Book 5

Rewind
First Failure


It was like a blink. Nothing more, nothing less. I tripped as I took a first step, and my face met the ground much faster than it should've. Dirt and grass was spit from my mouth. I stood up, and finally realized that I'd shrunk. My eyes drifted to my clothing, jean shorts, yellow tank, and red suspenders. In the back of my mind I knew what had happened, and what to expect, but I never really believed it before.

"There you are Misty!"

My head turned immediately at the sound of my name, and I gazed upon a much younger Ash. He still clad the Pokemon League cap, that hid his marvelously uncontrollable black hair. And he was only as tall as I was.

"Let's get back to camp, Brock has dinner ready." I watched him pause and cock his head. "Are you okay Misty? You look a little pale."
I quickly put on a forced smile.
"I'm fine! Let's go!"

Ash started walking ahead, and I just followed, still in a daze. My legs didn't feel right, being so much shorter than I was used to. But the one thing I couldn't understand was how? How did I go back?

"MISTY!?"

Again I was jerked back to reality and frantically looked around for the source.

"Misty, you were walking strait out of camp!"
"Oh, um yea. I was just daydreaming!"

Ash got a very puzzled expression, then shrugged. A new voice came to my ears then, no, not new, I just hadn't heard it in a very long time.

"Hey, you guys! Dinner is ready!"

Brock. I just sat down, and ate the delicious food, silently. I thought about what I needed to do now. He had said to keep us ignorant, or more so, keep them ignorant. And I knew what was going to happen, so it would be easy, right? But I couldn't remember, it was long ago, and I had desperately been trying to block it out for years now. Unbeknownst that it would later be critical information. I suddenly remembered how it started, at least most of it, but it was enough.

What time was it now? What day? I had to know, so we could run......and fast.

"Ash, please tell me, quickly. What day is it? And what time?"
"Well, it's Thursday, and-" He pulled out his Pokedex, and pressed a button. "It's 5:23PM. But why do you want to know?"

My fingers rested over my lips, I was trying to remember, it had been Friday. I think. Could we spend the night here? Yes, nice and rested so we could run the next day.

"Misty, you're acting strange, what is wrong?"

What was wrong? Many, many things were wrong with the seemingly perfect reality they knew. There were enemies all around.

"I'm just really tired, I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning Ash, don't worry."
He scooted a little closer to me and peered questioningly into my eyes.
"Since when are you so nice to me?"

Why on earth would I be mean? I was always nice to him, wasn't I? Again a revelation hit me, of what I used to be. Circumstances made a big change on me, I was almost a whole different being. But how could I fake my old self? I put on a more sarcastic voice, one that I hadn't used in ages.

"I already TOLD you Ash, I'm tired. I don't have enough energy to argue with you!"

Then he smiled, content with the fact I sounded 'normal' again.
I slipped into my sleeping bag, and rested my head. Ash and Brock were still eating and talking over by the fire, and my thoughts drifted to what had happened earlier, or rather later. The kiss mostly, the warm feeling of Ash's lips, and how right it felt. And then he was gone, and yet he was sitting only a few feet away from me now. I thought of the future, I thought of my past, I thought I wasn't tired, and yet I slept.

It was still dark, but we needed to get going. I slid partially out of my sleeping bag and started shivering frantically. Every part of my sensible mind said to curl back up in the warmth and rest some more, but I couldn't. With clenched teeth I stood up and instantly started shuffling my feet. The ground was cold, my arms were cold, and the bones in my legs felt as if they vibrated. Why did I wear these clothes? I made a mental note to re-do my wardrobe as soon as possible.

"Aa-Ssshh."
I think it was the sound of teeth chattering that woke him, rather than the sound of his name being hissed. He just opened his eyes and squinted at me.

"Ash, we need to go. Please just wake up Brock and get packed."
He was still squinting at me. "Wha? Why?"
I sat down beside him as he sat up.

"I'm sorry, I can't explain because you wouldn't understand."
"Let me get this strait. You want me to leave in the middle of the night, for no reason, because I wouldn't understand what you won't explain?"
The tone of his voice was strange, it almost hurt. He thought I didn't trust him, but I couldn't tell the truth! He wouldn't believe the truth.
I leaned over and kissed him very lightly, and shortly on the lips. Maybe it was the darkness, maybe it was because he wasn't wearing his hat, maybe I was addicted to him after the first kiss. But I just ran afterwards, I ran and sat down behind a tree. Because I honestly didn't know what to do!

Then I heard noises, Ash was packing, and it sounded like Brock had gotten up too. I couldn't help but smile, maybe this wouldn't be so hard.

All of us were soon traveling in the darkness, I held Pikachu in my arms. I knew what had happened last time, and I was extremely determined not to let it happen again. I led the group as far away, as quickly as I could. It was soon dawn, and then almost noon. We stopped and sat down to break for lunch when there was one shot, and Brock fell, dead.

I gasped, how could they have found us? We were far away! Unless.....unless they had been following us. And that would mean it was inevitable, I couldn't prevent this from happening! But as long as they didn't find out anymore.

"Run Ash!"
We were off at a full blown sprint, adrenalin pumping. It came as a total shock when I felt excruciating pain and my leg gave way. How could I be shot? I hadn't been shot last time! Pikachu was still in my arms, and it came to me.

FLASHBACK
The sound of electricity cracking came to my ears as I continued to run. A gun shot was heard, but I kept running. But what hurt the most was Ash's scream, "Pikachu! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
/FLASHBACK

Pikachu had saved me, but I never realized it because it had happened so fast. But now, it didn't have the chance, and it was....my turn.
I let Pikachu out of my arms, "Pikachu, run away, please!"
It's eyes were large, and sad, but it gave a quick nod and scurried off into the trees.
I must have been crumpled in a heap on the ground, looking pitiful, but I closed my eyes and prepared for the inevitable. A shot rang out, but the pain didn't come, just a heavy weight on my back. Was I dead? But I managed to open my eyes and......there was Ash, he had blocked the bullet. And the only word I could think of was: failure. Look at what one little mistake made! Look at how easy it was to fail! I had a whole other chance, and look at how quickly I had failed.

And what do to now? There was nothing to live for! Nothing!
I just closed my eyes, wishing I could've done something with a chance, wishing I had done anything but fail.
A tear ran down my cheek.

to be continued...


A/N: Please note that although this may seem slightly like an end, or even that Ash is permanently gone from the story, it is not the end, and Ash is definitely not gone. There is actually much more to come, just please keep your imagination open, since this story takes many, many twists along the way!


This story is © Rainflower
Thank-You to Nintendo and Game Freak for letting me use their characters (even though they don't know it).
All original Pokemon characters, etc. are © Nintendo and Game Freak, not me!