The Moment His Misty Died Straight Story

by Creative Writer 2000

Ash recieves a call that fills him with horror. Misty's dying. How does he take the news? Will he get to see her one last time? Will he get to tell her the truth? Warning. This poem may contain themes some readers may find upsetting. Based on my poem.

Hello. Eight fictions, now. This is a straight story version of my previous poem 'The Moment His Misty Died', under the suggestion of bigdogneversleeps. Warning. Even I was moved to upset, reading this story back. Some may not be moved, but that's fine.
Dislclaimer: I don't own any characters mentioned.

The Moment His Misty Died

Ash sat glued to his seat with grief. His eyes were wide as dinner plates, and glassy as marbles. His jaw hung limply with horror. His ears burned, as if they had been dipped in hot wax. His heart flitted, and fluttered, dropping beats like a band drummer suffering from Tennis Elbow. He'd only been sat like this for a short while – no more than half a minute, or so – but it felt like forever. On the other side of the video screen before him sat Professor Oak. He was looking extremely heavy-hearted, and overflowing with sympathy in his eyes. Beyond him sat Tracey, Gary, Brock, Delia, and three of the Cerulean City Sensational Sisters. It was the most Sensational one that was missing.

"I'm so sorry, Ash." Was all Professor Oak could bring himself to say. "I know it doesn't mean anything to you, but it's all I can say. I can't say I understand how you feel, but I imagine that this is heart wrenching for you, my lad." 'Heart wrenching' is the understatement of the whole of time itself! Words wouldn't begin to describe how Ash was feeling. It felt like he was being ripped – no, eaten – no, boiled – no, burned – no… how do you describe being destroyed from the inside out, slowly and painfully, with every bit of your body being eradicated, being forced into screaming for mercy, without any damage actually being done? You see? Nothing describes his hurt.

"What do you mean she's ill? And, more to the point, dying! Misty! Are we still talking about Misty, Mewdamned, Waterflower, here?"

"I'm afraid so, Ash. I can't offer you any more support than I already have."

"Why did you call?" Ash asked, darkly. "Why'd you call me, and give me this feeling in the first place!" He spat, tears of anger burning in his eyes.

"Because every time she's been awake, she's always asked if you're around."

"What's wrong with her?"

"The doctors said they couldn't find anything wrong with her. She just keeled over one day, and she's been here in the hospital for a month and a half." The professor frowned, as he thought of what else the doctors had said. "They said it's like her whole body's just… powering down."

'Powering down'? 'POWERING DOWN'! What the HELL does that mean? 'Powering down'? Like, when a computer's told to shut down, and it closes all active programs, one at a time? Is that what they're suggesting about Misty? His Misty? No. It can't be. It can't be true. That just can't be right! That doesn't sound anything like Misty! That strong, stubborn, loud, and, oh-so, very amazing redhead. She'd never let her body just 'power down' on her like that.

That's it! Ash decided enough was enough. If any of this is true, and Misty's on her way out, then he can't stand lingering loitering in Unova. He can't let Misty die alone. He had to see her. If only one more time. The rage in his heart bubbled, and he slammed his fist on the desk he was sat at, making the video phone jump, and the professor on the other end.

"I'm coming back home!" He declared, making it absolutely clear that he wasn't going to be stopped, by the tone of his voice.

"Ash, my boy, don't." Professor Oak pleaded him. "The chances that you'll get here in time to see her are far too slim to attempt it. She's far too weak, and brittle. She's losing her strength with every passing moment."

"I don't care about that!" Ash shouted, spitting venom at the professor's words. "I just have to see her. If only one more time." Not waiting to hear the professor's protests, Ash hung up the call, and stormed for his bedroom door.

Once he got the door open, though, he found his path blocked by Iris and Cilan. The two looked like they'd been there a while, as they looked rather puzzled, and concerned, at Ash.

"Ash?" Asked the, rather worried-looking, wild child in front of him. "What's the matter?"

"I have to go." Ash replied, in a blunt tone of voice, head hung low, cap covering his eyes.

"Go?" Cilan quizzed, stunned by the lifelessness in Ash's voice. "What do you mean? Where must you go?"

"To Cerulean City, back in Kanto." Ash tipped his cap forward a little more, to hide the building moisture in his eyes. "A friend of mine, who lives there, is grievous ill… and… and they think she's gonna die." Ash's shoulders juddered, his lips whimpered, and his whole body shuddered, trying desperately, not to cry. Cilan was at his side in a flash, offering a hand of support. Iris just stood frozen at the doorway, not knowing what she could say.

"But, Ash… Kanto's on the other side of the globe. The planes don't run this late, and the ferries are way too slow. How do you expect to get there on time?" Ash glared such daggers at Iris that, if looks could kill, she'd be the girl on death's door, right now.

"As long as I succeed, I really don't care!" And with that, he charged past both Cilan and Iris, leaving them stunned, and confused.

Ash ran right into the lobby of the Pokémon Centre the trio were staying at, when the Nurse Joy behind the counter halted him.

"Excuse me? Ash?" Ash stopped, inhumanly abruptly, and spun on a perfect sixpence on his heels. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I need to go back to Kanto for a day, or so."

"But, what about your Pokémon?"

"No. I don't want them to see the state I'm gonna be in. and Pikachu would be in a worse off condition, if he was to come with me."

"But what if they wake up in the morning, wondering where you've gone?" Ash pondered this for a moment.

"Can I borrow a pen and paper, please?" He asked, as he made his way back to the desk. The nurse handed him a slip of paper, and a ballpoint pen. Ash started to scribble down a message for his Pokémon.

'Dear all,

I know that you're all gonna be pretty mad at me for buggering off like this, but it's a matter of life and… no, just death. Pikachu… Misty's dying. I know what you're thinking; you wanted to be there for her too. But, buddy… you'd be devastated. I couldn't see one friend dead, and another grieving forever. I'll have you all transferred for the funeral. Yes, Pikachu. I'm that sure she's dying. I don't want to believe it, but I have no choice. See you later, guys.

Ash x'

Ash handed the note to Nurse Joy, asking her to read it to his Pokémon in the morning. When she agreed, he sped out of the centre, and made a Combee-line for the nearby dock. He pulled a whistle from his pocket. The whistle was sapphire blue, and had markings that looked identical to those find on a particular deity Pokémon. He clasped his lips around the whistle's mouth, and blew with all his might, adrenaline dripping from his tongue, offering the only fuel he was getting, just for this simple task. The trill screech echoed throughout the air like the distressed cry Ash intended it to convey.

Iris and Cilan ran as fast as they could to the dock. As they reached the ferry station, they were shocked and awestruck at the sight that welcomed them. There, stood at the end of the docking strip, was Ash, looking into the eyes of the legendary sea God Pokémon, Kyogre. They stood frozen to the ground below them, struck dumb by the view of the God Pokémon that floated before them. Without glancing over his shoulder, Ash spun round to them, as if sensing their presence. The only sentence he uttered to them was;

"Are you two coming with me?" All Iris and Cilan could do, in their awestruck states, was nod. They met him at the end of the pier, and silently conveyed their support to Ash, hoping to let him know that he wasn't alone in his concern for this dying friend of his. The three friends boarded atop Kyogre's head. Ash crawled his way close to Kyogre's head, craned himself forward, and whispered to the Pokémon, saying; "I have a friend in Cerulean City, all the way in Kanto, who's dying. I want to see her one more time, if I can. Do you think you could get us to Cerulean City as soon as you could, please?" The mighty Sea God Pokémon nodded its agreeance, and swivelled its bulk on a perfect sixpence. With a single flip of its enormous flippers, the Pokémon shot away, heading for the Kanto region with a sense of overwhelming, and heavily shared, urgency.

The journey was long, and mostly, uneventful. Ash would do nothing but stare, impatiently, at the yonder mountains that lay in the horizon for as far at the Earth curved, and as far away as the sky stretched forward. He'd only advert his gaze for seconds at a time, whenever Iris or Cilan handed him a snack from the provisions the Pokémon Connoisseur stocked in a hurry, before leaving. The snacks were quite basic. Biscuits, chocolate, crisps… none of which Cilan was all too keen on; he'd have rather cooked some decent meals for the journey, but this is a bit of an extreme scenario. They travelled all through the night. Not a single one tried to break the frosty silence that had befallen them. There was nothing to be said. Nothing to be done. The night had melted into day, and the day progressed into the following night but, even Ash knew that, they had only covered half the length of their journey, if that. Ash's hope of seeing Misty one last time was dwindling.

Suddenly, there was an almighty splash, just inches from Kyogre's head. The splash shocked the Sea God, and caused it to thrash. Ash's eyes shot upwards, to the sky, burning with anger, and murderous rage. There, suspended in the air high above their heads, was a Meowth head balloon, with the cackling trio of Team Rocket.

"Prepare for Trouble."

"And you can make it double."

"Oh, bugger off, you tossers!" Ash's sudden outburst made everyone fall in shock. He glared razor blade daggers at Team Rocket, obviously not in the mood for their meddling. "I can do without you idiots messing up my life for today."

"Hey! Twerp! Language! Why, I oughtta wash your mouth out with…" Ash glared a look so harsh at Jessie that, if looks could kill, she'd be a fossil the second she was buried. Meowth growled at Ash's attitude, and slammed his paw heavily on the side of the cannon mounted on the side of the basket. Another cannonball flew through the air, plummeting towards Kyogre, with the intention of knocking it senseless.

Kyogre glanced up at the cannonball, and saw it aiming for his head. Fearing for his own safety, as well as that of his passengers, Kyorge plunged vertically to the murky sea depths, leaving his passengers to bob in the snow-cold waters. The cannonball splashed in the water, managing not to harm anyone. Seeing a chance, Meowth threw a net over the side of the balloon's basket, and it snared the three trainers in the waters below. The Team Rocket trio pulled the net up, and into the basket, cackling triumphantly at their easy win. Iris was terrified. Cilan was worrying about how much time this was going to consume. Ash, however, was still too fuming to try and look defeated and upset. His mind cast, once again, to Misty. She was still so far away, in Cerulean City… dying. And here he was, being captured by Team Rocket, when he should be trying to get back home to see her.

Jessie, James and Meowth hauled their defeated rivals into the basket, and prepared to snare Pikachu. To their shock, however, they realised that Pikachu was missing. James was the first to speak up.

"Hey. Twerp. Where's Pikachu? You never travel without it, so why are your shoulders so Pikachu-less all of a sudden?"

"I left Pikachu, as I did with the rest of my Pokémon, at the Pokémon Centre we were staying in yesterday."

"WHAT!" Squawked Jessie, in a blind panic. Ash with no Pikachu? That's like jelly with no ice cream. Or Gilbert with no Sullivan. "You mean you've left it behind? Are you MAD!"

"I'm trying to get to Cerulean City."

"What's happened in Cerulean, to make you go on a solo journey?" James inquired.

"Misty's dying." Ash snapped, mouth dripping in venom. "And now, thanks to you three dickwads, my chances of getting back to Kanto before she's taken are blown to Kingdom-fucking-Come!" He snarled, tears pushing at his tear ducts.

Upon hearing this, Team Rocket were struck dumb with shock, horror and guilt. Ash's eyes started to leak salty water. He clenched his fist in anger and frustration, and clawed at the net that bound him and his travelling companions. He ripped the net to shreds, and soon, he, Iris and Cilan were bearing down on the criminal knuckleheads, Ash staring steely daggers that'd make a Rhydon freeze, mid-charge, in fear. Meowth looked into the broken-hearted teen's eyes, and saw the hurt and sorrow of a thousand years.

"No. That can't be true." Jessie stuttered. "Not Misty Waterflower. Please. Please, Ash. Tell us you're just making that up to make us release you." Ash turned his head away, and blinked away the acid that burned his retinas. Jessie and James let out a synchronised, and unashamedly audible, gasp of horror.

"But she's so young. How old is she these days? 14?" Ash nodded, but didn't attempt to look in James' direction. "But she was always so spritely. So bold. So full of life. She never let anything slow her down. If ever anyone threatened those she loved, she'd want to rip their heads off. I know she had that with us a few times."

Ash had been trying not to cry in front of his most hated enemies… but hearing these kind words towards the girl that he loved. The girl he had always loved. The one who made his life complete. It was too much. His head collapsed under its own weight, and he wept and wept like a waterfall into his gloved hands. He was crying so heavily, that the tears were filtering through his fingers, and forming mini waterfalls to the floor of the basket, forming a growing pool around Ash's trainers. Tears pooled in Meowth's eyes, too, as he watched the raven-haired Pokémon Master hopeful sob like a small child who's lost his favourite teddy bear before him.

"Oh, I can't believe our greed! How selfish are we!" Meowth sobbed. "How could we have been so blind? Here we were, cackling away, aiming to steal, steal, steal, like – bloody – always… and Ash was hurrying home to see a dying friend, to give her some closure in her final breath. And, who are we to have stopped him from trying to reach his sweetheart?"

Jessie and James, instinctively, manned their posts. James set up a pair of rocket boosters onto the side of the balloon basket, while Jessie steered the balloon to face the direction of Cerulean City. Iris and Cilan stared at Meowth with open mouths, flabbergasted at the cat Pokémon's words.

"His 'sweetheart'!" A dumbfounded Iris asked, turning her eyes to Ash, who'd straightened himself out, but hadn't seemed to bat an eyelid at Meowth's statement. James slammed the power button on the boosters. As they roared into life, and spewed a stream of flame, powering the balloon towards the city, where the Tomboy Mermaid was dying, he turned to the confused companions.

"Of course!" He exclaimed. "From the very first day we saw them, we could see the connection. It was obvious they were going to be more than friends." Cilan turned to Ash, who was now at the other end of the basket, still dripping wet from being in the sea. He was staring out at the mountains that were the only, thin, barrier between him and Misty's hospital room, with an anewed glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Is that true, Ash?" He asked. Ash turned to the group in the basket, and silently nodded.

"You see?" James shouted, triumphantly, as the city of Cerulean dawned into view, just as the Team Rocket balloon peaked over the mountaintops. Ash couldn't be bothered to try and hide his elation. Soon, Misty. Soon, he'll be by your bedside. And he'll tell you what he's wanted to say for too many years, now.

The second the balloon touched down, Ash dived out the basket, and pelted his way to the hospital, letting nothing stand in his way. He stormed into the hospital lobby, and powered his way to the front desk. There he stood, still soaked through, and dripping wet. He looked at the girl behind the desk, typing away at the computer.

"Where's Misty Waterflower?" He asked, panting heavily, and silently praying over and over that she was still breathing. The girl looked up at him, and smiled sweetly. She glanced at the screen, and typed in the patient's name.

"On floor 2, in Room 101, sweetie." The young 20 year old said. She, then, gave Ash a sympathetic look. "Although, I'm afraid we can't allow anyone else to see her, now. Her condition's gotten to its recorded worst, and the doctors don't think it'd be wise for anyone to be near her, anymore. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

What? NO! Not allowing anyone to see a patient? WHAT GIVES THESE ARSEHOLES THAT RIGHT! Now Ash was steamed.

"Please! I have to see her. I've spent a night, a day and most of tonight trying to get here! I can't have gotten here, just to here this! I've come, directly, from Unova, and I demand to see my Misty!" He span on his heels, and ran for the lift, eyes burning. He got halfway across the lobby… and his mother intercepted him. She stepped into his path, making him skid to a halt. He growled at her, and the pair stared each other down. Ash was glinting daggers, but Delia was giving a soft look of pity to her son. She looked the frantic teen up and down.

"Ash, honey, you're soaked. What have you been up to?" She asked, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket, and attempting to dry Ash's face. Ash was really angry now. His mother was stalling him getting to Misty.

"Mum. Let me through. Please."

"But, Ash, you'll catch a cold. I can't let you just stand here, soaked to the skin."

Iris, Cilan and Team Rocket came charging through the hospital doors, only to be greeted with the sound of Ash screaming his head off at his mother.

"I CAME TO SEE MISTY, AND I'M NOT GONNA STOP FOR YOU, OR FOR ANYONE!" And, with that, he ran passed his mother, and for the lift, for a second attempt. However, he was halted once again, by Professor Oak stepping in front of the lift doors.

"Ash." He pleaded with the frantic trainer in front of him. "Please listen to me, before you go to that floor. I must say something to you." Ash wasn't having any of this. The girl that he loved more than any other in the whole, damned, Arceus-forsaken world was dying up there, and everyone seemed intent on stopping him from going to see her for, what was going to be, the final time.

"Oh, Professor, not you as well. You listen to me well, old man. I've spent more than a day, trying to get here from Unova, despite a few holdups, and I'm not going to be held up anymore. I will rugby tackle you out of my way, if needs be.

"Ash, I'm not stopping you from seeing her. I just have to tell you. If you decide to go to Misty's room, you must be prepared for a shock. I know that you've saved the world from Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. I know you've encountered deity Pokémon, and I know that you've even encountered the God of all the world. But none of that will have been, even, a fraction of the hurt and pain you may suffer, if you see Misty in her current state. Misty looks nothing like how you've ever seen her in the past. She's weak. Frail. Brittle. She's nearing her end, Ash. Do you think you're prepared to see her final breath?"

Ash didn't care what Misty looked like in that room. Weak? Frail? Brittle? Maybe she will look like that. But she would. She's dying. It's not all-too-well documented about people who are dying in a way like Misty is to look like a basket of roses. And, anyway… no matter whether she was happy, tired, scared or ill… Misty always looked… beautiful.

"Professor…" Ash pleaded, slowly. He knew this would hurt, but it'd be worse if he stopped now. He'd come this far… why stop now? "Let me through. Please? I must see her. I think I'm strong enough to see her die." The professor gave a nod, and moved out of Ash's way. Gary, Brock and Tracey made their way to Ash's side, and gave him a pat on the back, for encouragement. When they returned to their seats, Daisy, Lily and Violet replaced them, standing in front of Ash. He looked up at them, with sorrowful eyes, which they returned. The three girls hugged him, and each kissed him on the cheeks, earning him a few jealous looks from the boys. Giving the Sensational Sisters a thanking smile, Ash entered the lift, and pressed the button for the second floor.

Never before had a ride in a lift felt so bloody long. Or lonely. Or daunting. Maybe it was because Ash was unaccompanied by now. Maybe it was what waited for him at the end of this lift ride. Whatever it was, it was scary. The lift, finally, halted on the second floor, with a clunk.

'Well… this is it.' Ash thought. No more tears. Not now. Misty doesn't need to see the heartache you're going through, Ash Ketchum. The doors to the lift slowly slid open, as if they understood Ash's anticipation, and were trying to shield him for as long as possible, before finally letting him press on with this heart wrenching trek. The doors were, at last, fully open and, just his luck, Room 101 was at the other end of an impossibly long corridor. He plodded down the empty, and very dark, corridor, with a sense of dread one could only get if they were in a re-enactment of a horror film. Doors, slowly, passed him by. The numbering order wasn't clear, and nor did Ash care right now. There's only one number that matters. Sooner than he realised, Ash was there… in front of 'Room 101'. Water welled in his eyes. Here we are. Ash sucked in his fear, and dried his eyes in a single swipe from his glove. He opened the door, and slipped into the dreaded numbered room.

The lighting was abysmal. A faint glow from a lamp on the bedside table, and a green illumination from the humming monitor behind the bed. Ash's eyes fell onto the body of the bed. And the body that was tucked beneath the bedclothes. Misty's body. She was wired up to the monitor that produced the green glow, had breathing apparatus that would be used for resurrecting a Gengar… she looked tired. Her skin was pale. Really pale. The rising and falling of her chest was barely visible. Ash wanted to look away. He wanted to turn his gaze from the horrific sight of Misty's weak and frail frame lying there on the bed, but he forced himself not to advert his eyes. He had to be brave. For Misty's sake.

"Ash?" Came the weak call from the redhead, as she – painfully – turned her head to see who'd entered her sterile cell. Ash couldn't believe how elated it made him feel inside, when he heard her voice again. It'd been so long. He longed to hear that beautiful voice of hers again for such a long time, now. He hurried to her bedside, and kneeled beside her. He took her nearest hand in his own, and held it softly. He looked at her skin. It was so pale. She looked pale as the sheets she was wrapped in, compared to Ash's bronzed tan. He looked her in the eye. Her once shining emerald orbs were now dull and murky, like swamp water. Ash stifled a sob, and swallowed hard on the rocky lump in his throat.

"I'm here, Misty." He whispered softly, stroking her fingers with his thumb. Misty smiled, slowly.

"Ash. You're here. I thought I'd never see you again."

"I couldn't stay away from you, Mist. When I heard, I came running… well… surfing all the way from Unova. I've had one or two holdups, which really had me worried I'd be too late. But I'm glad I got here in time to see you still breathing."

"I'm so sorry, Ash." Misty wept, tears slowly leaking from her eyes. "I tried to fight the illness. I tried to stay strong, for you. But… I was just too weak."

"Weak? Mist… you've never been weak. You're not weak at all. I mean, come on. You've managed to stay alive long enough for me to see you, haven't you?"

"Yeah." Misty smiled. Although her voice was weak, now, she managed to make herself sound proud. "I guess I have." The pair smiled at each other, both starting to water at the eyes.

"Ash? Do you remember the day we first met?"

"Of course I do, Mist. How could I forget such day?" The pair sat still, and remembered the day they met. When Ash and Pikachu were fleeing from an enraged flock of Spearow, and Misty fished them out of the river. When Pikachu cooked Misty's bike into oblivion. The rage Misty had when she caught up with Ash again, and when she started to follow him to repay her for that bike. They couldn't help, from that point, but share a moment, to relive everything else they went through together, as well. The Indigo League; When the met up with Brock, and he accompanied them on their travels. When Ash caught a Bulbasaur, a Squirtle and a Charmander. When Ash released his Butterfree, so it could start a family with a pink Butterfree it fell wing over antennae for. When Togepi was hatched from its egg. The Orange Islands; When Ash and Misty bid farewell to Brock, and welcomed Tracey. When Ash caught a Lapras infant he helped get over its fear of humans. When Ash became the Champion of the Orange League. They still remembered their travels, as if they only happened a few weeks ago. And now… all that. All that excitement, adventure, and enthrallment had led them here. They set off on adventure together with so many dreams and ambitions… and here they are, at the ending of one of those dreams, and the ending of a life.

Ash looked down at the weakened girl, and wiped another tear away from his eye.

"Are you OK, Ash?" Misty quizzed.

"Fine. Dandy." Ash lied back to her.

"Liar." Misty smirked. "I've known you long enough, Ash Ketchum, to understand you completely. You're like an open book to me." Really? An open book, eh? If that's the case… does she…?

"How open a book are we talking, Mist?" Ash asked, with a sense of anticipation, and nervousness. If he's so obvious to her does she know… how he feels?

"Well, I know that you still love wearing baseball caps, you have a plushie doll of every Pokémon in the world, you've been afraid of lightning since the age of six, and you still use strawberry flavoured toothpaste." Ash was stunned at the last one. How did she…? "One day, while we were travelling in Johto, Togepi was pawing, all very innocently, through your backpack, and found your toothpaste. I didn't say anything, because I'm not too fond of mint flavoured toothpaste, either."

"What about… love?" Ash enquired. "You know so much about me, without me needing to tell you, so… you must've tried looking into my love interests."

Misty shifted, slightly uncomfortably, under her bedsheets.

"That's the one book I've always been too scared to open. We had a bit of a rocky start to our relationship, because of that sodding bike of mine. After I spent a full day with you, however… I realised that… I didn't actually care about that stupid piece of scrap. I cared more about you." Huh? Him? What's she mean by that? "When you were leaving me at Viridian City, I thought about you. You seemed to draw danger to yourself like a magnet draws iron filings. I saw you as a kid who needed protecting. A kid who needed companionship. A kid who needed…" She sucked in the oxygen she needed, which was proving to be a quickly growing demand. "A kid who needed to be loved." Ash's eyes widened in the most pleasant surprise he'd ever felt. "But I could never bring myself to say anything to your face. You were always so Hell-bent on being the best at catching and training Pokémon, that I thought the only way you'd ever love was to direct your love to Pokémon, and only Pokémon. I thought you'd never love a person in the same way. Least of all, me."

"Well, that's not true." Ash protested. "I always cared about you, Misty. I may never have expressed it, but I was always concerning myself about you. You were the reason I woke up of a morning. The reason I fought to save the world on several occasions. Everything I ever did. Every gym I defeated, every evil crime syndicate I disbanded, every world-threatening crisis I prevented. It was always because I was doing it for you." Ash gripped Misty's hands in his own, and pulled them close to his chest. "Misty. I have to tell you a secret. One that I've kept for far too many years. One that, probably, isn't all that big a piece of news to anyone, but it's one that I could never say aloud. I love you, Mist. Mewdammit, I love you. I always have, ever since the day we first met. I can't believe I was so stupid, to keep it a secret from you for so long." 'Now it's too late. Soon… she'll be dead. And out of my life.' Misty smiled, sweetly, back at Ash, happy to hear him finally admit his love for her.

"Well, to be honest, I always hoped that you did feel the same way about me. I always saw, what I perceived to be, the hints of romantic thoughts in your head. The way you looked at me when I wore dresses, or swimming costumes. The concern, and the worry, you'd show for me when you thought I was in danger. The jealous looks you gave when you thought another guy was winning my affections. And, I understand why you kept your feelings a secret, Ash, my love. I was the same." Ash's face lit up immediately. So he wasn't alone in the way he felt. Misty loves him too.

Ash could feel the water, once again, pushing at his eyes. Misty loves him back. How he'd longed to hear those words from her mouth for so many years. Ash found himself, slowly, tipping forward, his brain on autopilot. He felt his eyes close, automatically, as he continued to tilt, closing the space between himself and Misty. Misty saw what he was doing, and rolled her own eyelids closed, awaiting contact. After a few seconds, impact happened. Ash's lips had locked with Misty's. As soon as he felt Misty's velvet lips underneath his own, Ash kissed. He kissed her, passion burning away at his mouth. He, softly, wrapped his arms around the delicate girl's frame, and eased her off the bed, embracing her in a gentle, and loving, hug, as he kissed her, and kissed her. Misty did her best to return the kiss, but her strength was draining fast. She was able to kiss his lips whenever they separated for air, but that was the only energy her lips had left. Ash didn't care about that, though. As long as she was accepting his kiss, and not fighting away from it, that made it perfect for him. Their very first kiss. But, it was to be their last.

After 5 full minutes of this kiss, the pair, finally, let go. During the kiss, the two of them only thought about their past. Their journeys. Their feats. And their lives, after Misty departed, when her bike was fixed. The thoughts so bitter-sweetly happy, that the two of them had wept the entire time, allowing their tears to mix and mingle upon their, already, waterstained faces. Ash kept Misty held in his embrace. Now she knew how he felt. And he now knows how she feels. He looked down at her face, only to feel his breath hitch in his throat. Misty looked whiter than previously, now. And her skin was growing cool. This was it. She was now, officially, on her way out. Well… nothing left to do now but… dare I say it? Help Misty to die.

He sat there, on the edge of Misty's hospital – (soon to be death) – bed, held her tightly against his chest, and rocked her, gently. Misty snuggled into Ash's chest, comfortably, and intently let him rock her.

"Now, Misty…" Ash croaked, tears rushing to his tear ducts. He tried to squint them back. Misty doesn't need to see Ash cry in her final moments. "Just sleep. Go to sleep. And pleasant, eternal, dreams to you, my love. No more fears to keep you up at night. No more worries to trouble you. No more secrets to be kept. No more sorrys to be told." He laid her down onto the soft mattress, and kissed his precious Misty's forehead. "I'll be with you, one day." He promised her. "I promise…" A lone tear slipped, silently, down his cheek. "…my petal."

Ash stayed by Misty's side, as her breathing started slowing, and the beeps which, from the moment he stepped into the room til just now, had seemed so silent, grew progressively lackadaisical as well. He leaned down to her, and kissed his dying friend on the forehead.

"I love you, Mist." Ash whispered to her.

"And I you, Ashy." She croaked back. A tear sneaked its way down her cheek.

"You were always the most Sensational Sister, to me." Ash confessed, tearfully.

"Thank you." She whispered. "And you were always a Pokémon Master to me." The clock on the wall farthest from Misty's bed chimed, quietly, away that it was now 2 in the morning. Misty's heavy eyelids slid closed for the last time. She let out her final sigh of breath, in a soothed tone, and nestled into a forever sleep.

Now Ash was alone. The only living thing in the room. His hand walked its way over to Misty's and held it close, hugging it tight.

"Heaven was always an angel short. Looks like she's made her way home, again." He muttered to himself. He leaned back down to her, and pecked her on her, now slightly chilly, lips. He rested his head, face down, on the girl's chest, and silently wept, not even making a sound with his breathing. He wept like he had just felt the most awful pain in the world. And he had. Heartbreak. For his heart felt broken. He had felt the moment his Misty died.