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Misty's Awakening
Part 3
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Misty's eyes slowly opened. It was almost like a relief that they did, too; she felt a bit paranoid that maybe she wouldn't wake up again.
She looked up from her pillow, and leaned on her elbow. The window, though the curtains on it were drawn, was light with sunshine. Misty knew that it was the morning.
'I guess Ash was right,' Misty thought, 'it does feel good to get some real sleep.'
And she did feel a bit better— she felt far less shock and exhaustion today, and she was glad to just be alive and awake.
A few minutes later, Misty heard the door opening slowly, and Ash entered the room with a tray in his hands. She smiled to great him.
"Oh, you're up already!" He smiled back at her, and set the tray down by the flowers on her bed side table.
"Good morning," she told him.
"You seem much happier today," he observed. "Last night, you went to sleep and stayed asleep all night! I looked in on you once to see if you were awake, but you weren't."
"Thanks," Misty said, "I feel much better today, though."
"I thought you would." He motioned to the tray on the table. "I brought you some breakfast— the Doctor told me it'd be OK if you eat a little, but not too many solids."
Ash helped Misty sit up in her bed and put the tray before her. She could already smell scents that she hadn't experienced for a very long time.
"I hope it's OK— eggs, applesauce and orange juice."
"Oh... thank you, Ash!" Misty was delighted by his gesture. "I _am_ feeling pretty hungry."
Ash sat by her and helped her eat; her attempts at it were a little shaky yet. From the moment that the food hit her tongue, she felt an amazing sensation. Her mouth was full of delicious flavor, tastes that Misty had long forgotten. She would have loved to eat every crumb on her plate had her stomach not started to ache.
"It's OK," Ash told her when acted ashamed about rejecting the rest of breakfast, "you're not used to it." He put the tray aside.
Misty looked at her friend's face, and great compassion grew in her from the very sight of him. "So, um, Ash; you really tried to see me every day you could?" Misty couldn't help but have Ash confirm this. She felt so flattered by the fact that he'd do it, and wanted him to tell her that he really had.
"You make it sound like I'm a super hero or something," Ash said. "It's just that I promised that I'd stay with you, and I did. I tried to see you almost every day."
Misty didn't let herself smile, but in her own mind she was cheering.
Misty looked over to the window again, thinking. "Ash?" she asked, "Could you open the window for me?"
He looked at her. "Yeah, sure."
He stood up and walked to the window. As he drew aside the curtain, light cascaded into the small room, turning the walls and floor into a bright, glowing white. He proceeded to open the window as far as it would go, which was only a few inches (given it was a hospital window). It was enough, however, to let a draft of chill air into the room.
As much as Misty despised the cold, this felt refreshing to her. As Ash moved aside, she gazed out the window, her eyes still adjusting to the new light.
A tree outside the window shone a reddish-orange. Misty watched as a soft gust rustled several leaves loose from it, and blew them off, out of view, in a lazy breeze.
"Autumn," she said softly. "It's so pretty."
Ash nodded, looking out as well. "I like the fall. I guess I just like walking with all the different colors around me, and going through a pile of rustling leaves on someone's lawn. It's such a cool feeling."
"I wish I could..."
Ash gazed down at her. "You will, soon. You'll be able to get up, and walk, I'm sure of it."
"I will?"
"I know it. In fact, the Doctor told me you're starting therapy soon. That should make a big difference."
Misty nodded. She hadn't even tried walking yet, but she was sure that it would be a challenge.
"So, you wanna do something, Misty?"
"Huh? Oh, well, like what?"
"I dunno...I've got some playing cards. Remember how to play any games? Go fish?"
Misty giggled softly. "I think so."
Ash smiled, and began to deal out the cards. They played for several minutes before the Doctor came in.
* * * *
"So, how's my patient today?" the Doctor asked, walking in the door with the regular clipboard in hand..
"Pretty good," Misty told him, looking up from her cards.
"Glad to hear it." He began to examine the machines as usual.
Misty went back to the game, asking Ash if he had any 4's.
"Misty," the Doctor began a minute later, after he had finished his examination, "we think that today is a good day for you to begin some therapy. It'll help your body become stronger and soon you'll be able to leave the hospital if all goes as planned."
Misty glanced up from her hand again. "Oh? Starting today?"
"Yes. Would it be OK if a nurse sent for you at about ten O'clock to take you to the therapy center? That's half an hour."
"Er, yeah, that's OK," Misty responded, slightly puzzled.
"Good. See you then, Misty." The Doctor quickly finished with the machines, and left the room.
"Therapy?" Misty asked, uncertain. "Am I ready for that?"
"You said that you wanted to walk again, Misty— this will help you. Any Kings?"
"Go Fish," Misty answered. "I guess you're right, Ash, but I still feel pretty weak."
Ash drew a card. "I know you well enough, and you not only threatened me and Brock almost every day with a mallet on my journey, but you also lived through a two and a half year coma. You'll be strong enough. Your turn."
But Misty had set her cards down.
"What's wrong?"
Misty looked up quickly. "Ash, I just thought of it— Brock."
"What about him?"
"Well, what happened to him, I mean, after he got better?"
Ash put his cards down as well. "Hmm. Well, I told him that I wasn't going to go traveling any more, and he told me that he understood and even came to see you for a while."
Misty nodded slowly.
"And after that, he decided that even though he cared about you, he felt like he had to pursue his dream to become a Pokemon breeder. He left pretty soon after that."
"So, where is he now?" Misty asked curiously.
Ash shrugged. "I'm not positive anymore, but we can be sure that were ever there's a Nurse Joy, he's not far off."
Misty laughed. It felt so good to be laughing again...it was almost like she was being pulled out of the dark nightmare that was her life. She had Ash to thank for that.
"And, how's Ms. Ketchem?" she went on a moment later.
Ash smiled. "Mom? Yeah, she's OK. She was really sad about what happened to you, pretty shaken, actually, but she's better. She really wants to see you soon."
"Great!" Misty was beginning to think of all the people that she had known before— her mind had been too confused and cluttered to remember them earlier.
"How about Gary Oak?"
He cringed a little. "It's been a long time... but my last memory was...was having him come by the hospital one day. He said he heard about you. But then; arrgh, he has so much nerve— he asked me to battle! I couldn't believe he would ask me to do something like that when you had gone into a coma. I got pretty mad at him... he just left. Haven't seen him since— but that's fine with me."
Misty shook her head. "Figures that he'd want to fight you at a time like that." She thought hard again. "Oh! What about Professor Oak?"
"He's...fine...but he's been acting a little strange... like, around my Mom. I think they know something I don't."
Misty giggled. Ash had grown a lot, yes, but three years ago, even Misty had known for a fact the Professor Oak and Ms. Ketchem had a thing for each other.
"What happened to my Pokemon, anyway?" she said suddenly.
"Oh, your Pokemon. They're back at Cerulean Gym, with your sisters. They've been taking care of them."
"Oh, good!" Misty was truly glad. Somehow, it felt nice to know that she still owned something that she had had before her coma.
"...and what about Pikachu?"
The door opened.
"Oh, it's time already?" Misty said to Ash.
"I guess so."
A nurse entered with a wheel chair. Ash and she lifted Misty into it slowly from her bed.
"Thanks," Misty said to Ash. "Can...can you come with me, Ash?"
Ash shook his head. "I don't think they'd want me to do that. But don't worry— I'll come back later. I mean, if you want."
"Yes, I do," Misty told him quickly.
As the nurse wheeled Misty out the door, she waved goodbye to her friend.
Strange as it was, she could hardly stand the thought of *not* being with him.
....To Be Continued...
Misty's Awakening
Part 3
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Misty's eyes slowly opened. It was almost like a relief that they did, too; she felt a bit paranoid that maybe she wouldn't wake up again.
She looked up from her pillow, and leaned on her elbow. The window, though the curtains on it were drawn, was light with sunshine. Misty knew that it was the morning.
'I guess Ash was right,' Misty thought, 'it does feel good to get some real sleep.'
And she did feel a bit better— she felt far less shock and exhaustion today, and she was glad to just be alive and awake.
A few minutes later, Misty heard the door opening slowly, and Ash entered the room with a tray in his hands. She smiled to great him.
"Oh, you're up already!" He smiled back at her, and set the tray down by the flowers on her bed side table.
"Good morning," she told him.
"You seem much happier today," he observed. "Last night, you went to sleep and stayed asleep all night! I looked in on you once to see if you were awake, but you weren't."
"Thanks," Misty said, "I feel much better today, though."
"I thought you would." He motioned to the tray on the table. "I brought you some breakfast— the Doctor told me it'd be OK if you eat a little, but not too many solids."
Ash helped Misty sit up in her bed and put the tray before her. She could already smell scents that she hadn't experienced for a very long time.
"I hope it's OK— eggs, applesauce and orange juice."
"Oh... thank you, Ash!" Misty was delighted by his gesture. "I _am_ feeling pretty hungry."
Ash sat by her and helped her eat; her attempts at it were a little shaky yet. From the moment that the food hit her tongue, she felt an amazing sensation. Her mouth was full of delicious flavor, tastes that Misty had long forgotten. She would have loved to eat every crumb on her plate had her stomach not started to ache.
"It's OK," Ash told her when acted ashamed about rejecting the rest of breakfast, "you're not used to it." He put the tray aside.
Misty looked at her friend's face, and great compassion grew in her from the very sight of him. "So, um, Ash; you really tried to see me every day you could?" Misty couldn't help but have Ash confirm this. She felt so flattered by the fact that he'd do it, and wanted him to tell her that he really had.
"You make it sound like I'm a super hero or something," Ash said. "It's just that I promised that I'd stay with you, and I did. I tried to see you almost every day."
Misty didn't let herself smile, but in her own mind she was cheering.
Misty looked over to the window again, thinking. "Ash?" she asked, "Could you open the window for me?"
He looked at her. "Yeah, sure."
He stood up and walked to the window. As he drew aside the curtain, light cascaded into the small room, turning the walls and floor into a bright, glowing white. He proceeded to open the window as far as it would go, which was only a few inches (given it was a hospital window). It was enough, however, to let a draft of chill air into the room.
As much as Misty despised the cold, this felt refreshing to her. As Ash moved aside, she gazed out the window, her eyes still adjusting to the new light.
A tree outside the window shone a reddish-orange. Misty watched as a soft gust rustled several leaves loose from it, and blew them off, out of view, in a lazy breeze.
"Autumn," she said softly. "It's so pretty."
Ash nodded, looking out as well. "I like the fall. I guess I just like walking with all the different colors around me, and going through a pile of rustling leaves on someone's lawn. It's such a cool feeling."
"I wish I could..."
Ash gazed down at her. "You will, soon. You'll be able to get up, and walk, I'm sure of it."
"I will?"
"I know it. In fact, the Doctor told me you're starting therapy soon. That should make a big difference."
Misty nodded. She hadn't even tried walking yet, but she was sure that it would be a challenge.
"So, you wanna do something, Misty?"
"Huh? Oh, well, like what?"
"I dunno...I've got some playing cards. Remember how to play any games? Go fish?"
Misty giggled softly. "I think so."
Ash smiled, and began to deal out the cards. They played for several minutes before the Doctor came in.
* * * *
"So, how's my patient today?" the Doctor asked, walking in the door with the regular clipboard in hand..
"Pretty good," Misty told him, looking up from her cards.
"Glad to hear it." He began to examine the machines as usual.
Misty went back to the game, asking Ash if he had any 4's.
"Misty," the Doctor began a minute later, after he had finished his examination, "we think that today is a good day for you to begin some therapy. It'll help your body become stronger and soon you'll be able to leave the hospital if all goes as planned."
Misty glanced up from her hand again. "Oh? Starting today?"
"Yes. Would it be OK if a nurse sent for you at about ten O'clock to take you to the therapy center? That's half an hour."
"Er, yeah, that's OK," Misty responded, slightly puzzled.
"Good. See you then, Misty." The Doctor quickly finished with the machines, and left the room.
"Therapy?" Misty asked, uncertain. "Am I ready for that?"
"You said that you wanted to walk again, Misty— this will help you. Any Kings?"
"Go Fish," Misty answered. "I guess you're right, Ash, but I still feel pretty weak."
Ash drew a card. "I know you well enough, and you not only threatened me and Brock almost every day with a mallet on my journey, but you also lived through a two and a half year coma. You'll be strong enough. Your turn."
But Misty had set her cards down.
"What's wrong?"
Misty looked up quickly. "Ash, I just thought of it— Brock."
"What about him?"
"Well, what happened to him, I mean, after he got better?"
Ash put his cards down as well. "Hmm. Well, I told him that I wasn't going to go traveling any more, and he told me that he understood and even came to see you for a while."
Misty nodded slowly.
"And after that, he decided that even though he cared about you, he felt like he had to pursue his dream to become a Pokemon breeder. He left pretty soon after that."
"So, where is he now?" Misty asked curiously.
Ash shrugged. "I'm not positive anymore, but we can be sure that were ever there's a Nurse Joy, he's not far off."
Misty laughed. It felt so good to be laughing again...it was almost like she was being pulled out of the dark nightmare that was her life. She had Ash to thank for that.
"And, how's Ms. Ketchem?" she went on a moment later.
Ash smiled. "Mom? Yeah, she's OK. She was really sad about what happened to you, pretty shaken, actually, but she's better. She really wants to see you soon."
"Great!" Misty was beginning to think of all the people that she had known before— her mind had been too confused and cluttered to remember them earlier.
"How about Gary Oak?"
He cringed a little. "It's been a long time... but my last memory was...was having him come by the hospital one day. He said he heard about you. But then; arrgh, he has so much nerve— he asked me to battle! I couldn't believe he would ask me to do something like that when you had gone into a coma. I got pretty mad at him... he just left. Haven't seen him since— but that's fine with me."
Misty shook her head. "Figures that he'd want to fight you at a time like that." She thought hard again. "Oh! What about Professor Oak?"
"He's...fine...but he's been acting a little strange... like, around my Mom. I think they know something I don't."
Misty giggled. Ash had grown a lot, yes, but three years ago, even Misty had known for a fact the Professor Oak and Ms. Ketchem had a thing for each other.
"What happened to my Pokemon, anyway?" she said suddenly.
"Oh, your Pokemon. They're back at Cerulean Gym, with your sisters. They've been taking care of them."
"Oh, good!" Misty was truly glad. Somehow, it felt nice to know that she still owned something that she had had before her coma.
"...and what about Pikachu?"
The door opened.
"Oh, it's time already?" Misty said to Ash.
"I guess so."
A nurse entered with a wheel chair. Ash and she lifted Misty into it slowly from her bed.
"Thanks," Misty said to Ash. "Can...can you come with me, Ash?"
Ash shook his head. "I don't think they'd want me to do that. But don't worry— I'll come back later. I mean, if you want."
"Yes, I do," Misty told him quickly.
As the nurse wheeled Misty out the door, she waved goodbye to her friend.
Strange as it was, she could hardly stand the thought of *not* being with him.
....To Be Continued...
