Pokémon: Love Letter Straight From Your Heart
A fanfiction by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods, I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc. of Pokémon. May blessings shower upon those that do, for having introduced me to Jigglypuff, Dratini, Blastoise, and Gary Oak. ***************************************************************
Dear Misty,
I can't believe it, but it's been twenty years since you left me. Tomorrow at 4:43pm. Twenty years.
That's a long time to be without someone you love as much as I love you.
And yes. I still love you. How can I not? I often wonder if I ever told you how much I feel for you. Did I? How can it truly be put into words...
I pulled my old trunk from the attic today. It's full of memories from years long gone... My old Pokémon league hat... Dexter... various league badges... Photographs... some of Tracey's sketches... the invitation to Brock's wedding... various birth announcements and obituaries... my Gym- leader certificate... the letter from Gary's wife, about the accident... old empty Pokéballs...
Did I ever tell you how glad I was that you were still here when Pikachu died? I don't think I could have made it without you. You always were my rock, Mist, my reason to go on.
I found the letters and photographs from the 'Wars, too. I put the group photo on the mantel - the one Toya took? I'll admit it, Misty: I cried. We were so young in that picture. You, me, Gary, Brock, Richie, Surge, Mich, Joy, Alfie, Tam, Sara... all of us. We were barely adults, full of hope and conviction. Why did we volunteer, Mist? Yeah, Surge was always willing to fight... but us? Fighting a war our ancestors had started? I've forgotten the rest of the words, but one line from that old folk ballad - the one Brock sang after our first battle - has always haunted me...
"We didn't start the fire. No we didn't light it, but we're trying to fight it"
But we all came back, Mist. I'll never forget that. The 465th was the only unit to have a 100% return of both Pokémon and Human. Remember? All of us made it back home.
Home. I'm still in Pallet. Well, it's called Palletia City, now. But it's still Pallet. The people here still remember you. They talk about you sometimes, and I just smile. I guess that's why I never moved away. If I can't be with you, I can at least be with other people who love you.
And videos. Did I mention there were old videos in the trunk? I'm watching one now. You're playing in the leaves. It's fall, and your smile is blinding me. You have a leaf stuck in your hair, and I see my hand reaching from behind the video camera. Of course, that was when you pulled me into the leaf pile - remember? And the camera went dead. I can still feel the kiss...
I've got to stop now. It's getting late and it's not just my heart that aches at night anymore.
I miss you. Twenty years. I know you didn't leave on purpose - that we all have to go sometime. But that doesn't make it any easier, love. It almost makes it harder, actually - waiting for so long, wondering when I will be allowed to follow *you* on the next journey. But now... well, I have a feeling, Mist, that I'll be seeing you soon.
I love you.
-------------------
Ash signed the letter and sighed. He didn't know why he'd written it, but he somehow knew that this was going to be his last year alone. He rose from the desk and walked slowly to the easy chair, his arthritic bones relaxing into the leather. His last year as "crazy old man Ketchum."
"The fool," Misty smiled softly, reading over the letter again. "He should know better than to think I could ever leave him. You'd think he'd remember." She smiled, her wings fluttering in a non-existent breeze. Misty floated over to the easy chair and perched on one of the arms, watching the video with her husband like she had been doing all evening. She was waiting. She too knew that Ash wasn't going to spend another year alone, but she knew more than that.
Her wings fluttered again, and a single feather fell to Ash's lap. He looked down, startled, and Misty smiled sadly. It was time. He looked up and saw her, his eyes lighting up like they hadn't in years. His wrinkled face relaxing in the easy, hopeful smile she'd long ago fallen in love with.
"Mist?" Ash recognized the strangled voice as his own, and was amazed that he could speak at all.
Misty nodded, stepped away from the chair and held out her hand. "I never left, Ash. I was right here all along, loving you just as much as ever. Through fifty years of marriage and twenty years of death. I never left you. I promised you that on our wedding day, and I keep my promises, love."
Ash stood, not noticing the lack of pain as he did so, and took her hand. The scene shifted. They were at a small temple shrine in Cerulean City, their friends and family gathered around them. It was their wedding day. Again. Flower petals and feathers swirled around them and Ash smiled as he looked at Misty, remembering the vows they had made that long ago day:
Together forever. No matter how long. From now until the end of time. No matter where our destiny leads, I'll be there for you.
Ashiterou.
DISCLAIMER: While I have traded many pieces of paper for their goods, I have no ownership or rights to the characters, etc. of Pokémon. May blessings shower upon those that do, for having introduced me to Jigglypuff, Dratini, Blastoise, and Gary Oak. ***************************************************************
Dear Misty,
I can't believe it, but it's been twenty years since you left me. Tomorrow at 4:43pm. Twenty years.
That's a long time to be without someone you love as much as I love you.
And yes. I still love you. How can I not? I often wonder if I ever told you how much I feel for you. Did I? How can it truly be put into words...
I pulled my old trunk from the attic today. It's full of memories from years long gone... My old Pokémon league hat... Dexter... various league badges... Photographs... some of Tracey's sketches... the invitation to Brock's wedding... various birth announcements and obituaries... my Gym- leader certificate... the letter from Gary's wife, about the accident... old empty Pokéballs...
Did I ever tell you how glad I was that you were still here when Pikachu died? I don't think I could have made it without you. You always were my rock, Mist, my reason to go on.
I found the letters and photographs from the 'Wars, too. I put the group photo on the mantel - the one Toya took? I'll admit it, Misty: I cried. We were so young in that picture. You, me, Gary, Brock, Richie, Surge, Mich, Joy, Alfie, Tam, Sara... all of us. We were barely adults, full of hope and conviction. Why did we volunteer, Mist? Yeah, Surge was always willing to fight... but us? Fighting a war our ancestors had started? I've forgotten the rest of the words, but one line from that old folk ballad - the one Brock sang after our first battle - has always haunted me...
"We didn't start the fire. No we didn't light it, but we're trying to fight it"
But we all came back, Mist. I'll never forget that. The 465th was the only unit to have a 100% return of both Pokémon and Human. Remember? All of us made it back home.
Home. I'm still in Pallet. Well, it's called Palletia City, now. But it's still Pallet. The people here still remember you. They talk about you sometimes, and I just smile. I guess that's why I never moved away. If I can't be with you, I can at least be with other people who love you.
And videos. Did I mention there were old videos in the trunk? I'm watching one now. You're playing in the leaves. It's fall, and your smile is blinding me. You have a leaf stuck in your hair, and I see my hand reaching from behind the video camera. Of course, that was when you pulled me into the leaf pile - remember? And the camera went dead. I can still feel the kiss...
I've got to stop now. It's getting late and it's not just my heart that aches at night anymore.
I miss you. Twenty years. I know you didn't leave on purpose - that we all have to go sometime. But that doesn't make it any easier, love. It almost makes it harder, actually - waiting for so long, wondering when I will be allowed to follow *you* on the next journey. But now... well, I have a feeling, Mist, that I'll be seeing you soon.
I love you.
-------------------
Ash signed the letter and sighed. He didn't know why he'd written it, but he somehow knew that this was going to be his last year alone. He rose from the desk and walked slowly to the easy chair, his arthritic bones relaxing into the leather. His last year as "crazy old man Ketchum."
"The fool," Misty smiled softly, reading over the letter again. "He should know better than to think I could ever leave him. You'd think he'd remember." She smiled, her wings fluttering in a non-existent breeze. Misty floated over to the easy chair and perched on one of the arms, watching the video with her husband like she had been doing all evening. She was waiting. She too knew that Ash wasn't going to spend another year alone, but she knew more than that.
Her wings fluttered again, and a single feather fell to Ash's lap. He looked down, startled, and Misty smiled sadly. It was time. He looked up and saw her, his eyes lighting up like they hadn't in years. His wrinkled face relaxing in the easy, hopeful smile she'd long ago fallen in love with.
"Mist?" Ash recognized the strangled voice as his own, and was amazed that he could speak at all.
Misty nodded, stepped away from the chair and held out her hand. "I never left, Ash. I was right here all along, loving you just as much as ever. Through fifty years of marriage and twenty years of death. I never left you. I promised you that on our wedding day, and I keep my promises, love."
Ash stood, not noticing the lack of pain as he did so, and took her hand. The scene shifted. They were at a small temple shrine in Cerulean City, their friends and family gathered around them. It was their wedding day. Again. Flower petals and feathers swirled around them and Ash smiled as he looked at Misty, remembering the vows they had made that long ago day:
Together forever. No matter how long. From now until the end of time. No matter where our destiny leads, I'll be there for you.
Ashiterou.