Another chapter! And 13 is unlucky, ne?
Phantomness: *Sobs* I didn’t want to kill them…
Shoyko: *sighs* More work for me…
Lance: Am I dead now?
Ash: I hope not!!
Pika-chan: *Too busy eating a marshmallow to talk*
DISCLAIMER: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics! This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me…
Chapter 13
Burial was a grim task. He couldn’t keep the tears from spilling over, as he dug the graves and mounded dirt over them. Why had Jessie waited so long for vengeance? And it was his fault James was dead, why kill them…
Why?
Ash gulped as he piled dirt over Agatha’s body. * Agatha… you were always patient, even though you were blind and I was a stupid student. I’m sorry I wasn’t better, all my skills failed to protect you… I hope I made you smile with my spear fighting, and I promise I won’t give up… *
Koga was hard too. * Koga… we both know that using a sword was not my strong point… but you still taught me, when Bob and Bruno gave up… and eventually, I did learn all the exercises… please, go safely into the next world…I won’t forget you… I promise I’ll practice… *
Surge had been lying by his dead horse. * I don’t know why Jessie attacked you and Fierce Yellow… you didn’t like me much, but you gave me Strawberry as my own, and… now, I’ll never see you again… I’ll think of you every time I see Strawberry… *
Bruno’s nunchucks were broken next to him, and he hadn’t been simply Black Serpent attacked. No, there were three large gaping holes in his chest. Ash sighed. * Bruno, you were the one who hit me the most, but it was in the interest of making me work harder… now, now, I’m alone… no teachers… *
He just let himself cry, and that night, he kept vigil over their graves. The next morning, he flew back to Karen’s.
Misty was surprisingly sympathetic upon his return. She revealed that her mother had also been killed by the Black Wind assassins, and that became their common bond. He resolved to be nicer to her.
They weren’t stupid kids anymore.
Ash woke up screaming from a nightmare.
“Ash, are you okay?”
Ash gasped, remembering the severed hands and accusing faces, all reaching for him…
I killed them…
They spent
all their energy and heart’s blood training me, and I killed them! I killed
them!
I hate myself…
Why couldn’t I have died… or if I’d been there, maybe I could have stopped Jessie…
It’s … not fair…
Why did they have to die?
The tears trickled down his cheeks as he let himself go unashamedly.
What was the point of anything now?
He had nothing left…
Lance…
Why…
I… I love you, but now it’s too late… too late…
“Ash,” Misty said consolingly, “Can’t sleep?”
Ash nodded.
“Just forget about them. Trust me, that’s the only way to make the pain go away.”
He had nothing left, so he reached…
And he believed her.
Afterwards, he became aware that she was a lovely young lady only two years older than he, and was determined not to let this second chance slip out of his fingers.
He clung onto her like she was his new life.
In a way, she was renaissance…
Karen approved of the match, thinking Misty had matured beyond her childish whims, and they trained together for maybe a month.
“Misty?”
“What is it, Ash?” Misty asked, as they walked through Blackthorn City together, looking at the stalls. Ash picked out a small jade bracelet, little beads, and bought it for Misty.
Misty blushed.
“I… I know we weren’t really friends, and I insulted you, but…”
“You’d like to be friends?”
“Hai!”
“I accept.” Misty smiled.
Ash smiled back shyly.
Ah, that was his nature. Place all the blame and shame on him now and believe that others were better.
Pity the child.
Still, his teachers were dead…
He cried for them still, sometimes. But less and less…
Misty was his new light.
She was so nice! Even if her skills were lacking in the area of martial arts, so? He would protect her for the rest of his life.
He would!
“Ash, your training has slowed down, but it is about complete now.” Karen said. “What will you do now?”
“Dedicate my life to preventing death.”
“That’s impossible.”
Misty hid behind a pillar and watched.
“What else do I have?”
He still trained, but now his teachers were but a fleeting memory.
Better not to think on them.
That caused too much pain.
So he strove to erase them, and replace Misty in his memory as a shining angel, his new love…
“I…I want to ask… Teacher Karen, can I have your permission to marry Misty?”
Karen laughed. “Sure.”
“Even if I’m not a very good fighter?”
“I trust you will protect her.”
“Yes! I promise!”
“Very well… when you are seventeen, you will be wed.”
The two of them hugged each other tightly.
I will… love her.
She is my new beginning.
I will protect her.
She’s all I need…
My teachers are dead in any case, it’s no use thinking about them and I won’t anymore.
Misty smiled sweetly at him.
END
Completed 8/26/04
Ash:;.;
Phantomness: Hold on, time for the counter…
Lance: >.< Am I dead or not?