looking back chapter one "what i've felt, what i've known, turn the pages, turn the stone, behind the door, should i open it for you? or are you unforgiven, too?" -metallica, unforgiven ii It was so different here, Misty thought. She looked around what was left of Pallet, most of the ruined buildings choked up with weeds or other plants. Here and there she could hear the scurrying noise of Rattatas- or maybe, even worse, bugs. The cheerful houses and gardens were no more. All destroyed in one of the most deadly of battles. All destroyed by one person. The last person she'd think would level Pallet. Ash. "You looked so different..." Misty choked aloud, her voice soft but heavy with emotion. "It was like... like you didn't know any of us at all... what happened after you left?..." Three years ago the young trainer had abandoned Pallet for some time to himself. Misty had missed him every day, cursing his memory. After a year she'd started dating other trainers- ones that were as different from Ash as possible. But nothing- nothing- would have prepared her for what she saw that day... the day Pallet was destroyed... the day Ash Ketchum became no more than a mindless monster... /flashback/ "Gary, what the hell are you doing?!" Misty screamed at her boyfriend, frantically trying to get him to stop before he was hurt. "Nngg..." Gary ducked as sharp fragments of rock from his Golem's attack flew every which way. "I'm trying to stop this psycho," he replied. "What?" Misty eyed Gary's opponent, but she couldn't identify who it was. Somehow, she knew that she had seen this person before- the jet-black hair and lean build- but she couldn't place her finger on it. His cold face had an expressionless mask over it, unnerving Misty a little. "He's trying to level the whole of Pallet! Since I'm the strongest Pokemon trainer here, it's my duty to stop him!" Gary replied as Golem's attack was skillfully dodged by the opposing Pokemon- a lowly Bulbasaur. The Bulbasaur then unleashed a Solarbeam from its bulb, hitting Golem square in the chest. "No! Damn!" "Golem..." the rock growled weakly, toppling over with a loud crash. "I'll help," Misty decided. She tossed out a Pokeball, releasing a towering Gyrados. The dragon looked down at Bulbasaur with lofty disdain, knowing that its type was stronger than the grass-based powers of the Bulbasaur. "Gyrados! Hyper Beam!" Misty ordered. The Gyrados began charging up for a full-scale attack, arching its sinuous length back and then bringing its head forward, firing a powerful beam at the Bulbasaur. To her surprised, a shield of leaves sprang from Bulbasaur, blocking the Hyper Beam attack by bending the beam to the side. Gyrados reared back in alarm, and a single seed popped out of the Grass Pokemon's bulb, floating on an even level with the dragon's face. Suddenly, it exploded, blowing a glittering golden dust into the Gyrados' nostrils and eyes. The huge dragon snorted, its eyelids beginning to droop. Finally, it toppled over, body hitting the ground with a huge crash. "What the hell?!" Misty exclaimed. "That Bulbasaur's at a really high level," Gary noted. There was a bright flash of light as the other trainer recalled the Pokemon. Suddenly, a small form leapt from the trainer's direction. It began to glow with electric light, showing that it was a Raichu, dark sable fur and black ears illuminated by the brightness it was producing. "Crap, that thing has enough power to blow up this block!" Gary cried, throwing forth another Pokeball. This one opened to reveal a Rhydon. "I can hold him off, but not for long! Misty! Go and get the police- their Pokemon teams can take him out!" Hurriedly, Misty turned around and began to run towards the direction of the police building, looking over her shoulder at the battle who's outcome she already knew. But she had barely reached ten feet away from the battle site when the sky lit up with a huge flash of electricity, and a thump told her that Rhydon was gone. Then, she felt the air around her begin to charge up. A sick feeling occupied her stomach as she stopped and looked towards the trainer's direction, already knowing what was going to happen. The skies had clouded up to a dark black, boiling with the energy it contained. A few experimental forks of lightning snaked down the path of the clouds. Then, a massive bolt struck down to earth, and a huge explosion followed. Misty leapt down to the ground, hoping that she would live... The lightning lit up the entire town... Misty could clearly make other the face of the trainer who had caused this... and it made her throat go dry and parched. She knew this man... she knew this man to be Ash Ketchum, he childhood friend... the one she hadn't seen in so long. She barely had time to cry out before she left the conscious world and sank into the realm of black nightmares and dreams. /end flashback/ Her phone rang. Misty plucked it out of a pocket and snapped the device open. "Yes?" "We've found him," a familiar voice told her, tinny through the receiver. She didn't need to ask who "he" was. "All right. I'm heading back to HQ," Misty replied quietly. She folded the cell phone up again and replaced it into her pocket. Silently, she stalked off, ready to kill this... monster... if she had to. It began to rain. DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon and Metallica's its own band and it owns itself, okay?