Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the movie Sherlock Holmes. Digital Brownies are ready to be given to anyone who can figure out where the Sherlock Holmes reference is before the reveal in the next chapter.

Thanks to everyone who read this story so far, especially those who reviewed and favorited! I hope you like this chapter too.

Also, sorry for the long wait on the update. Misty has been hard for me to write because my personality and the character's personality are almost diametrically opposed. That being said, thanks to all the authors on this site who have taken on writing her character recently and inspired me enough to not only be able to tackle this character, but to hopefully have improved in my writing as well!

Chapter 3

Misty – 11:27pm-2:02am

I cannot believe this is happening to me. I mean really, I have been stuck in some rotten situations during my travels with Ash but this one takes the cake. If only this situation was like all the others back then; an ordinary day of traveling turns upside down when Ash does something rash despite my warnings, we have an adventure, and somehow through stubborn determination, insistent kindness and with a good old fashioned pokemon battle against Team Rocket as well as fellow trainers everything works out for the better. Why can't the same formula work for me now?

Oh yeah, because my two best friends ditched me when the going got tough. Didn't they know me better? Just because I have a bit of a temper and go after what I want with a unwavering passion doesn't mean I would completely forget my principles to do Team Rocket's violent dirty work. I mean, it's not like I have kept my low opinion of Team Rocket to myself all these years. They would have known – no, they should have known better.

Resisting the urge to curl up into a ball and cry, I let out a small sigh.

It won't be long now. Crying wouldn't do any good at this point. Besides if it's going to be all over soon then I am going out with my head held high. That's right; I told myself as a forced my body to move from off the floor where I had been sitting and wipe my blurring eyes. You are strong, confident, and beautiful. No need for shedding tears. Those traitors weren't worth the effort it would take to cry anyway. Plus, if I can look back every day – more times than I would like to admit – looking to see if they came, only to see empty seats beside Mrs. Ketchum without any waterworks then I can stay strong now. Right? Right.

Unconsciously I nodded my head with new found resolve. At least I wasn't completely alone. Mrs. Ketchum and my lawyer would be there for me, like they have been from the beginning. A small smile began to tug at the corner of my mouth.

Unfortunately the warm feeling connected to that smile didn't last long as I realized how much it would have hurt, Mrs. Ketchum especially, to be there for me right now. She's going to be so hurt. Who will be there for her when this is all her since her own flesh and blood had proven to be completely useless?

"ARGH!"

I scream in frustration, simultaneously kicking my foot against the wall in the process as anger overtook my melancholy thoughts.

Can't there just be one ray of sunshine right now instead of depression and misery for everybody stuck in this mess? Seriously! I don't want me or the people close to me to spend the last bits of my life worried and upset!

I kick the wall one more time for good measure. My foot responded to this maltreatment by shooting signals of throbbing pain. I knew neither my foot nor the wall deserved it but I had to get my frustration out somehow, and despite my foot I was actually feeling better. I felt almost empty, even. What a relief.

Sinking to the hard, unclean lump the prison had the gall to call a bed I let off another sigh while closing my eyes. Silence, now that is something I haven't felt in a long time; not on the inside anyway. Not since this whole fiasco with Team Rocket started.

Nothing was going to bother me right now. Not missing, unhelpful friends. Not Team Rocket's diabolical schemes that would continue on as my knowledge goes to the grave. Not my lawyers constant nagging to get me to talk when it would only land me in the nuthouse, because no one would believe me. Not my lawyers other complaints, this time thankfully directed at people other than me, about how my sentence was illegal because it was not within the grounds of the crimes I had been convicted of. Not the fact that I should have had more time to come to grips with what's happening today and yet my affairs in order. No, nothing was going to bother me right now; not one bit.

I rolled over to my side facing the wall – one that I hadn't slightly cracked with my venting – and let out an exasperated sigh as the sweet feeling of nothingness fled as quickly as it came. As I did so, a metallic banging noise was heard, one that I quickly identified as the door opening signaling the guard's arrival. There goes the rest of my sweet silence. The universe must be out to get me today. Maybe it's bad karma for hitting the wall, twice.

Just as I was about to explore that possibility I noticed something interesting. The two men standing before me are not my usual guards. In fact they looked vaguely familiar. Probably because the taller one had a silly mustache that looked just like the one Brock wore when he did his singing routine with maracas to impress women. Technically the reason was that he was stalling while we helped the real performers get their pokemon back from Team Rocket, but I know Brock so I know the real reason was girl related somehow. As for the short guy he wore fingerless gloved just like Ash has ever since I met him over eight years ago.

Wait a minute. I must be crazy; delusional even. There is no way Brock and Ash are here right now posing as my guards. Then again, what are the odds that my new guards have those two exact things at the same time?

As I was pondering the possibility the taller one motioned for me that it was time to go. Robotically I arose from the so called bed and moved towards them. Inwardly I was cursing my bad luck that the guard didn't use words. Maybe I should have held out until he had. Then I would know for sure if it was them - or I would just get roughed up. Some of the guards liked to do that in prison, especially to inmates they didn't like.

All right then. I'll just have to think of something else. Think Misty, think.

Any other cloths or accessories wouldn't help here since the rest of their attire was police issued – supposedly – so I had to think of another aspect of their appearance. That's it! Their appearance! They can change cloths both they can't change their faces! Not with surgery anyway.

Invigorated by my brilliant new plan of action I looked hopefully at their faces as they led me down the brightly lit hallway. It didn't take me long though to figure out the lights were working against me, just like everything else seems to be doing today, for the bright lights caused a shadow to cover their most distinctive features. Of course, their identical impassive expressions didn't help either.

Curse you, bad karma!

Before I could contemplate the ramifications of cursing the bad karma already set against me, I realized the door to the next room was getting uncomfortably close. The last room I would ever enter in my life. Fear suddenly set in. I'm not ready to die yet! There is so much more in my life to do! Ash! Brock! Somebody, anybody save me! Another wave of panic crashed against my already frightened heart as I saw 'Brock' open the door. As he did, a quick reflection of the fear in my eyes flashed against the small glass pane.

NO!

No, I will not think that way. I am brave. I am strong. I can get through this. I am going to hold my head up high no matter what. I would have said this to myself out loud – thinking out loud is usually quite comforting to me. However, it seemed like my throat had constricted to the point any verbal communication suddenly became improbable at best. So I would just have to keep thinking it. I can do this. I CAN do this. I will not cry. I am strong. I will not cry.

My heroes must not have heard my silent pleadings, for they had yet to emerge in all their white knight shining glory. All I had right now was to be able to look at my best friend's mother, my last emotional lifeline that I could now see thanks to one of the guards opening that awful door, and my own stubborn will to carry on.

The guard who opened the door did not return to my side but rather moved towards the other monstrosity they had the nerve to call a bed. I guess the more correct term is stretcher, but don't they use those for patients they want to live? Not wanting to dwell on this nightmare train of thought further I returned my focus to Ash's Mom as the other guard moved me in her direction. No one had noticed us yet, thank goodness. I hate it when they stare at me, like a dangerous caged animal that had just done some horrific deed. Oh right, that is how they thought of me.

As if bad karma was particularly out to spite me today, every eye in the room on the other side of the glass wall fixed on me. Great, I knew it was bad to curse bad karma. Oh well, it won't matter for long anyway. Ugh, no, I can't think that way. I am a fighter, and my knights in shining armor had a slight tendency to come in at the very last second.

I can't believe I am still hoping for them to come. Can I not take a hint?

Rather than look at the circle of official know-it-alls or the family group whose glare was unnerving at the very least, I continued to focus on Delia and the Professor. Who knew he would show. Goodness knows he wasn't here for me. At least Delia would have someone to lean on. Knowing that relieved some of the tension constricting my chest.

Just then Delia surprised me, successfully pulling me from my thoughts, by showing me a folded scrap of paper. On the side that showed it read, "I love you and believe you."

If Professor Oak's presence lessened the tension then Delia's message freed me heart completely. Suddenly the other people looking at me like a crazed zoo exhibit didn't matter anymore. I wasn't alone. Someone loved me and believed in me, and despite everything else going on right now that knowledge was enough was enough. Delia quickly flipped it over to the other side. I didn't know how she would top that note but I read eagerly anyway.

"Trust the guards."

What kind of note was that? How would she know anything about the guards, especially since they changed last minute? There was simply no way she would know the guards were trustworthy. Unless she knew who the guards were. Maybe my knights in shining armor came after all. Then again, what if they unintentionally fooled us both?

One look at Delia's scared, yet determined expression, and I knew what my answer was. I was going to trust them, if only because she trusted them. After all, at this point I had nothing to lose. I smiled and mouthed the only two words I could think of to adequately express myself. Even though there was no way she could have heard me, I knew she understood. So I smiled for her sake as well as mine, as the guard moved me over to face the haughty group dressed in official clothing.

At least I still didn't have to look at the families.

The next couple of minutes passed too quickly for my own comfort. Delia's words still rang in my head, but the tension in my chest quickly returned as the reality of how little time I had left came crashing down on my like a giant wave. I know that's an accurate description thanks to previous adventures. A passionate outburst from my lawyer added slightly to the comfort, but the desperation and lack of hope it carried made my heart chest constrict in horror that much faster.

Nothing was happening. The judge, the families, the prosecution were all getting their way. I am going to die if somebody doesn't do something!

By this point the second guard had returned to my side. The guard who bore semblance to Brock looked relieved. It hardly registered the soft ministrations from the gloved hand of the guard who looked like Ash on my elbow as he moved me in the direction of the doctor who had just entered the room. My mind was too busy screaming at me, trying to understand why one of the people I am supposed to be trusting looked relieved at a time like this! Then I noticed his hands looked oily. He had been holding me before so I knew this was a new development. Why would his hands be wet? The only liquid-like substance in the room was contained in the needles the doctor is currently prepping for me. Did he tamper with them? Was that how they were planning on saving me? How could they possibly fool the doctor? He's a trained professional with proper equipment for crying out loud!

My inner rant disparaging the intelligence of their scheme continued for the next several minutes, thus successfully distracting me for the next few minutes as they got me into position. The doctor must not have liked me being distracted because he had the nerve to interrupt me to ask if I had anything to say. Oh I had a thing or two to say; to the bad karma out to get me, to my either traitorous or dense best friends, to the annoying doctor, to the know-it-alls in the next room. The list goes on! It would take hours to say everything I needed to say! Unfortunately I don't have that kind of time to I decided to go out graciously and keep in ranting silent. It would be their loss not to hear my last words anyway. For this way my last words will now be a thank you to the one person who stood by me this whole crazy adventure.

With that thought I closed my eyes hoping it would not be the last time I did so, bracing myself for whatever happened next.

.N.P.

The dark fog clogging my mind slowly began to lift. Finally! I wasn't quite sure whether or not I was alive or dead. As I became more conscious I came to realize I was quite sore in several areas of by body. Ugh. To think moments ago I was excited to be more conscious. At least the pain helped settle the debate of whether I was alive. Heaven was supposed to be peaceful, happy, and pain free. So I was either still alive and the quote on quote guard's plan had worked, or I ended up in the fiery pit down below. Great.

Risking opening my eyes, a movement that made me unconsciously smile considering the circumstances, I see a vaulted ceiling made out of wood. Further evaluation of my surroundings confirmed I was in a cabin quite similar to the one's we would travel in on our journeys. Indescribable hope and warmth rose in my chest that I was indeed alive.

Unfortunately this also meant the bad karma that continues to haunt me is still in play, and it made itself manifest both quickly and potently in the face of the person I had longed and loathed to see for months now. The face of Ash Ketchum.

Well the secret is finally out. Misty is officially alive! Yay! Like always, please read and review. Let me know what you think or even just let me know that I messed up somewhere so I can fix it. Hopefully, my next update will be much quicker now that I have this perspective done. :)