Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
A/N: This is a songfic. It is based off of the song "Waiting for Superman" by Daughtry. No lyrics.
'Breaking News! A young man, age 17, with the name Ash Ketchum was found dead along with his partner Pikachu. Investigators believe that Ash jumped off of a cliff to save his Pikachu that fell off the edge. The fall from the top of the cliff to the bottom is about one hundred feet high. The rescue ended in tragedy. We give our best wishes to Ash Ketchum's friends and family.'
Misty sat on the couch of her living room staring at the screen of the television in horror. Her fists clenched and unclenched as they rested on her lap. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip making it bleed as tears rolled down the red head's cheeks. Her sisters, Daisy, Violet, and Lily stared at their younger sister in disbelief. "Misty, are you, like, okay?" Daisy finally asked, breaking the silence. Daisy's hand slowly reached out for her baby sister, who recoiled from the approaching hand.
"No!" Misty cried out as she ran out of the living room and up the staircase into her room. The door slammed shut loudly behind her. She jumped up onto her bed and cried. Knocks were heard on the door as her sisters called out her name. Misty curled up into a ball and cried harder.
One hundred days later (a little over three months)…
Daisy, Violet, and Lily were all gathered at their kitchen table. "Do you, like, think Misty's going to need therapy, Vi?" Lily asked her violet haired sister.
"I don't know, Lil. Daisy?" Violet responded.
"Probably. She hasn't been out of her room for over three months. She only comes out to get something to eat. Misty won't even, like, do anymore gym battles. She really loved Ash, didn't she?" Daisy said sadly. Violet and Lily nodded their heads. Just as Daisy opened her mouth again to speak, a door heard shutting upstairs. All three Sensational Sisters turned their heads towards a clock. It was only 10 o' clock. Misty was never up at this time. The sisters glanced at each other, then at the stairs. Misty was slowly walking down the stairs, dressed, and ready to start the day.
"Misty?" Daisy said in shock.
"Good morning guys. Beautiful day, isn't it?" Misty said, walking to the refrigerator. Her older sisters looked out the window before looking back at their sister and nodding. Misty pulled out a carton of orange juice and sat down at the table with her sisters, pouring herself a glass of juice into a cup on the table.
"Are you feeling okay?" Lily asked Misty.
"I feel great. Why wouldn't I?" Misty asked puzzled.
"Well, it's just that, you've locked yourself in your room for, like, three months. Are you finally over the whole Ash thing" Violet asked slowly, trying not to upset her younger sister.
"Yeah, I miss him and all, but he's just on his journey, right? I shouldn't be upset over a silly thing like that. Besides, he said he'd come back for me. Remember? He said that when he was done traveling in Kalos, he'd come and get me for his next journey. He promised. Why? DO you think he'll break his promise" Misty explained sadly.
"Like, what are you talking about?" Lily asked Misty.
"Ash's promise. He said that he'd come back for me. I'll be waiting for him. I talked to him a few days before he left for Kalos. Don't you remember?" Misty said like it was obvious.
"Misty, Ash died" Daisy said bluntly. Hurt became evident in Misty's eyes for a few excruciating seconds before it faded away. A fake smile was plastered on her face.
"No he didn't. Here, I'll ask him" Misty said finally. The red head turned herself so that she was facing an empty seat at the table. "Ash, are you dead?" Misty nodded her head. "That's what I thought."
"What is up with you guys? Ash just said that he wasn't dead. He said that he is headed here from Kalos at this moment, along with Pikachu." The sisters gave each other fearful glances before huddling together.
"What should we, like, do?" Violet said in panic.
"She's talking to herself" Lily whispered harshly.
"I think we should drop the topic for a while. We'll wait a few days and she if she gets better. Maybe reality will, like, sink into her mind" Daisy suggested. Lily and Violet nodded in agreement.
"Misty, are you up to start running the gym for a while?"
"Yeah, my Pokémon really need some exercise" Misty said happily.
"Great, why don't you, like, get started."
"Okay." Misty walked out of the kitchen and headed to the gym. There was a challenger already waiting outside the door, waiting for the gym to open. Misty opened the glass doors. The kid jumped up in excitement and ran to the challenger's box. Misty followed suit and got in her box.
"This will be a two on two battle. The first person with their two Pokémon knocked out will be the loser. Are you ready?" Misty announced. There was fire burning in her eyes even though her heart wasn't in the battle.
"You bet I am" the challenger shouted. Misty sent out her Starmie while the opposing trainer sent out a Squirtle.
"Begin" Misty shouted. The kid called off a few attacks, and Starmie dodged them. However, the boy called off an attack Misty wasn't expecting so Starmie got hit. Starmie fainted. Misty recalled her Pokémon, and she got an agitated look in her eye as she cast a glance at the bleachers in the gym. Her hand curled up into a fist. "Will you shut it, Ketchum?! I know I'm losing. Just because you're watching doesn't mean you have to point out the obvious!" Misty shouted at the metal seats where a laughing transparent Ash Ketchum sat along with a giggling Pikachu. The challenger looked towards where Misty was shouting at. He saw nothing.
"Who are you talking to?" the challenger asked the Gym Leader.
"Ash" she growled out. "He's so annoying."
"Awww, come on Misty. You look really cute when you're angry" the transparent Ash said while rubbing the transparent Pikachu between the ears. Misty's face flushed red.
"Ash, I'm warning you" Misty threatened to no one but the air. The challenger slowly backed away from the field and ran out the door.
"Misty, you know you can't do anything until I get back from Kalos. When I get here, then you can beat me up. But until then, I can tease you all I like without getting hit" Ash said while giving Misty a cheeky smile. Misty sighed. He was right.
"Forget it, let's continue our battle" Misty said to no one. "Huh? Must have decided he couldn't handle my battling skills."
"Now, you're starting to sound like me. I don't know if I should be flattered or mad" Ash said, shaking his head.
"Shut up, you idiot" Misty shouted.
"You know you love me" Ash said playfully. Misty face turned red once more.
"Yeah, yeah. I guess I love you" Misty admitted.
"I love you too. I'll see you later okay? " Ash said to Misty, giving her a small smile. Pikachu nodded his head to agree on the promise.
"I'll be waiting" Misty said weakly. Ash and Pikachu disappeared from her sight. Misty went back to the kitchen to see her sisters.
"The weirdest thing just happened. I got this challenger and he left in the middle of my battle. I guess he didn't like how I was talking to Ash or something" Misty said. "Anyway, I was wondering how everyone has been putting up for the last few months? You know like May, Iris, Dawn, Delia, Brock, and everyone."
"We'll since Ash's departure everyone has been coping. All the girls were the most upset but they had their boyfriend's supp—" Daisy started but stopped abruptly. As soon as the word boyfriend left her mouth, Misty's eyes started to water and her lip quivered. Misty noticed her own actions and shook her head. She planted a huge smile on her face.
"That's great. I'm so happy for them." Misty's voice wavered. She suddenly spun around and left, not able to handle her sisters at the moment.
One week later…
It was late at night. Misty sat in her room staring at the starry sky. She counted each twinkly light to pass her time. Misty sighed. She was remembering her conversation with her sisters earlier.
Flashback…
"Misty, Ash isn't coming back. He's dead. You need to, like, accept that" Lily said angrily.
"No, he's not. He's just a little late coming to get me. He probably got stuck in a battle. You know how he doesn't back down from a challenge. Just give him some more time" Misty pleaded.
"Misty, Violet, Lily, and I have decided to take you off of gym battles and send you to Cerulean Homes" Daisy said.
"Cerulean Homes? Isn't that for people with mental disorders?"
"Yes, we think it's for the best. We want you to be safe" Violet said.
"But I'm not crazy" Misty said angrily. She slammed her fists down on the table.
"We're sorry. We're just, like, really worried about you" Daisy said calmly. Misty stared each of her sisters in the eyes. They all looked worried but dead serious.
"Fine, I'll go. But on one condition" Misty bargained.
"What is it?" Daisy asked.
"When Ash comes here to Cerulean looking for me, you have to promise me to tell him where I'm at. He can just pick me up at Cerulean Homes. We'll travel together again after that" Misty reasoned.
"We promise" Misty's older sisters promised.
"When am I leaving?" Misty questioned.
"Tomorrow morning."
…End of Flashback
Misty turned from the window and headed to bed. Her fake smile was still on her face. Inside, Misty's heart was slowly falling apart. "Ash, are you almost to Kanto yet?"
"Yeah, my flight is about to land. I'll head straight over to your place when I land, okay? I promise that I'll come get you" Misty's hallucination of the boy she loves said.
"I know. You'd never break your promise" Misty said happily. She fell asleep a few minutes later with tears running down her cheeks and across her nose. "Why did you leave me, Ash? You promised to come get me. Why? I love you so much. I'll never know how you feel. Come back to me. I'll wait for you forever" Misty mumbled in her sleep.
Two months later…
"Miss Waterflower, would you like to go out into the garden today?" a nurse asked the seventeen year old red head. Misty looked up at the nurse and gave her a fake smile. She had to hide her breaking heart from everyone.
"I'd love to" Misty chirped. "I want to go visit the pond."
"As always" the nurse said. She scribbled something down on her clip board before guiding the teenager to a bench in front of the facility's pond. It was full of water Pokémon. Misty's favorite. "So, is Ash still running a little late to come get you?" the nurse asked the former Gym Leader. She had to keep Misty happy and play along in her little game.
"He's just running a little late. He got stuck at the Pokémon Center. He had to help Nurse Joy out. He's always saving the day" Misty explained.
"Of course. Your boyfriend always seems to be saving the world and Pokémon" the nurse stated.
"He's not my boyfriend. I just wish he was" Misty proclaimed. He was her hero though. "When he comes to get me, I hope we become more than friends."
"I hope your wish comes true" the nurse said before walking away. Misty watched the water Pokémon play in the water for half an hour before a bell chimed. Misty stood up and walked back into the Cerulean Homes building. The interior of the building was all white. The gleam of the floors hurt Misty's eyes as she continued her trek to her room. She opened the door and walked over to the chair in front of her window. She sat down and rested her elbows on the window sill. A cool breeze blew Misty's short red hair around. The patients here weren't allowed to have hair ties because it was considered a danger to some people. Misty watched the dirt road that led to Cerulean Homes. It was the only way in and out of the area, the only way for Ash to come through to get to her.
"Misty!" Ash's ghost called up to the girl from the ground. The sun shone through his and Pikachu's body as they ran around and played with all the Pokémon in the garden. "Come play with us!" She smiled her first real smile in months. He may be seventeen, but he still acted like a ten year old.
"I can't! The bell rang. I'm supposed to stay in my room until dinner" Misty called down to her crush/best friend.
"Those doctors are no fun. When can you come back down?!"
"Pika?!"
"After dinner" Misty called back down. "Are you still coming to get me? I'm waiting for you!"
"Yes, I'm coming. Stop asking all ready. I told you I wouldn't forget about you. I love you, remember? What kind of person forgets about the one they love?"
"Promise?!" I called down to the garden full of Pokémon but not one person in sight.
"I promise" Ash called back to his crush.
"I believe in you! See you after dinner!" Misty pulled away from the open window and looked around her completely white room. The walls were covered from top to bottom, covering every square inch, in pictures of Ash. Some were just him, other with her, Brock, or his other travelling companions. They were given to her as presents from everyone, once they found out she was a resident in Cerulean Homes. Misty believed Ash would keep his promise. He would come get her and they would travel the world together, exploring new regions and having an adventure. She cast one last glance out the window to see a transparent Ash and Pikachu rolling around in the grass laughing. The bell rang for dinner and Misty left her room. Too bad, she didn't know that Ash already broke his promise and would never come back to her. She would forever talk to herself and be considered insane by strangers, friends, and family alike. They would only think this because she was. Misty went crazy when her love died.
A/N: Yep, Misty is crazy. By the way, Misty does know that the Ash she sees isn't real. She CAN tell he's transparent. Anyway, I love this song. I play it on replay. I don't interpret this as the message of the song, this is just one of the messages I can get from it. Review.