Hey peeps!

No, I AM NOT dead. I just had a science project from Hades. Which, of course, I got an A on.

No, I don't own Pokemon.

Part 6 of "Mistakes Will Happen"
"Why She Left"
~~

Black.

That was the first thing Misty saw, the blackness.

"Where am I," Misty mumbled, "Man, I am going to need an aspirin the size of a Blissey soon!"

"Well, it seems like the sleeping beauty has awoken," Cassidy said.

Misty was now fully awake, "Where am I? Where are Growlean and Aurora?"

Cassidy laughed a bitter laugh, "I wouldn't worry about them. They'll be fine after we beat
some sense in them! You, on the other hand, our Boss wants to see you, but first, let's get
you out of that dress, and in to something... more appropriate."

Misty allowed her fear for her Pokemon to show in her eyes, but when Cassidy roughly 'helped'
Misty up, Misty allowed her anger to show instead of the fear.

~~
Meanwhile In Another Cell...

Ash awoke to the feeling of coldness.

"It seems Mr. Master here has awoken," a scratchy voice said.

"Butch!" Ash said, half surprised, half worried about Pikachu. He was also worried about Misty.

"Your girl friend is, shall we say, talking to the Boss right now," Butch said.

"Misty?!" Ash asked, now scared for Misty.

"Yeah, that's her name. The Boss wanted her for her talent with water Pokemon."

"What about me?"

Butch left before he answered Ash.

~~

Misty was waiting for Giovanni. She was now dressed in a bikini with a pair of jeans and
sandals.

"So this is the Mistress of Water and Fire. Scrawny little thing," Giovanni said, walking
up to Misty.

Misty glared vehemently back, but she didn't say a word.

Giovanni ignored her glare, and he cupped her chin in his hands. Misty replied to that by
slapping Giovanni.

"Why YOU!" Cassidy said, ready to slap her back.

"Not now, Cassidy, not now. For the moment though," Giovanni said as he slapped Misty back,
"She will learn how to behave around me. Take her out of my sights. I want her to work with
my Gyarados."

Cassidy nodded and roughly dragged Misty away.

~~
Meanwhile, Back at the Center...

Everyone was fully awake, and they were wondering what had happened to Misty and Ash,
when Jessie and James burst through the door.

"Misty and Ash have been taken by Cassidy and Botch!" James said, oblivious to the error he
made.

Brock jumped to his feet, "How do you know that?"

Jessie blushed, "James and I were strolling along the beach, and when we started walking
back to the ball, and we saw Cassidy dragging Misty and Butch dragging Ash. Their Pokemon
were being put into PokeBalls. Cassidy and Butch were talking about the Boss."

"Where is the Team Rocket's Headquarters on this island," Selene asked, ready to butcher
(AN- *cringes as flying tomatoes flying her way* Yes, I know, bad pun) some Team Rocket
members.

"We know the way, and let us come with you!" James said, as Selene nodded.

Nurse Joy paused, "I would like to come with you, but this center is my reasonability.
I'll call Officer Jenny, though. She will follow in a little bit."

Jessie, James, Brock, and Selene nodded before grabbing their PokeBalls and running out the
door.

~~

Misty was tired. She had work with almost 12 Gyarados and 7 Tentacruel.

"All right, the Boss wants me to take you to the cell with your friend," Cassidy said, as
she dragged Misty away.

~~

Ash heard the cell door open, and when he looked up, he saw that Misty had been thrown,
literally, into the cell with him.

"Misty?" Ash asked, helping Misty to sit on the cold stone floor.

"Ash," Misty said, as she flung herself on to him and sobbed.

As Ash quietly soothed her, he wondered what could have made Misty cry like she was.

"Misty, what is bothering you?" Ash asked, when the crying stopped.

Misty slowly raised her head, and even in the pale light of the cell, Ash could see where
Misty had been struck.

"Misty," Ash said, gingerly touching the red mark on her cheek.

Misty pulled away from his careful touch, "This only hurts a little, but the way he treats
his Pokemon. He treats them so roughly and ruthlessly!"

Ash's blood boiled for two reasons. One, the way this Giovanni guy mistreats Pokemon,
and two; he had made Misty extremely upset.

Misty noticed the look on Ash's face, 'Oh Ash. Always worrying about your friends and
Pokemon more than yourself.'

"I think we might be stuck here for a while. Misty," Ash asked.

Misty turned her head toward him, "Hmm?"

"I've been wondering about something. Why did you leave?"

Misty sighed, "I don't know, but the words you said to me. About being scrawny and ugly,
about never being wanted reminded me of someone I never wanted to remember."

"Who?"

"My stepfather."

"You had a stepfather?"

"I take it you want to hear the whole story?"

"That would be nice."

"My father, my real father, died before I was born. My mom had a difficult labor, and both
she and I almost died," Misty paused for a minute, recalling the tale she knew so well,
"A doctor their helped mom and I pull through. My mom fell in love with him, and they got
married. Life was okay until she died when I was five. My stepfather then took care of us
after her death, but he treated us like we were lower than dirt. He treated us like servants
in our own home and gym. My sisters took his orders, but I always refused..."

Misty paused again, this time for a bit longer.

"You okay," Ash asked.

Misty nodded and continued with the story, "When I refused, he tried to break my will by
saying I was ugly, no one loved me, and so on. It never did work, but since that didn't
work, he resorted to abuse. Anyway, he died when I was eight. A distant aunt made sure we
were okay and that we had enough money. She didn't take care of us that much, and my sisters
started to run the gym. The only friends I ever had were Pokemon. The Dewgong we have now
used to best my friend when my dad wasn't abusing me."

"I never knew," Ash said.

"I didn't want you to know," Misty said.

Ash nodded softly, "I won't tell anyone."

Misty smiled faintly, when all of a sudden; they heard a loud bark from a Growlithe
and a yell of an angry Pikachu.

"Growlean!" Misty yelled, grabbing the bars.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled, also grabbing the bars.

A bunch of Team Rocket members ran past ignoring these girl and guy yelling at them.

Cassidy came and opened the cell door and grabbed both Misty and Ash's arms.

"Come with me," she growled, "You need to calm down your Pokemon."

~~

"I brought them Boss," Cassidy said as she dragged Misty and Ash into the room.

"Good," Giovanni said, glaring at the three Pokemon.

Growlean, Aurora, and Pikachu looked at their trainers and ran to them, or at least
tried to. Giovanni had them chained to the wall.

"Let the trainers go to their Pokemon," Giovanni commanded, and Cassidy let their arms go.

Misty and Ash raced to their Pokemon.

When Misty first went to Growlean and Aurora, all she noticed was bruises and wounds.
Ash noticed the same thing on Pikachu.

"What did you do to them," Misty asked, anger seething into her voice.

"Well, we tried to make the Growlithe and Pikachu evolve." A none too smart Rocket member said.

"How dare you! YOU can not make Growlean evolve!" Misty said, standing up.

Cassidy walked over to the Misty and slapped her again, "How dare you to us what to do!"

Ash grabbed Misty before she could collapse to the ground. Ash glared up angrily to Giovanni
and Cassidy. How dare they slap Misty!

Giovanni ignored his glare, "Take the trainers back to their cells. Let them take their
Pokemon with them, and double the guards in the area. Maybe if we calm the Pokemon down
enough they will do our bidding."

Misty, Ash, and their Pokemon followed the Rocket members back to the cell.

~~
Later that Night...

Ash was watching Misty and Aurora sleep. She looked so helpless.

'So help me, if they hurt Misty again, I'll kill them. Misty does not deserve this!'
Ash thought angrily, knowing it was not just friendly protection anymore.

~~

There, happy?

Don't be surprised if the next chapter doesn't come out until April. I have major Language
Arts homework EVERY SINGLE DAY.

But, on the pleasant side, e-mail me (moonfairy2000@excite.com for those of you too lazy to
go to my profile) or review and tell me what you think. The more reviews I get, the more
I'll put off doing some chore my mom makes me do.

PLEASE REVIEW.

See you next chapter, whenever that may be...

Peace, Love, and the Moon!
Moonfairy2000