Disclaimer: Pokémon is not mine. XD No suing.

Key:

- Dream State - , Flashback , ' thoughts ', " Dialogue "

Rating: T

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Giselle and Gary stared at each other as Ash and Misty hung suspended beside them. Giselle had teleported them all to the middle of the ocean, and all four were at the mercy of the ones in control of the magic.

Giselle flipped her hair and smiled at Gary who was vulnerable as he stared hopelessly at his ex-best friend and fiance. What had he done to deserve any of this? Or had he merely simply been blind all of this time?

"Nothing good ever comes of love. Don't you agree?" she muttered sweetly, sliding over to whisper in his ear. "But, with your help... I could make all the pain just... go away."

Gary glanced at her mournfully, not comprehending. "With... my help?" He glanced back at the pair and shook his head. "It's hopeless..."

Giselle rubbed his shoulders soothingly. "Nonsense... do you remember this?" she asked him, fingering the medallion at her neck.

He glanced at it for a moment. "I... I gave that to Ash." he managed quietly.

"Yes... and he gave it to me. You see, we're in the same boat here, you and I." she explained. "You want her, and I want him." she pointed to Misty and Ash. "Or have I misunderstood what just happened back at your party?"

Gary frowned vaguely, falling to his knees on the green-glass floor that appeared beneath them. He shook his head, "What is it you want from me?" he demanded, tears falling down his cheeks. "It's bad enough that this has happened."

"But don't you see? Together, we could make it un-happen! We have the power, with the help of this." she said, holding the medallion high above her head. It flashed green and power swirled around it.

"We... can?" Gary asked, an uneasy curiosity settling in his chest.

"All you have to do is want it. This pendant belongs to you after all. It obeys your command far better than it does mine. So wish it, Gary Oak. Wish that Misty loved you and you alone, and she will." Giselle whispered, hanging the chain around Gary's neck.

As soon as it was free of her grasp the two of them dropped out of the grasp of the green energy and fell to the glass floor. Neither were conscious at first, then slowly Misty opened her eyes.

"Wish... that's all you have to do..." Giselle whispered darkly. Gary fought with himself a moment, then fell to the temptation laid before him. A greenish hue enveloped Misty and she rose slowly to her feet, staring at the two of them blankly as though she wasn't sure who they were.

"That's it... what is it that you want?"

"Misty..." Gary replied and the young woman walked towards him. On his knees he saw her, a smile of love upon her face. True love... just as he asked for, it was almost to much!

"Gary... don't" Ash coughed at last from his place on the ground, his brown eyes looking sadly upon his old friend.

Giselle felt Gary's anger flare and massaged his shoulders again. "Pay him no mind. Why should he not live? And why should he not be mine? It would be torture enough... don't you agree?" she grinned.

Misty knelt before him, and took his hands in hers. "Ga-ry" she chanted softly.

"Gary, please!" Ash begged, his voice getting stronger as he gathered his wits about him, rising to his knees slowly.

Gary stared into Misty's green-flecked blue eyes. He stared into everything he'd ever wanted, power, fame, fortune, love. She promised it, just as he asked her to.

It was too easy...

"Well, how can I expect to become a pokemon master if I just sit around here all the time defending my title?" Ash asked the reporters rhetorically. "I can't. So it makes much more sense if someone who really wanted to be champion anyways stays here and defends the title in my place... at least until I want it back." he finished, gesturing to Gary.

"What do you want? Take it!" Giselle giggled with glee.

"No..." he whispered quietly, realizing the truth within his soul.

Giselle recoiled. "What?"

"No." Gary repeated, more firmly this time. The green glow dissapated immediately and Misty blinked only a moment before rushing back to Ash's side.

Giselle slapped the brunet, snatching the chain back from him in one move. "I don't understand you." she said quietly, the medallion glowing green once more. "You could have had everything!" she shrieked. The green glow wrapped itself around her, pulsing into a flame akin to Gary's own. Though smaller than he could make it, it was still deadly in it's own right.

Gary reeled and fingered his cheek, a few tears escaping his closed lids. "You're wrong Giselle." he muttered quietly. Then, gathering his strength, he looked directly up at her. His blue eyes seemed to shimmer with a powerful secret strength that was rarely seen in people.

In that moment, as the wind ruffled through his brown hair, Ash could have sworn that he could see the young Professor Samuel Oak shining through his grandson.

"You're wrong" he repeated quietly, rising to his feet. "Either way, I would have had nothing at all. To win Misty's heart in such a fashion... I could never allow it. To have to keep such a spell up indefinately because she would surely leave me if I even thought to unwish it... to never know the truth in her heart in spite of my wishes, such things would never sit well with me. I would have her the right way... the only way that there is in this world... or I simply cannot have her at all." Gary finished.

"So be it." Giselle cried, and before Gary could react, she cast a beam of deadly green energy at the orange-haired woman who stood like a deer in headlights... waiting for the end that was inevitable.

...

.....

.......

Misty blinked, surely what had just happened... had been a dream? The green energy had come at her in it's deadly arc. Gary was too late in tackling the woman to the ground. Misty braced herself for death... but had not been expecting the emerald flash of clothing she had seen whip before her eyes as Ash's arms had encircled her.

"Ash..." the sound of his name had fallen from her lips without reaching his ears. The green glow encircled them both, and Misty found herself in tears.

But death still did not come.

Miraculously, the glow receeded from their huddled form, momentarily shapeshifting into the appearance of a young girl with long flowing hair and robes. She winked at them a moment before vanishing in the glow. From where she'd stood the green became infected with the brightest white light.

The strongest power in the world... locked in a small yin-yang pendant. Was overly happy to respond it's master who's pure hearted intentions had joined it's own power to the power of the chosen one and the innocent girl. It overwhelmed Giselle, her body pulsing white light as they heard her scream for the last time. "NOOOOOO"

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Rozu