Songs in the Key of M: Stronger

Songs in the Key of M: Stronger


Authors Note:

This song is by Britney Spears and I used this song because I wanted to tie up the loose end of Misy's past. Namely one Rok Summers.

The lyrics will be bolded.

The lyrics are what the main character is saying to someone else.

I siged as I stared out the living room window. It felt like Ash had been gone for months instead of days. I looked at Togepi, sleeping peacefully on my lap and smiled. I'd had Togepi for so long and yet it hadn't evolved. It had learned Headbutt and I was pretty sure it knew Metronome. I rarely used Togepi in battle. Instead, I leveled it up in battles against both mine and Ashs' Pokémon.

"Misty!" A woman's voice called from the kitchen. "Could you come here, please?"

I got up, laying Togepi on the couch, a blanket tucked around it to prevent it from rolling off the couch. "Coming," I called out. Togepi stirred, but did not waken. I sighed as I walked to the kitchen. Togepi hadn't been sleeping well lately and I was worried there was something wrong with it.

"Yes, Deliah?" Ash's mom had asked me a long time ago to call her by her first name.

"Ash called early this morning while you were sleeping, around 7 or so," she said, wiping her hands on a towel. "I wanted to know if you could go down to the ferry to wait for him. It should be coming in in a half-hour or so and I know he has a bunch of packages."

"Sure thing. I'll leave now." I couldn't keep the edge of excitement out of my voice. I'd missed him so much!

I saw Deliah smile as I turned and left the room. I grinned to myself as I picked up Togepi and walked to the foyer to put my shoes on. I took only Starmie's Pokéball, placing it on my belt. Even though Pallet was a totally safe city, I never left home without at least one Pokémon, and no better Pokémon to take than a Water Type.

Togepi was still asleep when I closed the door and walked out into the late morning sunshine. As I walked to the docks, I thought back to what the woman in Goldenrod had told me over the phone.

If your Pokémon trust you fully and if you keep it happy, it will evolve on it's own accord.

I was going to go to Goldenrod City later this week to take Togepi to the Pokémon Salon. The brothers that ran the Salon had made so much money that they rented a whole floor in the PokéMart in Goldenrod.

Miiiisty...

I shivered despite the warm breeze. Where had that thought come from?

Miistyyyy...

I knew that memory: Rok Summers--Pokémon wipe-out.

After what happened between Rok and I, he had been disqualified from the Pokémon League and sent to a rehabillitation center on Cianwood Island in Johto. They stripped him of his Pokémon and he wouldn't be able to re-enter the League until he proved himself worthy.

I hadn't heard from him since the day he was sentanced in juvinile court. I had to be there to testify that he tried to...

I blinked and tried to forget the memory. His glare. The accusation in his eyes. The way he mouthed the words, "I'll get you."

But I was safe now. I had told Ash what happened to me and we were going steady, despite a few quarrels along the way. I lived in a small apartment complex that was adjacent to the Pallet Town PokéCenter. It was a modest two-bedroom apartment that was nothing compared to the Gym Leaders quarters I could have if I returned to the Cerulean Gym, but I was happy here and my sisters said they would take care of the Gym until I returned.

Brock had returned to Pewter City, both as a Gym Leader and as a Pokémon Breeder. He and Suzy were about to set a date; of that I was sure of!

Brock and Suzy's happiness was all I was thinking of as I made my way up a small hill, I could smell the salty air of the sea beyond. The hill wasn't steep or high and it was flat topped, a Pokémart on one side and woods on the other.

I was about to go down the small rise when a voice stopped me cold in my tracks.

"Nice to see you again, Misty."

I turned and for a moment, everything was in slow motion. My hair was once again long and to my waist and it spun with me. Togepi vanished from my arms as I stared at Rok.

"No," I whispered, hugging Togepi to my chest, its smooth egg shell bringing me back to the present. "No, you will not torment me any longer."

"I beg to differ." His eyes were bloodshot and he was very thin. His face had a small growth of dark stubble and his hair was unkempt and straggly. His clothes were the baggy white of the Cianwood Island Rehabilitation Center. "I think we have a score to settle." He took out a Pokéball and it maximized in his dirty hands.

"What do you mean?"

He smiled, a smile that did not reach his eyes. "A two on two Pokémon battle. If you win, I will leave you alone...forever. If I win, I get to keep your Pokémon and you have to tell the League you lied and I was sent to rehab as an innocent victim of your disgusting lies."

But I didn't lie.

I frowned. How dare he make me do this?

"Hush, just stop.
There's nothing you can do or say.
I've had enough,
I'm not your property as of today."
"Oh no," Rok rolled his eyes, "There she goes again. What's with the song and rhymes, Misty? I know you can't make it without your boyfriend."

"What was that!"

"C'mon, Misty, everyone knows you live in the shadow of the Great Ash Ketchum! You couldn't win the title of League Master if you tried!"

I snarled at him,

"You, might, think that I won't make it on my own.
But now I'm...
Stronger, than yesterday.
Now it's nothing but my way.
My lonliness ain't killing me no more."

"You see! I have Ash in my life now. I love him and he loves me. You don't threaten me anymore, Rok. You can't scare me!"

"Enough of this. You couldn't match up to Britney anyway." He tossed the Pokéball. "Let's battle!"

I put Togepi down under a tree a safe distance behind me and tossed Starmie's Pokéball. "Go, Starmie!"

"Go, Thermal!"

But I thought the League stripped him of his Pokémon!

"You look baffled, Misty!" He laughed as the Charizard reformed and snorted a blast of flame, "I made a pitstop at my folks' place before hitting Pallet. Thermal and I are old friends, aren't we!"

Thermal glared at Rok.

Rok blanched slightly, but grabbed something from his pocket and took it out. It was slender and fine-tipped. Rok snapped off the tip and a flare sprung to life.

"A tourch! Where'd you steal that from?" I snapped at him. Starmie stood in front of me and posed threateningly.

"Oh, I took them from my parents' house. They won't miss them," He smirked, "Like they didn't miss me."

"Too bad for you," I said, ordering Starmie to attack with a Water Gun. I knew I would be on the up with an advantage type over the Charizard, but if it was at a higher level than Starmie, it would be a long fight.

Thermal flew up into the air at Rok's command and the Water attack slammed into a tree, knocking off a thick branch. Starmie spun around at my command, but it was too slow to avoid a Tackle by Thermal.

I cried out as Starmie tumbled appendage over appendage, dust rising.

Many onlookers had gathered at a safe distance, though a few walked around us with out a second look. Not a one noticed the back of Rok's shirt, emblazoned with the Cianwood Island Rehabilitation Center logo.

"I'm stronger,
That I ever thought that I could be.
I used to go with the flow.
Didn't really care 'bout me.
You, might. think that I can't take it, but you're wrong.
'Cause now I'm..."

I broke off as Starmie was Tackled into me and we both flew backwards, crashing into a tree. Under the tree next to us, Togepi woke up and looked around, confused.

People around us gasped and cried out.

"He can't do that!"

"That's against League rules!"

"He just ordered that Charizard to attack that girl!"

And yet none of them made a move to help.

"You through yet, Misty? Your little starfish is!"

I looked down at Starmie, it's jewel cracked and blinking. A small pinging noise was its only distress call.

I recalled Starmie, its weight off my legs and I stood up slowly. My left ankle threatened to give out and when I looked down, I could see blood trickling down both my legs from shallow cuts made by Starmie's rough skin.

"I'm Stronger than yesterday.
Now it's nothing but my way.
My lonliness ain't killing me no more.
I'm Stronger."

I felt Togepi batting my leg and I looked down.

"Brii!" It said, staring up at me with determination in its eyes.

"You want to battle...for me?"

"Toge!"

I smiled at Togepi, tears of pride stinging my eyes. "Allright..."

"Misty!"

Both Rok and I spun at the voice, saw the tall form struggling through the small crowd.

Ash...

"Misty!" He cried out again, finally making his way through the crowd. His old League hat was on backwards and he had his hands full with several packages. Pikachu was at his side, a small box in his paws.

"What's going on here?" He demanded.

I heard the crowd murmer at Ash's arrival and I felt ten times better just knowing he was here for me.

"We were just having a little competitive battle, Ash," The last word was practically spat from Rok's mouth.

"You're Rok Summers, aren't you?"

"Hmm, you're smarter than people give you credit for." Rok smirked. "Yes I am Rok and if you're done with your revelations, Misty and I have a battle to finish. Unless you have no other Pokémon to battle with, Mistay."

Thermal flapped his wings, the strong gust driving up a large dust cloud.

"Misty, take one of my Pokémon...At least take Pikachu!"

"Pi, Pikachupi!" Pikachu agreed, pumping his small fists in the air.

I grinned at their macho-ry and shook my head, "No thanks, guys. Togepi is going to battle for me."

Togepi waddled out and faced the huge orange lizard.

"Brii!" It trilled out.

Both Ash and Pikachu, along with most of the crowd, almost fainted in exasperation.

Rok just grinned, "You're making this way too easy for me, Mist."

I glared at him, "No I'm not and you have no right to call me that!" From the corner of my eye, I saw Ash and Pikachu walk back into the crowd and I had no time to call out to him.

"Gee, Misty, looks like your boyfriend isn't gonna stick up for you." He lit another tourch. "What's love got to do with you?"

Ash...no...you can't leave me...

Suddenly I was filled with an iron resolve to defeat Rok. Call it determination or whatever. Just say that it was the smug expression in Rok's eyes. All I knew was that I wanted to kick his ass.

"Come on, now!"

I shouted out the first command to Togepi.

Metronome.

Togepi trilled and narrowed its eyes in concentration. From the corner of my eye, I saw the faintest apparition of a gloved hand, glitter trailing from it, as it waved in the air beside Togepi.

Suddenly, jets of water struck Thermal and the big lizard roared in surprise and flew high into the air.

"Oh, yeah!"

I couldn't resist a moment of smugness, until it was blasted away by a Gust attack from Thermal and it blew my little Pokémon into my arms.

Togepi trilled and shook itself out of my arms and faced its opponent.

Face to face.

Small white-shelled Pokémon standing not five feet from the huge Fire Pokémon.

Rok's expression was of total glee.

"Oh Togepi," I whispered as Togepi powered up for another attack.

The crowd all around us seemed to be collectively holding their breath as I ordered another Metronome.

Again the glove and this time a wide beam of white struck the Charizard.

Ice Beam.

"Here I go, on my own.
I don't need nobody, better off..."

"Allright!! Enough, just stop maiming my favorite song!" Rok was practically clutching his ears and writing in pain.

"What-ever." I snarled at him. The Ice Beam wasn't powerfull enough to do any damage to Thermal at all and it actually shook paw to paw with Togepi, congratulating it.

Togepi trilled and waddled back over to me, jumping up and down, trilling all the while in its excitement.

"Halt right there!" A female voice.

The crowd parted around the voice and three figures broke through the crowd, three more following.

"You people can leave now, there's nothing more to see!" Officer Jenny demanded, her Growlithe reinforcing her order.

Rok ran to Officer Jenny, his hands up in defeat. "Please take me away! Lock me up! I confess, I set up the whole thing! Just don't let me hear her singing anymore!"

Two of Officer Jenny's officers arrested Rok after he recalled Thermal.

As I watched them take away Rok, I leaned into Ash, feeling the heat of him beside me.

"You didn't think I was just abandoning you, didja?" He smiled kindly down at me.

"Nah," I said, slapping him lightly, "I knew what you were doing."

"Pikachupi!! Pipipi!!"

I looked down at Pikachu's sudden chatter and saw...

"Oh my!" I exclaimed, "Togepi!"

Togepi was bathed in a bright white glow and suddenly, my little Egg Pokémon wasn't an Egg Pokémon anymore.

"Toge..tic!" Togepi...er, Togetic trilled cutely, fluttering its little white wings.

"Oh, Toge!" I laughed, picking up my cutie.

This time, Togetic flew up--a little shakily--and landed on my shoulders, a la Pikachu.

"Now we really are a team!" I grinned at Ash.

"Let's go home and celebrate!"

"I agree," I said, walking away.

"Hey! What about all these packages?" Ash's cry of dismay rang out.

"Pi!"

"You guys are big, strong men. Figure it out!" I said, running off, my Togetic laughing on my shoulder.

Finally a litle peace for Misty. Just don't bring up Karaoke night to her, okay?