Misery

Girl, you really got me bad, you really got me bad. I'm gonna get you back, I'm gonna get you back…

Misty has Ash in misery. How will he get his revenge?

I rolled out of bed, already feeling terrible. I could look forward to another day of arguing with that bitch I call my girlfriend, getting pummeled by her mallet, and finally being teased with a little tongue action that would lead nowhere.

I sighed heavily. It was the same, every day. Hoping for a bit of a change, I turned on the radio to listen to while I showered.

"And now we have the new single from Maroon 5. I don't know about you, but I love this band and their new song," prattled the obnoxious girl on the radio. I hung my head and stood, headed for the bathroom. "Hope you do too!"

The music started, and the strange voice of the singer filled the room and my ears. Admit it. The guy's got a weird voice.

However, once the song got going, I found myself really listening to the lyrics. And, as the hot water washed over me and cleaned me of the sleep grunginess, I found that I liked it.

But as songs go, it got stuck in my head. I went to work that day singing it.

The arena was as I remembered it. Exhaling happily, I told myself once again that I had the best job in the world. I got to work out in my private gym, train my Pokemon all day long, and battle the occasional challenger that trickled in.

Yeah, being a Champion rocked.

Anyways, while I was training I liked to listen to music, so I flipped the Gym speakers to the same station I was listening to that morning, and headed over to where Pikachu was bathing himself.

Training got underway, and lo and behold that same song came on the radio. I paused to really listen to the words.

"So scared of breaking it, that you won't let it bend. And I wrote two hundred letters, I will never send. Sometimes these cut are so much deeper then they seem. You'd rather cover up, I'd rather let them bleed."

Huh. Somehow, that reminded me of myself.

"So let me be; I'll set you free."

I folded my arms. Yeah. If Misty would just leave me be, I'd let her be free. Like, for a week or something. Then she'd have to be right back in my arms.

I sighed. It was hopeless.

"I am in misery. There ain't nobody who can comfort me, oh yeah. Why won't you answer me? The silence is slowly killing me, oh yeah."

Misty usually didn't return my calls. Once I actually had to call the phone company and cancel her Caller ID just so she would talk to me. Her excuse for not answering was that she was cooking. Yeah right. Misty—cooking.

"Girl, you really got me bad, you really got me bad. I'm gonna get you back, I'm gonna get you back."

I hesitated. Was some higher power trying to speak to me in the form of song?

My Pokemon were staring at me quizzically, curious as to why we had ceased training so abruptly. I was deep in thought and hardly noticed them. I could get Misty back for all the misery she'd caused me. I could get her really good.

"Hey," I said slowly, a plan formulating in my head. "I think we can take a break from training today." As if I were in a dream, I slid my cell phone from my pocket. Oh yeah. Misty was gonna get it good.

"Okay," I said quietly, "Misty always comes here for lunch. I heard her telling May that the other day."

"Uh huh," Dawn replied, not looking up from her phone. "And where do I come in?"

"Just hang on my arm like there's something going on between us," I told her. "I'll do all the talking."

Dawn just nodded. She clicked her phone shut and slid it in her pocket. "Zoey says hi," she said.

"Oh really? Hi, Zoey—ack, wait, I'm getting distracted." I glared at Dawn. "Don't let me lose focus. I lose focus and this whole thing comes unraveled." Suddenly, I spied Misty taking a seat by the window. "There she is. Let's go."

I linked my arm through Dawn's and strolled by the window, making doe eyes at her and giggling like she'd just told a funny joke. Dawn, to my surprise, fell right into the role, her crystal blue eyes sparkling up at me and her laughter genuine. She clung to my arm as if she couldn't get enough of me.

I had to make sure I didn't look over to see Misty, or else the whole plan would be ruined.

My back burned with the intensity of her glare, but I did not turn. Dawn and I strolled by the pristine glass window, under the striped canopy outside. She leaned against my shoulder, and I brushed a strand of her midnight blue hair behind her ear.

The chair in the restaurant screeched so loudly that a collective groan resonated from inside. As we reached the end of the window, I chanced a glance back, and saw Misty's table was empty.

Where had we gone wrong? I thanked Dawn for her assistance and headed back to the gym. My Pokemon all stared at me, confused, as I distractedly set them back into training. My thoughts were muddled with that of Misty. Was she okay with seeing me with Dawn? What if I had just messed up our entire relationship?

I decided to head home early. No one had been at the arena all day and no one would be coming. My Elite Four were just that: elite. Not just anybody got through them.

My iPod was playing the radio. I scanned the stations, searching for something that wasn't bubble gum crap. Of course, I came across that Maroon 5 song. It was being overplayed. I don't want to hear the same song more than once a day, and here I was on time number three. I was already starting to hate it.

Why had I listened to the stupid song? Now I had a guilty conscience. I was going to have to call her as soon as I walked in the door and beg her to take me back. Mew, she had me wrapped around her finger!

I sighed and shook my head. I wasn't getting anywhere, trying to get Misty back for all the misery—did I really just use that word?—she'd caused me. This wasn't worth losing her over. She could kill me; I really didn't care. As long as she was mine.

My apology speech was already forming in my head as I stepped in the yard of my home. This was something that would have to be face to face. I could invite her to lunch—hell, I'd cook her a gourmet meal. And then I would spin her a long tale of how the outing with Dawn had meant nothing, nothing! Misty would probably say "Well, Ash, you've outdone yourself" and slap me silly, kiss me, and then leave.

Yep. I could live with that. I made my way up the steps to my house and stuck the key in the lock, only to find that by turning it, I locked the door. This left me confused. I always locked the door. Force of habit. Every time I shut the door, I made sure it was locked.

So why had it been unlocked?

I shoved the key in again and turned the knob. Someone was in my house. That damn motherfucker better not have stolen anything, because if he was still in there, I was going to beat the hell outta him.

I tore the door open, Pikachu at the ready. The lights were all off, the curtains drawn. It felt dark and depressing, even ominous.

"C'mon, Pikachu," I whispered, and we crept inside. I was going to get whoever was hiding in my house and beat him senseless. Who on earth had the nerve to break into the Champion's home?

The radio had been turned off. I could have sworn I left it on this morning. So whoever they were, they had been in my bedroom. It was as good a place as any to start. With Pikachu scampering after me, I hustled to the room and flicked on the light.

I had to rub my eyes and open them again. Misty was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. There were lines from tears on her cheeks, and as I watched, a few more rolled down. She turned to the side and looked at me pitifully. Her eyes were red and swollen, and angry red blotches dotted her face.

"Misty?" I said incredulously.

She swung off the bed and took two long steps to get to me. Her arms wrapped around my neck, her upset face a few inches from mine. "I love you, Ash," she whispered huskily. "Have I ever told you that?"

I blinked. "Sober? No, you haven't," I replied.

Misty blinked several times, as if she were fighting off another round of tears. "I'm sorry I never did. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I treat you like crap so much of the time, but really, I couldn't live without you."

I am embarrassed to say that my jaw dropped. Worried, I placed my hand on her forehead. "Are you feeling alright? Tell me, is your vision fuzzy?"

She shook her head. "I'm seeing clearly, Ash. I've been so negligent of your affections and how well you treat me. I take you for granted so much. Please forgive me," she begged.

I almost laughed with joy. It worked! Misty saw me with Dawn and now she was jealous and begging me to take her back. I couldn't believe it! "Of course I forgive you," I told her. "Unlike you, I remember to tell you I love you on a regular basis."

Misty smiled slightly. Slowly, she stood up on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. It made my heart flutter. "I'll be sure to do it more often," she promised.

It was so not Misty talking there! I couldn't stand it. I had to tell her. "It worked," I said happily.

Her brow furrowed. "What worked?"

"I made you jealous," I teased.

Misty's confusion quickly became a glare. "Excuse me?" she demanded.

It suddenly occurred to me that this was not one of my better ideas. "W-well," I began, now nervous, "I was sick of you abusing me and stuff, and then I heard this song on the radio and decided I would—."

"Whoa, whoa, you're telling me you faked a date with Dawn purposely outside the restaurant where I was eating lunch just to make me jealous?" she cried.

Frightened, I gave a small nod.

"All because of a song on the radio," she finished, looking to me for confirmation.

Another nod.

Misty narrowed her eyes and stepped back, folding her arms. "I must say," she started, "I'm impressed. You really showed off your devious side." She turned around, back to me. I winced, bracing myself for the worst. "Now tell me, Ash…" Misty turned back to me, holding something that looked suspiciously like lingerie. "What on earth am I going to do with this now that I don't need to apologize?"

My eyes bulged. "Uh," was all I could come up with.

Later, after possibly the most wonderful night of my life, Misty wriggled up next to me, waking me. "I've got you so bad, Ash," she said evilly.

I smirked down at her. "And I got you back," I replied.

Needless to say, it's become one of my favorite songs.

*AN: Yay! My first song fic! It was fun. I hope I didn't exceed the T rating with that little ending right there. I've read some that are worse, so... I think I'm clear. Hope ya'll liked it! Tell me what you thought and stuff, you know, cuz I like that. Later.

By the by, the song is "Misery" by Maroon 5. Hopefully no one else has written a song fic for this song yet...*