Midnight Spectres
A 3shishipping fanfiction
DesCom: Yaaaayyyyy! We are back!
Jezareth: And, apparently, we're hooked on a new yaoi pairing...
Schatzi n Kawahi: 3shishipping!
Jezareth: Well, actually, I'm more hooked on palletshipping and leagueshipping, as separate ships. But we're too tired to make separate fics and we don't have the time to make them right now. But probably, by the end of this month, we'll be able to make separate one-shots for both ships.
DesComGurl: Well, for this time, I guess, we have to work harder to come up with more fics. For now, we will write one-shots, so that we don't have too many fics on hiatus.
Yuki: Which you should probably blame on DCG, since she doesn't find enough time to help us finish the fics she started...
DesComGurl: whimper Well, I try...
Amethyst: But, trying is worthless if you aren't determined.
DesComGurl: sweatdrops Alright! Enough! Alright, Jeza, the disclaimers, please, before I get a heart attack...
Jezareth: Hehe...
Disclaimer: Destiny Commence does not own Pokemon or any related media. We do own the plot and ourselves. Everything else belongs to Satoshi Tajiri.
Jezareth: Let's go! On with the fic!
Destiny Commence presents...
A 3shishipping one-shot fanfiction...
"Midnight Spectres"
Rain...
The skies seeemed to be crying as rain poured down on a gloomy funeral. It was as if the world had been drained of every possible color aside from black and gray.
Black and gray...
Somehow, those colors were related to the deceased. Colors which, when put together, will bear the name of the dead.
That was on the mind of one of the mourners: a young lady with orange hair tied at the side of her head. Beside her was a younger girl, with brown hair covered with a red bandana. The orange-haired girl was comforting the latter, who was sobbing uncontrollably. The two of them, along with plenty more people dressed in black, were gathered around a freshly dug grave, listening as the priest gave a final farewell. A casket was being lowered into the pit, and in that casket was a very important person.
He who once lived life to the fullest, was now devoid of it.
"I...I can't believe it...He can't be dead," the brown-haired girl sobbed.
"It's alright, May..."
"B-but, Misty..."
Misty Waterflower just tried her best to show May a smile. She found it hard, since she herself was crying. Her eyes were swollen red from the tears she had just shed, and tears mingled with the raindrops continued to stream down her cheeks.
Two boys approached them. The taller boy, who had spiked brown hair, held an umbrella above the girls' heads, while his companion, a boy with green hair, draped his jacket over May.
"I'll take care of her," Drew volunteered, wrapping his arms around May and leading her away. Brock just stayed with Misty, who had now decided to wrap her arms around herself.
"You alright?" he asked. Misty nodded dumbly.
"At least...I feel slightly better now. But for those two..."
Brock looked around. There were many people present, but the two people he was looking for did not seem to be around. "Looks like they did not have the power to come here..Not even their Pokemon seem to be here..."
Misty shook her head. "Sparky and Eevee are with Professor Oak. He said they had let him take their Pokemon here."
"Did Professor Oak tell you were those two were?"
"No. He said the last time he saw either of them was this morning, before the sun even rose. They had come to leave their Pokemon and never showed up again."
"They must be taking it hard. Really hard."
The two were silenced by a loud cry. They looked around and found a woman with reddish brown hair on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, an was being comforted by a Mr. Mime. A rather weak Pikachu lay at her feet, crying as well, and at the same time trying its best to comfort the distraught mother.
"He can't be! This couldn't be happening! He was only sixteen!" the mother screamed, obviously having a nervous breakdown. Several people huddled around her, giving them their sympathy and trying to console her. One of them was a graying man, with another Pikachu and an Eevee at his feet. He helped the Mr Mime get the woman to her feet.
"Shh...It's over now, Delia. It's over..."
But the woman refused to calm down. She just grew more frantic as the casket was lowered. She tried to fight off the man and the mime Pokemon. The first Pikachu clung to her legs, crying as well.
Misty saw the event and completely broke down into tears. She pushed Brock aside and ran off.
"Misty!" The girl's actions caused Brock to let go of the umbrella he was carrying. The boy glanced at the umbrella for a second before he left it there to run after his friend. He did not have to run far, because she stopped a few meters away from the funeral. He caught up with her, and laid a hand on her shoulder. Misty spun around and wept on his chest. Brock just looked back at the funeral, staring at the mourning faces, some unknown to him, most of them were familiar. Among the large crowd, he could see famous faces. Gym leaders...Elite fours...Trainers...
He looked up and let the rain fall to his face. "How could this happen to him, of all people?"
Misty looked up as well, breaking away from him. "Brock, I know he just needs them...The two of them...Even if...e-even if he's..." She did not even finish her statement. Instead, she abruptly turned around and ran off. Brock wanted to go after her, but he decided not to. He knew Misty was as distraught as everyone else.
But...maybe...she was not as distraught as...
As the two of them.
OoOoO
Silence...
The deafening silence made the small town appear like a ghost town. Nobody was home. Everyone was at the funeral, leaving no human being in the usually jolly town. Even the wild Pokemon in the forest were silent. It was as if this death mattered to every living being in the world.
If someone looked up at the raining sky, he would probably notice vague visions of mystical creatures. These creatures, probably unknown to the world below, were present at the funeral in their own manner.
These creatures were also mourning for the dead.
But two hearts mourned more than all of them combined.
Two hearts that had lost the most important being to them because of a rivalry that had spun out of control.
"Aaaagghhh!" A tree shook from an impact from another being, who was apparently taking out his anger on the young apple tree. The branches shivered and several leaves fell. The Pidgeys and Spearows who seeking refuge in its branches all flew out in disarray.
Several punches came after, and the tree bark had been scraped slightly. But what the tree received was nothing compared to the pain of its attacker.
His knuckles were already red, and several cuts were on his skin. He ignored the pain and continued his assault. His rage left a bloody mark on the tree's trunk, creating a vermilion spot on the place he had punched several times. Only then did he decide to stop. He cried, and fell weakly to his knees. His rich brown hair was completely in a mess. His grayish-blue eyes were swollen red. It was almost impossible to identify who he was.
Gary Oak was his name.
"Damn! This shouldn't be happening! He shouldn't be in that casket! I am!" He cursed over and over as he said the statement. He pounded on the tree with his right hand, and scraped the bark off with his left. He bit his lip so hard that it began to bleed. "I'm...sorry...koi, I'm sorry..."
Meanwhile, at the same moment, a second heart yelled out the same thing.
He was sitting on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the whole town He had the same color of hair as the first boy, but it was a slightly lighter shade. But that did not mean his mood was any better than Gary's.
The hem of his green pants were covered in mud, and the same went for his rubber shoes. The serene smile that always occupied his lips was nowhere to be found. His aura of calmness and maturity had disappeared. He was nothing now.
Nothing without the only person he loved.
There was a flash of lightning, and suddenly, he was screaming in invisible pain. He held his head and cried aloud. Flashbacks were running over and over in his mind. Flashbacks of a boy who was very much like him, but was very different as well.
The boy with the black hair and the hazel eyes.
Tears streamed down the sides of his face as he continued to cry. "This...couldn't be right...It was my fault...MY fault! He shouldn't be dead! I...I wanted him to be happy...I wanted...koi..." He hugged his knees and cried.
OoOoO
In the vast patch of lush greenery that separated the two boys, a beautiful but melancholy song began to arise. It was not by a human.
It was by a Pokemon.
"Jigglypuff...Jiggly--puff...Jigglypuff..."
It was the legendary lullabye that was always heard but never finished. At least, those who heard it had never stayed awake long enough to finish the song. It was the legendary song of the wild Jigglypuff, who had gathered fame from its constant appearances in a certain young boy's journey. The young boy who soon became its master, and soon amazed the whole world by becoming the youngest Pokemon master who had captured and had seen several legendary Pokemon which the whole world have only met in myths.
The young boy who was now lifeless, and was now being lowered to his grave.
Jigglypuff's song was as sweet as ever, but now, the joy in its voice had gone. There was no trace of the Pokemon's sweetness, nor its hidden aggressiveness. It had been in the same spot for almost two days, singing until its voice was hoarse. The Pokemon was no longer a shade of lively pink, but pale carnation. And its emerald green eyes were now a dead viridian. Its singing voice broke every now and then, as it controlled the sobs and hiccups that fought to overpower it. Finally, exhausted, it dropped its little microphone and stopped.
"Jiggly...Jigglypuff..." The mutters might have meant nothing to the people who might have heard it, but the mournful tone and hoarse voice were enough clues as to which the statement was.
Jigglypuff looked up to the stormy night sky and smiled sadly as it realized that the storm coulds had blocked out its only source of light. The moon.
In fact, even the stars were not visible.
But from where it stood, it could see various spheres of light. It recognized most of the spheres of light as its fellow Pokemon. Those whom he had caught as well, but had released out of pity. He had always been a good master. A master who always wanted what was best for his Pokemon. A master who never chose to keep them contained in pokeballs when he knew that they would live better in the wild. He had the utmost trust in his Pokemon. He did not treat them as captured animals, but as friends. After fulfilling his dream as the best Pokemon master there could ever be, after defeating Giovanni and Team Rocket, and returning to his home to live a peaceful life, no one had thought that everything he had achieved would be gone in an instant.
Jigglypuff got to its feet and jumped down from the log it had been sitting on. It did not bother to reclaim its microphone. It had made up its mind. It would no longer sing. It had decided long ago that it would only sing for the boy who had captured it.
And now that boy was gone.
Now it was time to silence the mythical lullabye.
It turned around to go back to the town, to pay its last respect to the boy who had shown it so much, before he was taken by the earth. But at the corner of its eye, it caught a glimpse of a bright source of light. Awestruck, it spun around.
Its jaw dropped open.
OoOoO
Frush...frush...
The grass made familiar noises as feet passed over the blades, flattening them to the ground before the straightened back up. The rain had declined to the offer ceasing its terror and pushed on with its rage. The soft earth yielded to the much stronger element and drowned in the water that had given it life for thousands of years. It transformed into mud and yielded to the smallest pressure that passed over it.
Two pairs of feet tried their best to pass over the weakened soil without being swallowed. The owners of the feet ignored the vines that wound around their lower limbs and simply kicked them away.
Both Gary and Richie had left their hiding places and had sought for a wider space to isolate themselves from the world. Neither had seen the other since that morning when they both left their Pokemon with Professor Oak. For the past two days, not a word had been spoken between the two of them. A tension had been building between them even before all of this had happened. No one really knew where it started. But a spark had occured from the time he had returned as the world's greatest Pokemon master. A spark that eventually turned into a raging fire that consumed both of them.
A fire that did not only ruin one life, but three.
A few more minutes of clawing their way out of the forest, their feet finally felt solid pavement. Slightly feeling triumphant, they both pull themselves out of the grass, and discover that they were only meters away from one another. Neither of them had really noticed that, because neither had made a sound. But as they glimpsed upon each other's figures, the flame that had been asleep in their hearts awakened. It was not the flame of friendly affection, nor anything of the sort. It was the flame of uncontrollable rage.
"You!" The first one to submit to the flame was Gary. He leapt at the other boy and tackled him to the ground, pinning him under his weight and grabbing his collar, almost killing Richie by suffocation. "This was your fault! He's gone because of you!"
Richie pushed him off roughly and stood up. "No, it was you! Everything was supposed to be fine! You ruined everything for us! You son of a-!" He was cut off by a punch in the face from his opponent. Richie was stunned for a few moments. But Richie regained his composure and returned the punch. In seconds, the two boys were already on the muddy pavement, throwing punches here and there, doing their best to defeat their foe.
"Jigglypuff!"
The scream stopped the two fighting boys. Both had the other's collar in one hand, and had the other hand pulled back, poised to throw one painful punch. They looked down and found a Jigglypuff pulling at the hems of their pants. Her face was in a pout, making the lively pink color return to her face.
"Jigglypuff?" they both chorused. The pokemon tugged harder on their pants and they released each other.
"Jiggly! Jigglypuff! Puff, Jigglypuff!" The Pokemon tried its best to communicate with hand signals to the two humans. She gestured all around her, making them look around. The moment they realized where they were, they bowed their heads, as though in shame and regret.
They were in a small playground, with a rusty slide, swing and see-saw. A make-shift house made of planks of wood and sticks. It was nothing special really. In fact, it looked like a small campsite built by an unexperienced scout. But the view was beautiful, because the ocean can be seen from the north of the playground. A torn piece of cloth with a letter "A" written on it with a marker served as a flag, tied to a long stick.
"No..." they muttered at the same time.
Richie fell on his knees. "I-I'm...sorry..."
Gary just stared at the flag that waved in the wind. Both boys buried their faces in their hands as they fought an onrush of memories.
OoOoO
"Hey, Ash! Wait up!" Richie pleaded, leaning against a tree to catch his breath.
Gary smirked at the weaker boy and continued following the boy with ebony hair. But on his way, he stopped by Richie and muttered, "Looks like I've got the upper hand here, green-boy." He smirked. "He's mine." He turned back to Ash. "Keep on going, Ash. Richie here will be just fine!"
Ash looked back. "You sure?"
Gary glanced at Richie and continued walking up the hill. "Positive. Catch up, okay, Rich?"
"You won't be alone with Ash on my watch," Richie said through gritted teeth before he ran off and overtook Gary. The other boy took the challenge and raced with him to the top of the green hill. They found Ash there, staring at the sunset. Ash turned to them and smiled. "Great! I thought you guys weren't gonna reach the top. I've tried showing Brock and Misty, but they never made it here."
Both boys blushed profusely at the sight. Ash was wearing a loose white shirt and a pair of denim shorts. It was only normal, since it was summertime. A soft breeze blowed and toyed with his hair and shirt. Add the sunset background and it was a perfect picture. It took every ounce of inner strenght for Gary and Richie to stop themselves from pouncing on Ash right then and there.
Ash noticed the nervousness on their faces and looked curiously. "Wazzup, guys? You look creepy..."
They both shook their heads and smiled as convincingly as they could. "Ah...It's nothing! B-by the way, w-were are we?"
Ash grinned. "Ta-dah!"
"Oooo-kay, are we looking at an old playground?"
"Hmp! You're bad, Gary! It's my old hide-away. No one else knew about this but me and my dad. We built it back when I was still five. Every day we would go here and play all day. Heh...When we got back, Mom would be in a serious fit. I loved this place. So I tried my best to fix it after my dad disappeared. But as you can see, a ten-year old couldn't do much."
"Your dad disappeared?" Richie gasped. He clamped his hands over his mouth. "Sorry..."
Gary leaned closer to the other boy and muttered teasingly, "Smooth move, lover boy."
"Shut up," Richie muttered back. "As if you could have done any better."
Ash shook his head and smiled. "It's alright. I knew that you didn't really mean it. He disappeared when I was only six, so I never really grew up with a dad...So...do you wanna watch the sunset together? Just the three of us?"
'It would have been better if there was only two of us,' the two boys thought at the same time, as they nodded approvingly. Ash walked over to the railing and leaned against it, staring at the orange sun. "I've always liked going to this place when I'm down. The view's always breathtaking. It's so..."
"Beautiful," the two boys muttered absent-mindedly. They found themselves speechless upon seeing the vision of Ash, with the soft breeze and the orange sun.
Ash, thinking that they were referring to the view, turned to them and asked, "You think? I'm glad you guys also found it beautiful too. Why are you standing there anyways? Come over here! It wouldn't be nice for me just to stand here with you guys watching me. C'mon!"
Gary and Richie glanced at each other before they uncomfortably approached Ash and took their place on each side: GAry on Ash's right and Richie to his left.
"This feels nice. I wish that we'd all stay together like this forever. Friends?"
"Yeah."
"Friends."
OoOoO
"Jigglypuff! Jiggly! Puff!" Jigglypuff's voice broke their trance. Jigglypuff has long let go of their pants, and was looking at them with a smile.
Gary looked at the pink balloon Pokemon. "Thanks, Jigglypuff. We owe you one."
"We almost ruined Ash's camp. I wouldn't forgive myself if we did." Richie walked over to the makeshift flag, which was leaning greatly to the left, and arranged it to stand tall and proud. "It would ruin every good memory of him..."
"Yeah..." Gary felt a painful sting in his eyes and he immediately tried to stop them. But he was not able to hold back one tear. It flowed right down to the pavement. "If I hadn't been so stupid, he would still be here," he whispered, without Richie hearing.
Richie stepped away from the flag. "I should've surrendered to you long ago. I knew I had no chance with Ash. You two have known each other since you were kids. Clearly he knew you more than me. And vice versa."
Gary sighed. "Knowing each other since childhood, huh? But all I've been to Ash was a spoiled brat. All I did was tell him over and over that he sucked. I never managed to really tell him what I felt. All I wanted was for him to defeat me so I can finally move on. If he defeated me, I thought I will finally settle these feelings as a wierd rivalry. But...for all these years, I knew they weren't. But after all I did to Ash, I doubted if he could feel the same toward me. While you...Ash knew you as a rival, but not as a bratty kid like me. He immediately felt at ease with you, something I only managed to accomplish after six years. He could never-"
He was interrupted by a swift right fist from Richie. He found himself sitting on the ground, hand on his hurting cheek. "What the-?"
"I wanted to believe that what you said gave me an upper hand, but it never did. Ash still felt closer to you! You were winning before all of this happened, so don't you dare tell me you wouldn't accept it if Ash did like you!"
Gary quickly got to his feet and returned the punch. He was smirking. "Oh really? And what if he liked you back? What will you do? Will you tell him to go running to me?"
"I wouldn't! I'd accept him with all my heart. I'll make sure I'll give him everything he wanted! And I'll never let him near you ever again!"
They continued exchanging punches.
"You yourself said that I was winning!"
"Well, that doesn't matter now, does it!"
"ENOUGH, YOU TWO!"
OoOoO
"ENOUGH, YOU TWO!" Ash cried. It was raining, and the skies were dark even though it was still morning. They were on an empty road, and Gary and Richie were beating each other up on the wet asphalt.
Ash, on the other hand, did not know what to do. This was supposed to be a nice day. Both boys had asked him to a fun night around the town. Thinking it was a friendly gesture, he had accepted both invitations, and surprised both of his friends by saying that he decided to come with the two of them. That was his big mistake. How was he supposed to know that the fun day would end up with his two best friends battling it out under a storm. And to think the fight started when they tried to offer him their jackets...
"Why are you guys fighting! I don't get it! Stop it, you guys! Tell me what's going on!"
Gary stopped assaulting Richie, who was slightly physically weaker than him and was panting with exhaustion already, and stood up. He wiped off some blood that was trailing down the side of his mouth. "You really want to know?" He approached Ash. The other boy was slightly frightened but stood strong and nodded. "Then let me show you." Gary roughly grabbed Ash by his collar and pressed their lips together passionately. Ash was completely stunned, and lost all will to move. However, Richie's strength returned tenfold the moment he saw what his rival was doing. He got up and threw a powerful punch at Gary, which sent him to the ground. He turned to Ash, who was still stunned.
"Ash! Ash, are you alright?"
Ash didn't answer him, but just stared at his face. Richie gulped. Gary yielded to his desire. And at that moment, it felt like he was giving in to his own as well.
"I'm sorry, Ash," was all he can say before his body involuntarily moved to kiss his best friend. Ash's eyes grew wider. Now, it just felt like one big dream.
"Lay off him, green-boy!" Gary demanded, shoving him off Ash. He tackled the other boy to the ground and the two fought to gain control over the other. They failed to notice Ash, who was standing right there, dumbstruck by the sudden turn of events. Ash wanted to move, but he could not even think straight. His two best friends just kissed him. What was worse is that all of them were boys.
"What's wrong? Lost your strength, Gary?" Richie taunted as he successfully evaded Gary's right fist. They were both on their feet now, still exchanging strong blows.
"Ha! Dream on!" Gary hit Richie's face with his left. The battle continued.
Until Ash heard a loud horn.
Ash looked to his left and saw a large bus heading their way. That was when he remembered that they were on the road by the bus stop. The bus tried to skid to a halt but the wet road made that virtually impossible. Instead, the bus continued to careen toward them.
Toward his two best friends.
And they were still busy fighting to notice that.
Ash willed his body to move and ran to his friends. He can worry about everything later.
"GET OUT OF THERE!" he screamed, pushing his friends onto the grass on the shoulder of the road.
SKRIIIIIIIIII...
"AAAAASSSSSSHHHHH!"
OoOoO
"I-it can't be," Gary whispered.
"How could-," Richie muttered.
A misty figure walked out of the forest. And as it neared the two of them, the lines and shapes bacame more detailed and refined. They saw ebony hair, hazel eyes...
"Stop it, you guys," Ash's hoarse voice pleaded. He was crying, but the tears never touched the ground. Instead, they just disappeared.
"Ash," the boys uttered in unison.
The spectre approached them, phasing through Jigglypuff. "Stop it. This is not the way to settle things. No one was responsible for what happened. It was bound to happen. Perhaps, to stop the feud between you two."
"What?"
"Stop the feud between us?"
"Look at the two of you. I couldn't recognize you anymore. You've both changed. For the worst. And to think all of this happened because of me." Tears started streaming down Ash's eyes. Instinctivley, both boys tried to wipe them off with their fingers. But they found that their hands just passed through Ash. The other boy noticed their attempts and shook his head.
"It's done. I wanted to see you to tell you that you should both accept what has happened. You both have to move on. I won't be with you anymore, so I suggest you forget me."
"What are you talking about!"
"Gary's right, Ash. What you're asking is impossible!"
"Then what do you want to do? Continue living in pain because I'm gone?" Ash looked at them. "Then I won't forgive myself if you do!"
"At least...At least tell us what you really feel for the two of us..."
The appearance of a second bright light interrupted them. A girl with long black hair came, with white clothes and ivory wings on her back. She approached Ash. "Ashton...You've stalled long enough." She looked at the two other boys. "It's time to go."
"Go?" Gary and Richie chorused. "You're not...?"
Ash embraced the two of them, and surprisingly, he did not phase through them. "What I feel for the two of you...is what you feel for me. I'm just disappointed that I don't have enough time to close the feud between the two of you. I hope you forgive me."
He planted a kiss on each boy's cheek before turning around to approach the winged girl. "Let's go, Cieztiny. I'm at peace now." He looked back at his two lovers. "Until we see each other again." Then he looked away from them. He and the girl slowly started to disappear, but before they slowly disappeared, the girl looked at Gary and Richie. Somehow, the two boys saw melancholy in her eyes. As if she wanted to tell them something, but would not.
Or, maybe, she cannot.
But whatever it was, they had no more chance to ask her, because she and Ash, the boy of their dreams, disappeared completely, leaving nothing but a white fog.
Ash was out of their lives permanently.
But not completely.
OoOoO
"Misty!" Brock spotted the orange-haired girl in the distance. She was still searching for the two boys. She had never returned to the funeral, even when the large crowd was dispersed after the cermonies were finished. Brock and Tracey decided to look for her, since it was already midnight. May and Drew had wanted to come, but Tracey insisted that they stay behind. May was already in a bad state. Letting her come along or leaving her alone is definitely out of the question.
"What? Oh, Brock! Tracey!" Misty spotted them and gave a small wave.
"So, did you find them?" Tracey asked her the moment they caught up with her.
Misty shook her head gloomily. "No luck. They don't seem to be anywhere. I've tried looking at every place they could be in."
"And...?"
"Nothing. Not even a clue on where they could be."
"MISTY! BROCK! TRACEY!" The three of them turned around and saw Max running toward them. He looked quite worried, and at the same time panicking.
"What is it?" Tracey asked.
Max stopped and panted. "W-we...Y-you g-guys have t-to g-go b-back to t-the cemetery...R-r-right n-now!"
The three looked at each other and raised brows.
OoOoO
The rain finally came to a stop. It did not stop gradually, but abruptly. The skies cleared and the moon and stars shone again. It was almost as if the natural lights were suddenly turned back on. After almost a day of dim skies, the people of Pallet finally found their visions arranged, and the flashlights and lamps were finally put away. The night was beautiful once again.
"Guys!" May exclaimed, upon seeing her brother return with their three friends. Drew was with her. They were both standing at the entrance of the cemetery, still in their black garments. They were slightly soaked by rain, and their shoes were covered in mud.
"What's going on?" Tracey asked them.
Drew and May glanced at each other before they stared at the cemetery. The gates were open and there were freshly made footprints leading into the cemetery. Drew raised an arm and pointed into the silent graveyard. "We saw them going in there."
"But are you absolutely sure?"
"Positive, Brock. It was from a distance, and it was still dark, but Eevee and Sparky identified their masters. What's more, Jigglypuff was with them."
"Jigglypuff?"
May nodded. "He's right, Misty. I could identify it from a distance. And I'm sure."
"But...What could they be doing here? Hey...did you see them together?"
"Yes."
Misty's jaw dropped and she immediately ran into the cemetery. Brock and Tracey wanted to follow, but Drew held them back. "What's wrong? Why are you guys so perplexed?"
"You don't understand," Tracey replied. "If we don't get there in time, they might end up fighting. Right in front of his grave."
Drew and May immediately realized what he was trying to say. Drew let go of them and they all rushed inside.
Meanwhile, Misty was already at a place near the fresh grave. She looked around and spotted two silhouettes in the moonlight. She immediately recognized the figures and had wanted to rush to them, bearing in her mind the potential danger between the two boys. But something in her heart stopped her. She hid behind one of the trees and decided to watch them from a short distance.
They did not seem to be at unease with each other. In fact, they were at a pretty close distance. Anyone who saw them would think they were actually very good friends, and not deadly rivals. And Misty found out that May was right. Ash's Jigglypuff was with them. This surprised Misty, since after its master died, Jigglypuff never went with anybody. In fact, no one was even able to get ten meters near it, since it never stopped singing after his death. But here it was now, and it did not even have its tiny microphone with it.
"W-what's going on here?" she whispered to herself. "Have they reconciled already?"
Gary and Richie stared at the tombstone in front of them. No sound was made between the two boys. They just stared.
R.I.P.
Satoshi Ashton Ketchum
Beloved son,
Loyal friend,
Admired trainer
We will all miss you
Several white flowers were scattered over the grave, gifts from the mourners. It was symbolic. White stood for purity. And no one had a purer heart than Ash. And white was also a color to symbolize farewell to the departed.
It was a color of those who had died yet was well-loved by everyone.
Gary and Richie bent down and laid their offerings to the grave. Two beautiful flowers that stood out from the rest.
Two crimson roses.
They straightened up and smiled. That was when Misty decided to go out of her hiding place.
"Gary? Richie?"
The two boys looked behind them and spotted her. They gave her warm smiles. Misty gulped and approached them. She noticed the two roses and her nervousness dissipated. "Red roses? Why did you get those?"
Gary was the first to answer. "I thought you knew. Ash always liked red. He was slightly uncomfortable with white."
"What?"
This time, Richie answered her. "Ash had always thought white never went good with him. He had black hair and brown eyes. And white was too clean for him. And he had always liked red, because it represented life and love."
Misty was amazed at how much the two boys knew Ash. Misty had always thought she and Brock knew more about Ash, given that Gary was his rival and Richie was a guy who only travelled with Ash occasionally. But now, here she was, listening to those two boys tell her things about her friend that she had never even heard from him before.
"So...are you two...?" She knew they already understood what she wanted to say. And with Richie's answer, she guessed right.
"We stopped fighting. It's for our own good."
"Besides," Gary added, "I think he would like it this way. It's the best we can do for what he did for us."
"I'm glad," Misty commented, feeling tears sting her eyes. She felt so great now that these two were reconciled. And she knew Ash could have felt the same if he was there.
And he was.
"Ash, we have to get going. You can't stay in the world of the living forever," Cieztiny insisted. She and the spirit she was guarding were only a few meters away from the site, hiding behind a tree, even though they were virtually invisible.
Ash smiled and turned to her. "This time, we can go already. I just wanted to see if they will be contented without me. And now..."
"Now, they are," Cieztiny finished for him. The angel was getting pretty uncomfortable, and Ash could see that.
"I just wanted one last look. I know that once I get up there, I wouldn't have any memory of them. Of who they are. Of what I felt for the two of them."
Cieztiny sighed. She pitied him. Really, she did. But she had her duties. Mind over matter. Or in this case, over heart. She grabbed Ash by the arm. "Let's go. I assure you, if ever you wake up with no memory of them, I will be the first person to knock some sense back into you."
Ash smiled. "Sure. I'm going." He walked before her and the act made her release her grip on him. As Ash disappeared into the darkness, Cieztiny decided to look back, even for just a moment. She saw the others catch up with Misty and the two boys. They paid respect to Ash's grave and left with contented smiles. There was no more trace of regret and hatred in the two boys' faces. Just relief. Closure.
Cieztiny looked at the pendant on her neck. It was a cross with a heart at the middle and a pair of wings. It was made of pure silver, and it shone in the moonlight. She clamped a hand over it, and smiled. "I guess...this little thing won't be needed anymore...":
And she turned around.
OoOoO
Doves that were disturbed from their peaceful slumber flew off into the night sky. They scattered their feathers all over the ground. Leaves and twigs mingled with the white feathers.
A piece of white silk hung on a tree branch, and it was soaked in a translucent liquid.
It could not have been blood.
Could it?
A few meters away, a body lay. Feathers were scattered around it. But they were not feathers of doves. The feathers were much larger. Like an eagle's. And they were as white as virgin ivory. White...except for the same translucent liquid that somehow turned them black upon contact.
Black hair was sprawled over the figure's face, making a positive identification almost impossible. The right fist was clenched, as if it was encasing something. Marks indicated that there had been a struggle to open that fist. Whatever was within it was attached to a long silver chain. Long enough to be a necklace.
It was a horrible tragedy.
And to think it happened merely moments after one tragedy had been declared over.
OoOThe EndOoO
(Or is it?)
Jezareth: Okay...what was that creepy thing about?
Amethyst: shudder I second the motion. That was creepy...
Yuki: What the hell...I knew this was supposed to be about ghosts, but the ending was really haunting.
DesComGurl: Hehe...That was actually a secret ending. It may mean something. It may not.
Jezareth: Enough with the riddles! Just tell me why the hell you messed with a fanfic that took me two weeks to finish!
DesComGurl: Because it needed a little spice! Now, you could continue it if you want. But we have to get at least five reviews to tell us to continue. So, for those who like horror/suspense stories, and who want us to continue the secret ending, please write "ENGEL KREUZ" at the top of your review! We would gladly start working the moment the fifth review appears!
Jezareth: Gah! She really is mad!
DesComGurl: Hey, look. The only way everyone is gonna find out who that kid lying there is is to read a sequel And the only way we will come up with a sequel is with five good reviews!
Yuki: Gah! She's mad alright!
Amethyst: Anyways...we really hope you review. We'd be glad if you do want a sequel...So R&R!