Untitled Normal Page
Blood Red Roses -
Chapter 2
Author's notes: Oooo. Aren't you
excited? Well, I am. It's my birthday today and I'm going to
London tomorrow! C-ya ^___^
---
"Are you
alright Ash?" She asked him with concern. She focused just
below his eye, where the skin was throbbing a glowing red.
"Ugh, where'd
he go?" Ash grumbled in confusion.
Misty gently
placed her hand on his temple. "Nowhere. Does it hurt?"
She asked, leaning in for a closer look.
Ash propped
himself up slightly, and looked around. "Where's he?"
He repeated dazedly, blinking repeatedly.
"Nowhere,
now settle down." She insisted forcefully, and began
removing the gloves from her hands.
Ash dropped down
backwards, gazing at the tall ceiling above him. It was striped
blue and white, and the stripes warped inwards at the center;
they led to a distant shaded area. The left side of his face was
screaming with pain, and it seemed to bulge outward below his eye
vision.
The only feeling
he had, besides the pain, was anger. Anger opposing his best
friend - his best man. He looked to Misty's sudden movement. She
had gone to the cover of the tent, and was looking outside with
searching eyes.
She sighed
heavily. "No Brock." She said wearily, and began
rummaging through her belongings.
"This'll have
to do for now," She rested down beside him again, with a
bottle of water in her hand. She dampened a single glove and
brought it to his face. "I'm no expert, but I'm sure silk
feels better than cloth." She smiled lightly, continuing to
dab it against his skin.
Ash accepted her
nursing aid, relaxing as the chilled moisture cooled his bruise.
He looked at the face beside him. Eyes filled with deep
concentration, lips pressed into a firm position; until they'd
break into a smile - just for him. Somehow he knew saying 'Thank
you' would be worthless.
When she had
finished, she placed the glove beside her and kissed his bruise
better. "I think it'll be fine now." She examined him
once again, and then stood up to her feet.
Ash awkwardly rose
up aswell, brushing his black jacket with the back of his hands.
He stopped to find Misty watching him calmly; he wasn't
accustomed to her pure, angelic appearance.
"I've never
seen you look so beautiful." He reached out and touched a
lock of her hair, moving it across her bare shoulder.
Misty remained
still. His words were like a weight of guilt on her mind. Why had
he stolen the words from Brock's mouth? She hated its empty
meaning. She felt his eyes continue to look at her, but they soon
became distant; he was looking at nothing, no one. What felt like
a kiss from his lips touched her cheek, and he proceeded to turn
around, making a move towards the exit.
His intentions
became clear to her. "Ash--" She cried. "Don't go
after him."
He reluctantly
turned to her again, his hand still hovering over the tent's
cover. "I won't hurt him," He told her. "too
much..." He mumbled under his breath.
"Ash, please
don't." She rushed to take a hold of his arm. "You've
already gotten hurt - don't make a show in front of all those
people." She argued.
"Misty, I
j--"
"Ash."
Her grip had tightened, and he was lost in her pleading eyes
below him. "Please."
He exhaled his
tension into the air and let go of the cover. "Well, we
should get going then. Are you ready?"
Misty felt faint.
"What?"
"Are you
ready?" He repeated slowly.
Her eyes fell to
the ground. The same sickness came over her again - she had to
deny it, she had to swallow it down this time. Ash was standing
right beside her, waiting for her to say yes.
He still needs
you.
She thanked Brock,
only a million times in her head. He always helped her - she
always needed it. But everyone needed her now. Everyone needed
her to follow the dream she'd hidden for so long. She couldn't
say no.
She raised her
head up again, looking into the eyes of her fiancé.
"Whenever you are."
---
Brock looked
continuously at everything she had wanted for her wedding. He
didn't see Ash anywhere - he hadn't suddenly recovered from the
hit and returned for revenge. Maybe he had cooled off... The
cloth! Brock jumped up from his relaxed position.
He had strained
his thoughts and emotions so much; he had forgotten the one thing
she had requested of him. How could he be so stupid? It was one
thing after the next.
He turned to look
at the tent they were occupying. Of course, it was still possible
to remember the things he had just done: kissed Misty, punched
Ash. But he found it somehow impossible to know what was going on
inside that tent.
He lost his breath
as he imagined them emerging from behind the cover.
"Excuse me,
are you not the best man?"
He turned to see a
frustrated looking woman.
"Yes, I
am." Brock replied.
"Come on
then, you're late." She turned on her heels, expecting him
to follow behind her.
He did, skipping
steps to keep up with her fast pace. "I'm very sorry, I
didn't mean to be late, I w--"
"No need for
apologies," She interjected quickly. "We need to get
the Bride and Groom first."
Brock gulped as
they rushed up between the two square shaped crowds. All this
could be worthless now because of him. He was terrified as he
joined the other Groomsmen at the top of the aisle.
"Hey Brock,
what took you so long?" Richie moved towards him.
"Oh, I just
got caught up in things..." He trailed off into mumbles, his
eyes drifting to the long tunnel in front of him.
Gary smirked from
beside them. "You were off with one of the bridesmaids,
weren't ya?"
"Shut up
Gary." Brock grumbled moodily. He was off with the Bride.
But of course, it was more than that. A lot more.
Richie grinned,
but his look soon became serious. "Why is he always
late?"
"Don't worry,
he's just putting on his make-up." Gary joked. They both
laughed and continued talking, but Groomsman number 1 was
isolated with his thoughts.
He wouldn't be
surprised if Ash was putting on make-up; it'd cover up the bruise
that he had given him. He massaged the skin on his face with his
long fingers, stroking downward. His skin was hot and dry. This
was hell.
Everyone's
excitement was burning him up inside. Every second prodded
another image of Ash sprinting up the aisle and calling the whole
thing off. Cameras would flash! The whole tragic moment would be
captured in eternal life! It would be printed on the front page
of every newspaper: 'Ketchum wedding halted!!'
Brock stopped
massaging and stilled his quaking face with his palms.
The reasons would
probably never be known. Everyone would just assume it was Brock
- The Best Man and 'The Lady's Man' - he stole the bride all
right. But Brock knew he wasn't a womaniser. It was just
impossible for anyone to believe Misty could fall out of love -
especially with Ash Ketchum, The Pokémon Master.
"Brock!"
He looked up
again. It seemed as if others were constantly interrupting his
thoughts. "Hmm?"
"Brock, I
just remembered where you need to be." The woman had made
her way upto him again. But he was confused.
"Sorry?"
"You're
giving Mrs. Ketchum away," She said. "How could we have
forgotten that?"
"Aww, ya
lucky guy!" Gary jabbed Brock's arm playfully.
Brock ignored his
gesture. "Mrs. Ketchum..." He repeated to himself. Had
the wedding taken place already? Hope was lost before he could
find it. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"Did you get
much sleep last night?" She joked with a smile, before
leading him down the aisle.
Brock followed her
incoherently. Sleep? He didn't get a wink of sleep last night.
Last night was only 48 hours after he had fought with Misty - 12
hours until the wedding - and 24 hours until Miss. Waterflower
would be Mrs. Ketchum - how could he possibly sleep?
"Now, the
Bride should be here any second, you just wait here for her. I'll
give you the signal." The woman disappeared, and Brock was
left standing on his own. He looked around. He was behind all the
heads, all the chairs. He could see Gary and Richie making
conversation a hundred chairs ahead at the stage.
It suddenly hit
him.
He was
giving Misty away. How could he have forgotten that? He
remembered weeks and months ago, when everything was the way it
should be; a couple and their friend were discussing the wedding.
Who's going to
give me away?
She was wrapped up
in Ash's arms some way or the other. It didn't matter to him back
then.
What about
Brock?
Ash suggested. Ash
hadn't the best knowledge of weddings, and it was a strange
arrangement; the 'planning committee' had objected to it at
first. Afterall, Brock's place as Best Man was already cemented
in the ground. But Ash and Misty's words were final.
Brock had accepted
this assignment of course. For so many years he considered
himself to be their guardian, maybe they saw it like that aswell.
Now that they didn't need him, they needed each other. Watching
them today - that was supposed to be the last stepping stone
across a wide river. But somewhere along the way he had stumbled
and fallen. Now the task of leading Misty up the aisle was a
heavy burden rather than a pleasure.
"Brock."
That voice could
never interrupt his thoughts.
"Misty,
I..." His words trailed off. He watched as she took her
place beside him. A few heads were turning at this point, finding
the sight of her irresistible to the eyes.
"Ash is fine
now, it's OK." She told him gently. She tucked her arm in
underneath his and beamed up at him. "I'd forgotten you were
giving me away."
Brock stood
stiffly. Something was wrong.
It wasn't just the
feel of her pressing his arm, or the fact that their last meeting
had ended with a kiss. It was the smile painted on her face,
painted over sorrow. She was concealing pain and fear; he had
seen it in her tears. Now everyone was seeing a new face.
"I was just
going to say that I'm sorry." He told her. He still had
time. He had his eye on the woman about to make signals at them.
She smiled at him
again. "Brock, it's alright. I told you--"
"I'm not
talking about Ash."
Her smile
disappeared, but she showed no surprise. The face underneath her
smile knew his meaning already. "Don't be sorry about
that."
Her words confused
him. He hesitated with a reply, a question. He had an urge to ask
her why not, but it just seemed stupid. "Yes, you're
right," He mumbled. "It was nothing - you guys are
getting married and that's all that matters." Brock said in
soft candor.
Misty looked at
him again ruefully. "I didn't say that."
Brock caught sight
of the signal woman - flapping her hands frantically.
"What?"
"I'll always
love you Brock."
He looked to her
unchanging expression, there was warmth; there was the sweetness
of truth.
He longed to open
his mouth, to break through this dream; but he looked up ahead,
hearing the sudden explosion of sound into the air. Violins
played, reaching his ears like underwater currents. He
instinctively began walking with the rhythm, Misty following
along at his arm.
The surroundings
were surreal, so much beauty, so many people.
But his skin
tingled, his face was frozen with shock, and his heart was aching
with pain. That was real.
Each step brought
him closer and closer. He dreaded the melody's end.
"Thank
you." Misty mouthed as they reached the top. She slid her
hand down to his and secretly held it.
She slid away a
second later, Brock moved aside quickly. That must have been the
longest leap between stepping stones ever.
They had rehearsed
this scene a million times before, but he'd never been so anxious
to stand beside his best friend. Ash didn't look at him twice.
His eyes were fixated on his beautiful bride.
Throughout the
ceremony, the cold sweat gathered on Brock's hands. He jingled
the two rings inside his pocket nervously. It was the biggest lie
of her life, and she kept it to keep everyone else happy. He was
feeling the pain that she was hiding.
Why couldn't she
make herself happy? Make him happy...
"I do."
Brock had given up
the rings now. He was feeling numb. He had lost her.
And as they joint
together for their kiss, Brock moved his eyes to an arrangement
of roses close by.
Blood red roses.
It was her choice.
---
Author's notes; Well, I have one
thing to say. You're lucky I wrote the two pieces together before
showing it. Because you know I wouldn't have finished it
^__^ I give up all the time, what can I say - I'm a loser. heh.
^_^;; Anyway, getting back to the story, how'd ya like it? I
know, I know, it sucked. And I know, I know, poor Brock. But poor
Misty aswell, and if you want to go even further, poor Ash, and
poor Gary, and poor Richie, and poor Woman person, and of course
poor Pikachu - I didn't even put the little critter in this ;P
ha.