December 21st, that's all anyone could talk about.
The world was ending.
At least that's what some ancient tomb an archeologist found in Celestic Town in Sinnoh.
People actually seemed to believe the ancient tomb, despite the fact they couldn't read the symbols etched in stone.
Even in Cerulean City, ten hours away from Sinnoh, the news was taking hold.
The Cerulean City Gym was getting quieter, less trainers coming through as the days ticked by until the day of reckoning.
One month . . . one week . . .
The Cerulean Gym might have seen three trainers the week of December 17th. Trainers were returning home – who wanted the world to end while trekking alone through a forest?
It made her think about Ash, the raven-haired trainer somewhere in Unova, who probably didn't even know about the ancient tomb in Celestic Town.
Her sisters' had thrown a 'Worlds Ending' party for the sake of having a party; inviting their friends, alongside Tracey and Brock (who actually brought Frontier Brain Lucy with him) so that Misty would have someone she hang out with at the party as well.
All too soon the party ended, neither of her previous companions putting much stock in the ancient tomb.
Tracey shrugged it off, commenting that he was getting a lot of commissions for sketch requests since his pictures started turning up in the monthly Poke-zine. Brock also said he'd be around to see December 22nd – him and Lucy were planning on getting married in the New Year – the would-be Pokemon Doctor getting down on one knee at the party.
Misty shook her head, glancing at the clock – 11:50 p.m.
In ten minutes, it was going to be December 21st, the Chosen Day, as her sisters' called it; putting air-quotations around that comment as they rolled their eyes.
Her three sisters were in bed now; the four of them had a photoshoot taking place the next morning for their upcoming performance. Misty had gone to bed earlier to appease her sisters – "Seriously Misty; you need to get to bed early! The last thing we need is bags under the Princess's eyes!" Daisy had exclaimed – but all Misty managed to do was toss and turn in her bed.
Eventually, she gave up on sleep, opting to watch some television instead. Who cares if she slept on the couch?
"It's just a picture," Misty grumbled, flopping down on the couch, the light from the television illuminating the room. "They worry too much about their photos, the last photographer they chose photoshopped everything anyway . . ." She hadn't liked that photographer much.
As she flipped through the channels, she stopped on the movie network, it was playing another romantic-comedy, but it was either that or an infomercial. Misty sighed, stretching out of the flowery couch, getting comfortable.
The clock hanging in their kitchen let out a chime, and then another.
Misty grinned, midnight.
It was officially December 21st.
Half interested, Misty glanced out the windows, the blinds slightly parted. She had expected something to happen; a meteor carrying the Clefairy streaking across the sky, a Meteor Shower the size of Charizard falling from the heavens . . . something.
Instead, the street light illuminating the sidewalk flickered and the clock read out 12:01 a.m.
How disappointing.
Then – ring, ring.
A loud, shrill ring pierced through the silence, making Misty jump a mile. Her heart beat wildly against her ribcage as she heard the phone beside the couch, above her head, ring. Not wishing to wake up her sisters, Misty quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position, sleepily reaching for the phone.
"Hello?" she said; her voice sleepy.
"Will you pick up this long-distance phone call from Opelucid City?" came an automated, chirpy voice.
Opelucid City? "Sure," Misty said with a shrug. It was probably the wrong number.
The line beeped at her as it tried to connect her with Opelucid City, the phone wedged between her cheek and shoulder as she reached for the dial to turn the television down. Then, the line went silent for a second before it came to life, multiple voices in the background.
"Um . . . hello?" she asked, only hearing the din of many voices.
"Misty?"
Misty blinked, recognizing the voice. "Ash? Ash Ketchum, is that you?"
"The one and only," Laughter came through the line, making Misty smile. "Sorry about not contacting you earlier –"
"Oh Ash," Misty sighed, rolling her eyes. "It's about time! I can't believe you came home from Sinnoh and didn't even contact me! Jeez, you don't even call me to say hello, I have to find out from Brock a month later."
"Hey, I was going to call you, but my mom was planning a vacation to Unova, she didn't expect me to come home so soon. So, I decided to go with her, it was a split second decision."
Misty let out a laugh, twirling the phone cord around her fingers as she talked. That was just like Ash, making decisions at the drop of a hat. "I guess I can forgive you," Misty trailed off, slightly smiling. "Even though it took you seven months to call . . ."
"Awe, come on Mist, I said I'm sorry," Ash said. She could picture him scrunching up his nose as he leaned back in his chair. "I figured this call could be a consolidation prize, what with it being December 21st –"
"You're such a kid; I told you that stupid discovery means nothing." Came a voice in the background, the voice muffled through the phone.
"That's Iris," Ash said, after saying something back to the other voice. "You'll get to meet her soon," Misty raised an eyebrow. "My mom's actually flying out to Opelucid City tomorrow; the Pokemon League Championship is taking place next week, and I'm going to make it to the finals; I'm ready to challenge Alder in order to acquire Master status."
Misty nodded; she didn't know who Alder was. "Good luck Ash, I know you can do it."
She had stopped travelling with him six years ago – he was more than ready in her opinion.
"Glad you think that – cause you're expected to be in Pewter City tomorrow."
"What?" Misty asked, pausing, the phone cord wrapped around her index finger.
Ash let out a laugh. "I've been sending my mom money I've earned since I left home ten years ago. If I'm challenging the Elite Four and the Champion, I need my friends here – my mom has your plane ticket and your flight leaves at 7:40 a.m. I can't wait to see you again, Misty!"
"Ash, wait –"
Click.
Misty stared at the phone, dumbfounded.
Glancing into the kitchen, the clock above the table read out 1:00 a.m.
Ash wanted her in Pewter City in six and a half hours. The airport terminal there wanted people checked in a minimum of two hours before take-off. She had roughly four hours to get to Pewter City.
Misty sighed, grabbing the television dial, turning the television off. How like Ash to call her up on a whim and throw something in her direction; as if she didn't have a life, prior commitments, a Gym to look after . . .
But, he knew she would show up, because as Misty thought about that, she was already heading upstairs to her room, her suitcase on the top shelf in her closet. "How like Ash, he didn't even tell me what the weather was like," she mumbled, snow hitting her bedroom window. She frowned, hands on her hips.
In the end, she decided on packing for all weather – shorts, capris, jeans, t-shirts, and sweaters. It wasn't like there wouldn't be stores in Unova, if she missed something. Grabbing her Poke balls that laid on her bedside table, she left her room in darkness, casting a glance at her sister's closed door.
Misty scrawled a quick note to her sister to explain her absence, leaving it on the kitchen table. She knew her sisters were going to be upset, she was the princess in their new play, and now she was leaving them high and dry. She expected her phone to ring off when she touched down in Unova, her sisters no doubt abusing her voicemail.
The clock read out 1:45 a.m.
She had just over three hours to cross Mount Moon; hopefully the main pathway wasn't snowed in. I really don't have time for a detour, she thought, zipping up her winter coat.
Tying her scarf around her face, her hat jammed down over her head, she disappeared into the snowy night; the night the world was supposed to end.
If the world was going to end, hopefully it waited until she got to Unova.
If she was going to die some kind of death, she wanted to be surrounded by her friends.
But then again, she didn't really believe in the ancient tomb from Celestic Town . . .
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A.N. – Yes, December 21 has already come and gone but I didn't have a lot of time until into the New Year and put the story into words. Enjoy – and congrats, you survived as well.