Part Six

      I slowly lowered myself to let my head rest on the pillow placed in front of me, and rolled onto my back so I could gaze out of the window in front of me. Smiling softly, I absent-mindedly tossed a pokeball up and down in my hand. I could feel Pikachu's stare. I glanced over my left shoulder. Sure enough, there he was, staring intently back and forth between me and the pokeball.

      I grinned. "Don't worry. This is Pidgeot's pokeball, remember?" I reminded the small electric mouse. And with that, I glanced back at the large open window in front of me, sunlight streaming down on the bed covers, and let my mind wander to my most recent memories.

      I blinked in surprise at Liza's sudden suggestion. "You seriously want me to keep your Pidgeot?" I asked her, glancing outside the kitchen window at her bird pokemon absent-mindedly pecking the ground for food.

      "Yes."

      I laughed softly to myself at the memories. How right she was about the changes I had gone through during that flight through the skies. Now here I was, back in Cerulean City where I belonged, continuing on with the rest of my life. Still resting in my pocket was the single ripped-out journal entry I had kept, and my hair still remained down. Only yesterday had I remembered to call my counselor, informing her that I wasn't going to visit anymore.

      I stopped tossing the pokeball, and instead sat up, stretching my arms out. Pikachu hurried over towards the door, gazing up at me with bright eyes. I smiled at him and stood up as I placed the pokeball in my bag. "It really has been awhile since I've battled, hasn't it?" I told him. It was only then that I remembered Pikachu wasn't in any physical condition to battle, and probably wouldn't even battle for the rest of his life. My smile quickly faded away. "Come on, let's take a walk outside to stretch our legs." I quickly suggested, not daring to look into those round eyes to see what emotions he was feeling.

      Our slow walk together outside seemed peaceful enough. Sunlight streamed down onto the back of our necks, and morning dew sparkled in the friendly light. But as we approached a wide open field filled with acres of wheat, gently blowing in the breeze, the sky became darker as rain clouds blotted out the sun. A sharp tingling sensation ran down through my spine and to my arms and legs, all the way down to my toes. I glanced down at Pikachu, worried. He glanced back up at me, a hidden emotion sparking in his eyes. Then the small electric mouse began to tug at my bag strapped over my shoulder as he yipped up at me.

      I blinked in confusion. "What? What is it? What do you want?" I asked him. I jumped in surprise as Pikachu gave one final tug, and an empty pokeball came rolling out and onto the firm ground below. I rapidly looked back and forth between the pokeball and Pikachu's sad eyes. "No..." I gasped.

      Was it possible that the small electric mouse wanted to be held inside a pokeball for the first time in years? My awed thoughts were interrupted for a quick moment as a stronger tingling sensation once again raced down my spine. Thunder boomed overhead, and through the corner of my eye I could see a small flash of lightning off in the distance. The blowing wheat rustled loudly. A troubled feeling came over me.

      "Um... okay. If you're sure." I whispered softly. And with that, I tossed the empty pokeball up into the air, and watched as Pikachu dissolved into the ball as a flash of red light appeared in the air in front of us. The pokeball closed back up with a small click, and fell back into the open palm of my hand. I just stood there for a moment, staring intently at the pokeball, just waiting for the moment when it would start raining.

      "Misty."

      A familiar voice sounded through the air. Startled, I whirled around and gasped at the sight of a boy with a mop of jet-black hair on his head, his chocolate brown eyes staring into mine. Ash?! I wasn't sure what action to do first. My legs were frozen in their straight position, and my breath seemed to stop quick as my heart missed a beat. No, you're supposed to be dead... But... they never found his body, did they?

      "Ash...?" I replied weakly in barely a whisper. The frozen feeling in my legs began to slowly melt away, as I slowly but surely felt my feet begin to step forward. I broke into a run, and collapsed into his arms, sobbing. As he held me in his arms, as I felt his skin, I knew he was real. He was alive.

      ...Don't ever leave me again...

      "Misty." Ash repeated. This time he smiled warmly. But as I looked up, I could tell he was troubled by something. "I was looking for you."

      I stood up straight, wiping my tears from my blurry eyes. "What... what happened to you?!" I asked him. I was longing to ask him so many things... to tell him so many things... to show him so many things... to let him ride on Pidgeot... "Does Delia know you're alive yet?"

      "Yes, she knows." He answered softly. "As for me... I... I escaped. Alive. It was the thought of you that kept me going. And it was the thought of how terribly wrong I had been before. You know, during our past argument at my house."

      I stared at the ground. I won, Ash lost. And he had to pay the price. But not for long. I looked back into his eyes. "Ash, I don't care about that argument anymore. I really don't. I..."

      Ash interrupted me as he put his finger to my lips. "I wanted to give you something back, too." He told me. I then watched, curious, as he reached into his pocket and brought something back out. As he stretched his hand out for me to take it, it was only then could I see what it really was.

      My lost ponytail holder from back when I was at his house.

      When I just stood there in shock, unmoving, refusing to take it, he moved behind me and began to weave my orange hair through his fingers, tying it up into a side ponytail himself. Finished, he moved back to his original position, and continued to smile warmly at me.

      "I stole it when you weren't looking, just as a joke. I'm sorry." He apologized. His smile quickly faded into a frown, though. "Misty, there's something I wanted to talk about with you."

      "What is it?" I whispered softly. I shuddered as another tingling sensation ran down my spine. Thunder continued to roar overhead.

      My breaths came out slow as he held my hands in his. "I think I was meant to die in that earthquake. I only narrowly escaped." He told me softly. The worry and care in his voice scared me.

      "But you didn't." I replied. "And that's all that matters to me."

      "Yeah, but..." He sighed as his eyes drifted to the ground. "I know this sounds weird, but... I'm afraid that since I didn't die, you will instead. You'll take my place. It's either one or the other. Do you understand me?"

      I shook my head rapidly, even though I did understand. I didn't want to understand, and yet... I did.

      "Misty, I think some of the thoughts and arguments going on inside my head are... dangerous. And that was proved from the earthquake. I had to pay for my mistakes. But since I never did, I'm afraid you'll have to instead."

      I continued to shake my head no, refusing to let these words register in my mind. "What are you trying to say?" I finally managed to let out.

      "Misty," Ash drew me in closer as his voice grew into a whisper. "I'm afraid for you."

      I drew back as wet tears once again started to roll down my cheeks. It was all just too much for me. I didn't want Ash to be afraid of anything, even it was for me. I just wanted to follow my heart, and let my life return back to normal. And now... this. Was it because I loved Ash that it pained me to stand near him now?

      Erupting into sobs, I whirled around and started to run away, towards the middle of the wheat field. The tingling sensation was growing stronger now, and I could hear Ash's frantic shouts in the distance behind me. My legs wouldn't stop, and my arms were swinging by my side as my side ponytail flopped on my head. Raising my arms so they wouldn't become scratched by the towering wheat, I just continued on running. Running away from what, though?

      ..."Misty, I'm afraid for you."...

      The tingling sensation grew into a huge explosion of feelings pulsing throughout my body as a giant blinding flash of white light filled the area. I didn't even have time to let out a scream as the white turned into blackness.

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      I woke to the sight of a bright white ceiling, and voices. Many voices. Blinking wearily, I slowly sat up. My whole body was in pain, but otherwise felt fine. Scanning my surroundings, I saw that I was in a hospital bed.

      ...A bright blinding flash of white light...

      I gawked and tossed the clean white sheets off of my body, staring at myself. Nothing on the outside appeared damaged. To the left on a small desk were my bag and a small picture frame. Leaning in closer to get a good look, I saw that the picture was of Ash and I from two years ago. I smiled warmly, letting the memories of the times we had together back them slowly drift into my mind. In the picture, we were both grinning and flashing peace signs at the photographer, which was most likely Brock. Pikachu was perched atop Ash's shoulders, a look of pure happiness on his face. ...Ash!

      "Ash!" I shouted, suddenly remembering the past events of what happened before the flash of light. My eyes were open wide with shock and worry. Hearing my shout, a doctor quickly came running into the room, followed by two others.

      "You're awake!" One of the doctors exclaimed. "Are you feeling alright?"

      "Yeah, I guess." I replied unenthusiastically, glancing around the room. "But... where's Ash?"

      "Oh, you mean the boy who brought you in?" The same doctor replied. "He already left." Their eyes grew sad. "He said he was too afraid you were going to die. We all were. He said that when you did... he didn't want to be there to watch."

      ..."I'm afraid that since I didn't die, you will instead. You'll take my place. It's either one or the other."...

      "What... what happened to me, then?" I whispered, horrified.

      A different doctor sighed. "Misty Waterflower, you were struck by lightning."

      I gawked at him. "Struck by lightning?! But how..."

      He raised a single shoe that he held in his hand. Looking closer, I saw that it was one of my shoes. There was a small hole in the bottom of shoe, charred black and burnt. "We're not sure, but this is the only sign that it even happened. You're extremely lucky, miss. Very few have ever survived a lightning strike." He glanced down at my confused and shocked face. "Yes, your shoes were on your feet."

      I let out a deep, shuddering breath. But my thoughts were more focused on Ash than on myself. I once again glanced at the picture frame placed on the desk. "I never had the chance to give him back his Pikachu..." I whispered softly.

      I'm afraid for you now, Ash. I'm afraid for you.