Blood Red Roses

Blood Red Roses

Author's notes: It's been a while, hasn't it? Well maybe this is your usual AAMRN/BAMRN - I don't know. You'll have to read to find out :P

A great thank you goes to Mark ^_^

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The chosen blood red Roses.

Tiny dewdrops on Snowdrops and luminous lime green leafs.

Baskets and flags and sagging tents.

Wedding cake, sweet cakes, cream filled eclairs.

Long carpet, tall hats, fold-out chairs.

Misty's delicate silk glove gripped around the flimsy cover for her tent. She had been examining everything through nervous eyes for the past half hour.

"It might be another hour or so, you can wait in your tent until then."

She remembered them telling her. 'Certain' difficulties involving the cameras had occurred. This was an example of a time when she wished Ash wasn't so famous. A wedding with just their family and friends - that sounded romantic to her.

The guests waited patiently enough in their place. They sat and entertained themselves with gossip and complaints. She searched through their faces for a hopeful moment, but then turned away. She knew her efforts would avail fruitless. He wouldn't show his face here, not now.

"You don't look happy to me."

His words came back to frustrate her. Of course she was happy, she was marrying her one true love. Marriage. What more could she hope for? She'll have a brilliant life, with an enormous mansion of a house. They'll have two - no, three cars and she'll be the envy of every woman. Misty swallowed hard as she felt a throbbing lump form in her troat. She wiped the moisture that was beginning to solve in her eyes.

"I am happy, I will be happy." She objected painfully to the sound of his haunting voice. Frustration was making her shake, and she surrendered to a breakdown into tears and sobs. Looking out there again made her nauseous. Finding her way up with the aid of a chair, she escaped by lifting the cover at the back of her tent.

She found herself in complete wilderness. It seemed her tent was situated right on the edge of all their decorative destruction of the Forest. Viridian Forest - it had sounded romantic to her.

She stepped through the untamed grass, which held all sorts of botanical treasures beneath it. It all seemed new to her, and she felt angry that she had to get married to come back to the Forest again. It was amazing. Just like the patches of untamed grass, but you could experience its treasures for yourself.

After finding a place hidden from the distant crowd, she rested on the fallen log of a tree. She pulled up the end of her dress from the ground, the heap of material exploding into laces and frills on her lap. She might love the surroundings, but they were far too able to lift hell's shadow onto her heavenly white dress.

"Will you marry me?"

The memory of her acceptance sprung to mind. That question had been her childhood dream. He had been her hopeless crush, it had always been an everlasting blush. It had actually come true. Ten years. For ten years she had been feeling sick over him. How could she say no to this boy, asking her to spend the rest of her life with him? Twirling, laughing, rosy red faces, taking her into his arms. Of course she said yes.

The rest of her life.

The words were too frightful to utter. It made her cry, and lingering on it made her cry harder. If she loved him, why didn't she want this? Why didn't it feel the same as it did when she was fourteen? She had everything she ever wanted - everything she ever wanted served to her on a silver platter, and she didn't want it anymore. Why was she lying to herself. Why couldn't she be fourteen again?

"But I love him..." She mumbled to herself, and felt her skin shake and shiver with her bones.

"But I love you!"

Why did his words mean so much? Why did he make it so clear for her? Maybe she could have lived this life with Ash, why did he have to interfere? No one else did - everyone else assumed she and Ash were in love. Why couldn't he be like everyone else?

"I'm getting married."

She remembered how cold he looked after she told him. No unexpected death could bring that look back to his face. She didn't want to hurt him. But saying he loved her hurt Misty more than he'd ever know.

"Misty!"

A roar arose from where she had just escaped.

"Misty!"

What was she going to do?

"What in the name of God are you doing out here?" A woman appeared from behind the green coloured scenery. Misty recognised her well. She was one of the many organisers of the wedding, who had been pestering her for months.

Misty picked herself up, but clumsily toppled over the log beside her. "Be careful there!" The woman reached out and pulled Misty to her feet. She then led Misty in the direction of the tents like a mother leading her child. "My God, Mrs. Ketchum, you shouldn't be out here in the middle of nowhere, you'll destroy that beautiful dress of yours!"

Misty narrowed her eyes at the babbling figure in front of her. "My name isn't Mrs. Ketchum. My name is Misty."

The woman spun around and lay her hands on Misty's shoulders, acting like a comforting friend. "You're not having any... doubts now, are you Mrs. Ketchum?"

Misty glared in disgust at the woman's look of concern. Doubts? She couldn't stand there a minute longer. She shook the woman's hands from her shoulders and ran ahead as quickly as she could. She was free from her, but the tents and the people awaited her now.

She felt her heart fall to her feet as she tugged at the bottom of her tent. Another terrible waiting session to overcome. As she pulled the cover over her head, her eyes focused on something unexpected.

"B-Brock?" Misty felt a warm excitement fill her. He smiled, mirroring her expression. A short pause, then they came together to share a tight embrace. Maybe she had grown angry at him over his absence, but seeing him washed all her aggravation away like a wonderful wave.

"Misty, I didn't mean to say any of that," He said close by her ear. "I'm so sorry, of course you're happy." Brock relaxed his arms around her, and she slowly slid away.

"No Brock, I--" Misty stopped short, and turned away from him. "You were right." She said quietly, as her voice began to crumble. He took a step closer.

"What?" He asked gently.

She turned toward him again, her face dimming with a look of sadness and fear. "I can't do this." Brock felt his heart break into pieces, as her tear glossed eyes gazed up at him. "I don't think I--" She stopped herself again, her strained voice becoming barely audible.

He allowed her to fall into his embrace again, and she rested her worn head on his chest. Brock thought to the sad melody of her quiet sobbing. He had everything he wanted in his arms, it was the deepest pain to know he couldn't have it. If only he'd realised that earlier.

"Do you remember when we were kids Misty?"

Misty whimpered softly as a sign of her attention.

Brock exhaled slowly, and with his hands he gently smoothed her back. "I liked you a lot."

Misty managed a relaxed but delicate chuckle as she patted his chest playfully with her hand. "Why didn't you say anything?" She asked with a slight ring of surprise in her voice. She raised her gaze up to him with a smile. Brock grinned inwardly. He must have liked every girl except for Misty back then. But any lie was worth telling if it could sooth her pain.

"I didn't say anything because..." He thought carefully for a moment. "I think Ash needed you." He looked to see the effect he had caused. Her face brightened, highlighted with hope filled eyes. "He still needs you."

Her eyelids fluttered downwards, moving another teardrop down her cheek. "Thank you Brock." She reached her arms around his neck and pulled her head over his shoulder. "Thank you." She whispered again, and turned her head around to see him.

Brock turned to her aswell, and returned her smile. "You're welcome." Misty kept the smile, and didn't make an attempt to move. "Y-you should get ready." Brock insisted hesitantly, feeling her closeness kill him. She closed her eyes and lightly tapped her lips to his skin.

She moved away after no more than a second, leaving Brock paralysed. "Our first kiss." He joked nervously. He stretched his shaking arm behind him, then took hold of her hands. "Go on, get yourself ready." He told her, keeping their joined hands between them.

"And our last." She said to him. Brock shared the musing moment until they both twitched with reality. She looked down at herself. "I'm ready." She grinned.

Brock looked directly at her. Her wedding gown was in full view now, but there was something urging him to act. "And I've never seen you look so beautiful." He said using his arm to twirl her around like a ballerina.

She stopped, facing toward him; it was too late for thinking.

He was kissing her. Kissing Misty, and feeling her return his kiss -- all of it.

But it was far too late.

"Brock." A voice sounded in angry disbelief from behind them. Ash stood at the tent's entrance with fierce dark eyes, staring at Brock with horrific devastation.

Misty's hands slowly slid out from his. Brock couldn't believe his bad luck - it was only a few moments that he was telling Misty how much Ash needed her. Ash just had to choose the time at which his character had surrendered, feeling pathetically weak at the knees.

Ash approached his friend, and shoved him away with the force of his outstretched arms. "I can't believe this!" Ash growled, still engaging Brock.

"Ash, please, wait a minute," Brock said nervously, trying to back away.

"Why should I?!" Ash snapped back.

"B-Because it's your wedding day," Brock stuttered in reply thoughtlessly. He only bite his tongue upon seeing Ash's fist rocketing toward him. He ducked down in instant panic, swinging backhand defensively.

There was a clash of tightened flesh and bones. Ash tumbled to the floor.

"Ash!" Misty cried, falling to his side in a wave of shock.

Brock gawked at his floored friend in disbelief. "A-Ash, I..." He could barely speak. His bones shook and his skin twitched in horror.

Misty looked up from Ash to the frozen mass above her. "Brock, go get a cloth and some water." Brock broke his stare to glance at her, then dejectedly left through the cover.

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Author's notes: Hehe. Well, don't worry about me completeing this, I actually have the second piece already written. I just like to have cliffhangers... although it's not really a cliffhanger, but don't you want to know what happens next? *silence* Ok then ^_^;; Anyway, I'll post the next part tomorrow night. That's afternoon for you Americans. Until then, see ya!