"I'm going to tell him tonight." Misty said, through a tight-lipped mouth, to the audience in the kitchen. "I can't stand to keep it from him anymore." She stared off into space as Tracey put the finishing touches on her lip-gloss. "Will he understand?" She asked no one in particular.
"Yes. He knows that a life without love is no life worth living…" Oak replied calmly, finishing her hair.
"There, done." Tracey said quietly.
"A masterpiece…" Joyce muttered, in awe, under her breath when Tracey and the Professor moved out of the way to show them Misty. Joyce's mother agreed, not able to say anything, so nodded. Misty was sitting there, in a chair next to the kitchen table, in her dress. Tracey painted her face, making her look regal and magical. Oak had done her hair and had shown Tracey what the Pokemon, Lugia, looked like, according to legends and drawings of accounted people who'd seen the huge bird. She had glitter along her whole face, and on any part of skin that wasn't covered by the dress. Along with the glitter, there was royal blue paint, with glitter mixed in, that went over the red head's eyes back to her ears. Her hair was tied back and into a tight bun on the back of her head, covered in a thick layer of glitter, also.
She tried to stand, for the men to help her get her wings on, Oak helped her and she thanked him. Tracey put the wings on, and connected them to Misty's amazing dress. "I think you're complete…" He murmured, looking her up and down.
Tears came to her eyes. "I'm not a pig in a show, you know-don't look at me like I am." She said through misty eyes, a grin on her face.
"Oh, m'lady-don't cry! You'll ruin your beautiful make-up!" Joyce said, rushing over to the young woman, and grasping her shoulders.
"You need to hurry-the ball started hours ago." Oak stated, rushing Misty to the door. "Now, go! I called for my personal carriage, and it'll take you to the ball. I'll get there on my own, but you must hurry." He directed, taking her to the door and leading her out, to the front drive. He hurried her into the large and comfortable carriage. He told the driver to hurry to the castle, and almost got hit when the young driver started off.
Oak, startled, started walking back inside. "Wait!" Joyce yelled, pulling him back out. "She'll wave, it's tradition. As if on que, Misty's tiny hand was out of the window as her ride neared the exit. Oak started back to the castle with Tracey, a slow and steady pace on the dogs again.
Ash walked in the underground passageways with his father and mother. He was in his full costume, a Ho-oh, but he didn't care. This ball was useless; his heart was broken and could probably never be mended. "Are you positive, Ash?" His mother asked, tears in her eyes and her voice choking.
"Yes, mother, I am. I know I must do this." He told her coldly. She nodded, tears spilling to the ground. Brock, who was guarding them a few steps back along with a few other guards, was getting teary eyed also.
"Ash…" He said quietly, no one hearing him.
"That is your final choice. It has been decided. We shall go tell the people now." Lance boomed, taking off towards the crowded courtyard/ballroom. A depressed Ash and crying Delilah followed, with a sad Brock following.
"May I have your attention, please!" Lance said calmly as a servant stopped the band. All the dancers stopped immediately and turned to their king. Ash wanted to hurl as he saw the Waterflower girl, Lily, smiling sweetly at him, holding out her chest as if it was the only thing Ash looked for in a woman. "My son has made his decision." Lance continued, unaware of the woman running up the stairs in front of him. "He has chosen-"
"Wait, father." Ash said, stepping out in front of his father, looking up at the figure at the top of the steps. Lance stopped immediately, and followed his son's gaze to the late comer. Delilah followed suit, and gasped, covering her gaping mouth with her hand.
I remember her-that's the woman who married Jonathan Waterflower…she wore that exact outfit to her wedding! Delilah told herself, seeing the fiery young woman from so far away.
"Rose?!" Ash asked no one, walking like a zombie to his love. The whole court turned, looking up at the late arriver. Ash saw the tears in her eyes, and started running. He reached the step below her, and took hold of her hands. "Tell me it's really you," He begged. She pulled her lips in and, rubbing them together with more tears threatening to spill, nodded. She was too afraid that her voice wouldn't work, so she didn't bother talking. "My mother was told you were engaged to someone in the islands."
Delilah saw the 2 teens there, standing in the moonlight, both dressed as a legendary bird, and they looked spectacular. That must be Rose, but Rose died long ago-who else could it be?!
"She was misinformed." Misty said, filled with rage at Malena. "Ash, I must tell you something now, before another word is spoken." She ordered, grasping his hands.
"Then you are not engaged?" He asked.
"No. I'm not." She said sternly.
"Then come with me." He led her down the stairs. Misty pleaded with god to help her not to trip, so she pulled up the hem of her gown, her glass-like-slippers dazzling in the moonlight.
"Ash, I must speak with you!" Misty said, stopping sternly and the bottom step.
"Whatever it is, my answer is yes. Look, I invited the gypsies, and Todd and Duplica are going to marry at the cathedral in a week!" He said happily, getting a small smile from Misty. He hurried her to his parent's thrones. "Now, you must meet mother and father." He said, which made her nervous. She needed to tell him, and now! She saw Malena and Lily pushing their was through the crowd to get to the couple.
"Wait." She said, stopping. She didn't want to tell him in front of practically the whole city, but she had to. Ash stopped, too, and she started talking. "Ash, I love you, you know that-"
"You wench!" Lily screamed, running up to Misty and ripping off one of her giant wings. "How dare you!" She growled.
"Madame, contain yourself." He said, standing infront of Misty.
"She is an imposter, sire!" Malena cried, standing next to her daughter.
"No!" Misty screamed, trying to reach for them through Ash. He stopped her, though, with putting his arm in front of her.
"Her name is Misty Waterflower, and she has been a servant in my home for the past 10 years." Malena continued, smiling at Misty.
"A servant Ash?!" Lance asked, standing from the seat he had sat in. "Is this some sort of joke?!"
"Baroness, you are on dangerous ground!" Ash warned.
"Ask her yourself." Malena said coldly, staring at Misty.
Ash turned to Misty, embarrassed and confused. "Tell these women who you are," He said, nodding his head, "Tell them."
Misty looked at him with tears in her eyes. Her heart wrenched, and all she could get out of her mouth was a small sob.
"Tell them." He begged, grabbing her small shoulders, his voice wobbly. Misty couldn't say a thing. "It's can't be true." He said, stepping backwards.
Malena walked up to Misty, nose to nose. "You will bow before royalty, you imbecile!" She ordered.
"Rose…" Ash whispered.
"Rose Williams was my mother, my prince. I am what this woman says." She said, sobs coming out at different times of the small sentence. "But," She stood up and looked him in the eyes. "I love you, Ash-please, please, please listen to my explanation!" She pulled on his shirt, and he stepped back.
"Well, someone better do some explaining!" Lance said, stomping his scepter on the ground.
"First you're engaged and now you're a servant?! I've had enough, I'm leaving." Ash said, turning to leave.
"Ash, no, wait!" Misty said, catching his shoulder.
"I am your prince, address me with respect!" He bellowed, making her fall back, surprised.
"No…" She whispered, pleading for him to tell her that he loved her and everything would be all right.
"You, Rose, are just…like…them." He sneered, pointing to the vast crowed watching them, yet looked her in the eyes the whole time. She turned to run, but he saw the look of love in her eyes, and how he destroyed it all in that one small sentence. He also saw the sorrow and pain. And he regretted it.
Before he could continue, Misty was off She saw the look of utter betrayal on his face and ran.
^*^*^*^*^*^
Oak was making his way back to the party, wanting to get some food. He passing through the drawbridge, when he saw a white and blue blur running down the steps. Misty! She tripped, and fell. But she was in such a hurry that she didn't stop for the tiny blue slipper she had left behind. "Misty!" He shouted, hoping to get her attention. She saw him, and turned directions, heading away from both Ash and Oak. He hurried over to the slipper and picked it up, slipping it into a pocket in his robes. He entered the party and searched for the prince. He was looking out at the grounds from a balcony outside. Oak hurried over to the prince.
"What have you done?!" Oak asked once he was outside. "What did you do to her, Ash!" Oak asked again, louder.
Ash looked up and looked Oak in the eye. "You are out of line, old man." He warned.
"No, you are out of line-Boy-what did you do to her?!" He repeated. "Do you have any idea what she went though to get here tonight?!" He asked and screamed at the prince.
"She lied to me." Ash replied coldly, turning away to return to his father to receive his fate. But Oak grabbed the prince's arm and spun him around.
"Did you ask her why?! Or did you feed her to the Houndours?!" He asked, clutching Ash's forearm. "She risked everything to tell you, the one she loves with her heart and soul, the truth! Again, I ask, what did you do to her to make her run away?!" Oak asked, staring Ash in the eyes.
"What do you know about love?!" Ash started, waving his hands in the air. "You rant and rave about Pokemon and building pointless contraptions!"
"If you only knew…." Oak said quietly. "I know that a life without love is not a life worth living. It's obvious that your pride and arrogance is preventing you from seeing the truth." He turned to leave.
"And love without trust?! What of that?" Ash spat. "I am, but a servant to my crown." Ash continued, not believing that that came out of his mouth.
That stopped Oak dead in his tracks. He spun around and stomped to Ash. "Servant or no servant, Misty is nobler than everyone in this entire castle combined!" He yelled. "She's your match, Ash!" He screamed, his arms in the air. He put them down and looked deep into Ash's, now cold eyes. "But, you don't deserve her." He said quietly. He pulled out the slipper from his robe and set it on the balcony's thick rails and left. Ash stood there for a few minutes, staring at it. No sooner had he picked it up did Todd, Duplica, and Pikachu come rushing out of the ballroom.
"Ash!" Todd yelled, running over to the young man. "Ash!" He said again, putting his face right up to the prince's. "How dare you!" He screamed, hurting Ash's ears and making him flinch. "How could you do that?!" He screamed even louder.
"Pika pi! Pika pika chu pi chu pika! Pik kachu pi pi ka chu chupi!" Pikachu yelled. Ash didn't fully understand what his Pokemon was saying, but Todd did.
"He's telling you that Misty really loves you, and you destroyed the trust that you both worked so hard to earn. And now, you have to go after her, for love is the most important thing in life, and your mother can explain these matters to your father without him blowing his top." Todd translated.
"Wait, how come you can understand my Pokemon, and I can't?!"
"Well, I am surrounded by Pokemon, and I have a Pikachu of my own back at the camp, so, hehehe, well, I dunno!" Todd stuttered, looking away. Ash nodded in understanding.
"Pikachu pika pikachu!" Pikachu screamed.
"It doesn't matter now, Pika, she's gone, and she's not coming back…" Ash said, staring off in the direction Misty had run as raindrops started falling from the, also sad, heavens.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Misty's journey home was horrible. It started raining as she neared the village, and it had poured. She passed Tracey's home, and decided to hang out there till things blew over with Malena. She knocked on the door and Tracey answered very quickly. "M-Misty?!" He asked, ushering her inside. "W-w-whaaa?!" He didn't know what to ask-Why was she here-What happened-Why was a wing missing-Why was, no, is she crying….
"He…he…he…knows!" She sobbed, throwing her hands into her face, crying. Tracey gently helped her up and walked her to his bed, he'd sleep on the couch.
"Lay down, rest always puts things in new perspectives." He said, walking to his dresser. "Here-" He handed her some clothes, some pants and a shirt. "You can wear these, or your undergown. Whichever." He left the room, closing the door behind him.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Misty awoke to the harsh beating of the front door. "Open up! Open up!" A cruel voice shouted. She stepped out of bed, her thin underdress's hem falling down to her feet as she stretched and rubbed her eyes. New pounding came to the bedroom door near her.
"Misty-open up! Gary Oak is here, to take you to Giovanni! Hurry! We must leave!" He shouted. She was already at the door, opening it. He tossed her a dress. "It's one my mother left here for you, incase you ever needed to change here." She nodded and quickly slipped it on. He then hurried her to the window. "You must go! They'll break the door any second! The roof'll lead you to a sort of, well, jump off. You can take it, so jump. Go!" He shouted, pushing her out the window. She rushed out and onto the rooftop. Tracey scurried back to the door.
Misty carefully made her way along the rooftops, till she got to one that sloped down to an alleyway. She was running out of the dark alley when she bumped into a man. He quickly grabbed her arms and tied them together behind her back. "What?! Who?!" She asked. The robed man took back his hood and smiled.
"Ah, Misty! Just the woman I'm looking for. You're coming with me, you're now my property." He said with a smirk. "Well, actually, not my property, mine after my master lets me use you." He said, licking his lips and moving her closer to him by pulling her in with his hand on the small of her back.
"I am no one's property!" She screamed. "Now-let me go!" She shouted, twisting her arms around, trying to break free.
"Ah, not wanting to go quietly. Oh well…" He sighed and pulled out a Pokeball. He released a Vileplume, and ordered it to use stun spore. As Misty flinched and curled over, paralyzed, he laughed. "Oh, my love, do not worry! Once we arrive at the castle, I will give you some medicine." He whispered into her ear as he carried her to the carriage. She writhed in her sleep at his voice.
^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^
I can't believe this is happening. Ash told himself as he watched the woman in white coming down the aisle. The music from the organ was blaring as she continued down the aisle, her veil covering her face. Ash gulped, a lump forming in his throat. He didn't want to do this, he really didn't want to do this. His mother had explained to him how Rose, no, Misty, you fool! How Misty must have been a servant in her own household, seeing as her name was Waterflower, and it was the Waterflower estates. Delilah tried to get Ash to search for Misty, but he refused.
"She wouldn't listen even if I did find her! I hurt her, and the look of despair on her face showed me her heart had been broken." He argued with his mother. They were in the drawing room, and she was sitting in her husband's working chair.
"She would easily forgive you, Ash. She obviously loves you, and, from what I heard from Professor Oak and the gypsies, along with Pikachu and Misty's kind sister, she would give anything to be with you…" She was already out the door when she finished.
Ash sighed as he looked around the crowd. Most everyone was crying. His parents, her parents, all the women, and a man in the fifth row. He looked through the crowed again, and 3 women caught his eye. Lily, Malena, and Daisy Waterflower. Daisy was staring at Brock, who was near Ash's father, and Malena and Lily were giving Prima death glares. Prima continued walking, no one noticing the way her shoulders would jerk forward every few seconds. When she got to the front of the huge Basilica, the music stopped and everyone could hear the princess's loud wailing. She kept screaming 'No!', and her loud wails continued throughout the whole mass.
The Cardinal started speaking in fast Latin, a language that died long ago. Ash wasn't listening, he was thinking of how funny the princess looked with her red face, but kneeled at the right time. When it came time for their vows, Ash stood next to Prima and pulled back her veil. She kept muttering 'no', and shaking her head from side to side. Ash noticed how she kept looking over at the man in the fifth row, he had light blue hair and matching blue eyes, but they were bloodshot from the tears. He was dressed in, what looked like, servant's clothes, but fixed up a bit. Ash laughed to himself, and considered what to do. He kissed Prima on the cheek, startling her.
"Go. Be with the one you love." He told her loudly. She smiled, tears of joy coming to her eyes. She gathered her huge dress in her arms and ran to her love in the fifth row, but not after hugging Ash and thanking him.
"What is going on, Ashton!" Lance asked, standing up from his throne off on one side of the cathedral, while Drake and Prima the First were talking with their child.
"I, Father, am letting her live her life with the one she loves, something I need to do." He told Lance before sprinting out the side door to the church.
Daisy had snuck out of the ceremony, along with Brock, and they were conversing in the alley. Ash barged in on them when he was leaving.
"Where…is….Misty." He said, bending over panting.
"Oh, you must go save her! She was taken this morning to Viridian! Mother sold her to Giovanni! HE and Gary are going to do horrible things to her! You must save my sister! Please!" Daisy begged, hanging onto Ash's sleeve.
"Brock?" Ash asked, nodding towards the guard.
"Your horse is right outside the alley. Ride fast, Ash. I'll get your father to gather the royal guards to help. You know how Giovanni and Gary are about their property."
"Thank you, friend." Ash said, and darted off to the horse. He hopped on and sped off. I just hope I'm not to late.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Kay, I'm done with this chapter! I'm already a while into the next one, it's just hard to figure out when to stop and what not! Please read and review!!!!!