Title: We’re Through
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairings: Pokeshipping (Misty/Ash), mentioned Citrusshipping (Misty/Rudy)

Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #44, Through
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Warnings: Het

It wasn’t done to break his heart. She did like Ash, really she did, but she also knew that he was inconceivably dense and would never understand her feelings, and Rudy was charming, so she felt better after she left with the Trovita Gym Leader. She was quite confident she had made the right choice. But then, everything fell apart.

Five years later, everything had changed. Rudy and Mahri were dead, victims of a Protect the Pokemon terrorist attack. The Kanto and Johto Gym systems were falling apart, the Elite Four had gone missing, the Plateau was in ashes, and no one knew what the next day would bring. Even Team Rocket was shocked by the wanton destruction, and when several of their Agents turned out to be members in disguise, their bases were blown sky-high.

Misty huddled quietly inside her Gym, glad that they had barricaded it, but wondering how long things would last.

Death at this time would almost – almost be pleasant…

Two weeks later, Ash was the darling hero of those who remained, with bright silver in his hair and a hint of red in his eyes, but as Misty looked at him, she was struck by how… hollow he seemed, and when she said hello, he looked right through her, almost as though he was seeing someone else, and it hurt.

But she didn’t know what to do, and he was resigned to his fate, so there never was anything between them.

In a way, it was a relief. She was not ready to love, and he seemed to have lost the capacity for it altogether.

They had both survived, but what was the cost? Would they ever be happy again?

No one knew.

End Fic

Completed 3/8/07

Edited 10/17/09

Inspired by a popular pop song…

Ash: *Sighs*

Phantomness: Such is life *Shrug*