cold air zoom above me. The blur then landed on the ground, and I recognized it as a Pidgey.

      Muttering angrily under my breath, I stood up and brushed myself off. I then glared down at the Pidgey, who looked up at me with innocent eyes.

      "Oi there!" A female's voice shouted from the direction the Pidgey had come. "Don't let that pokemon get away!" Surprised, I looked around, lost at what to do. What did she expect me to do, hold the thing to the ground with my bare hands?

      Before I had time to respond, a woman about the age of twenty emerged from the trees, and quickly scooped up the Pidgey. She had long tangled white hair that reached down to her waist, and her jeans were covered in mud and grass stains. She sighed, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Sorry about that." She told me, turning to look into my eyes.

      "It's okay." I replied. "What... who...?"

      The woman grinned. "Yeah. My name's Liza. I train bird pokemon." She scanned my appearance. "And apparently you train water pokemon, am I right?"

      I blinked in surprise. Even though I used to be the Cerulean City gym leader, I wasn't that well known. "That's right. How'd you know?"

      "Let's just say I have this strange talent of knowing what type of pokemon someone trains by just looking at them." Liza answered, winking. "Would you like to see the bird pokemon I train?"

      "Sure." I replied, shrugging. After all, I had nothing better to do, and I still wasn't ready to see Ash again any time soon.

      On the way there, Liza described what she did with her pokemon. "Sometimes I ride the bigger, more experienced ones, such as the Skarmorys and Swellows." She explained. "Its such a wonderful feeling to be soaring through the air."

      "Wow..." I murmured softly. Soaring through the air, to a place where I could forget all my troubles. Including Ash. I knew that inside my heart, I would love that.

      Once we arrived there, I couldn't help but to gawk. We were now in Viridian City, at Liza's house. Hundreds of bird pokemon of all shapes and sizes pecked at the ground, flapped their wings, and soared through the air.

      "So? What do you think?" Liza asked, grinning.

      "They're amazing." I breathed out. I stopped to softly stroke the feathers of a particularly large Pidgeot. "Does this one fly well?"

      Liza nodded. "Yeah. But only alone. I've tried to ride it several times, but it won't let me." She explained, sighing.

      I took a step back, continuing to gaze at all the bird pokemon. "Well, I have to go now. It was nice meeting you."

      Liza smiled. "You too! Feel free to come back here at any time."

      I returned the smile and waved, then starting walking away. Yes, maybe I would come back here one day. Just maybe.

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

      Taking a moment to sit down on an old rusty bench, I sighed, gazing out into the sunset over Veridian City. Smears of warm colors were etched throughout the skies, melting into a low pink at the bottom of clouds. It was too late to go back to Pallet Town now. Though I was ready to talk to Ash again, it looked like I'd have to wait until morning.

      "No." I told myself firmly. "You have to talk to him. Now. Call him." Even though my mind was rejecting him, something in deep in my heart ached.

      I trudged inside the nearest Pokemon Center, and wandered over to a pay phone. As I listened to the faint jingling of change in my jeans' pocket, I knew it was the only thing I had enough money to use to contact Ash at the moment. With a trembling finger, I took my time dialing his number. As I stood there, clutching the phone, listening to it ring, time seemed to stand still. What would Ash say? What would I say?

      The sound of a voice on the other end made me jump slightly. "Hello?" It was Delia.

      "Hi, Mrs. Ketchum. It's me, Misty. Can I talk to Ash?" I asked, my voice shaking.

      "Of course!" Delia answered cheerfully. "Just let me get him."

      There was silence on the other end for a moment, then the faint sound of Delia calling for Ash. The sound of footsteps got louder. And then, finally, there was the sound of Ash's voice.

      "Hiya Mist! What's up?"

      That was not what I had expected him to say.

      I could already feel the anger boiling up inside of me, but I ignored it. There was something I earned to tell him, something at the tip of my tongue that was begging to be let out.

      "I... I..." My voice was cracking. It was only then did I realize what I wanted to tell him. I love you. Just those simple three words. But no. I couldn't let them escape. I had to keep them locked up inside of me. I couldn't let him know now.

      "Yes?" Ash pushed. In my mind's eye, I could see him grinning on the other end of the line. I grasped the phone tighter.

      "Just... nothing!" I then slammed the phone back into its place on the wall, and let out a big breath of air. I rested my forehead again the cold surface of the wall, and shut my eyes tight. I could already feel the stares of strangers wondering what my problem was.

      After a few more deep breaths, I finally turned around and opened my eyes. Everyone who had been staring quickly looked away.

      I'll admit it. I don't know what my problem is, either. Some would say that it's Ash.

      But no. It's not him.

      Its something else, and my mind and heart are still trying to figure out what it is.