Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon, will never own Pokemon, so stop bugging me about it!

He Promised...
written by: da*mouse ®

He promised to return…w ould he?

The breeze was light, soft, blowing gently, tugging at her clothes and pulling playfully at her hair once she opened the door, to embrace the new day. Cheerful chirps of small birds greeted her merrily.

It was the first day of spring. Days of warmth and sunshine after the cold, dreary and miserable winter. Buds of flower were beginning to sprout. She bent down and touched one of them gently. Soon, they will bloom gloriously, nodding their wonderfully colorful heads in the wind.

Colors…she reminisced. The bright vibrancy of that first bouquet. He had brought colors into her world of blacks and whites, a world where she could never be a shining star…not with the others around. He made her believed that she could be brilliant in her on way, at least to him.

But he was not beside her.

And she was not vibrant anymore.

Not without him.

She needed him to return…

She could still remember, so clearly, so vividly, the day he left. The day the parted, and the day he promised her.

To return to her, no matter what happens.

Come what may…

*Flashback*

"Do you have to go?"

"You know I do. The Rockets are on a bloody rampage…and all those Pokemon…God knows what happened to Jessie and James after they rescued me from Pewter City. I have to. I have an obligation to."

She could feel the hot tears coursing down her cheeks. "It's so dangerous. You might never come back again."

He touched her cheek gently, wiping away her tears with his finger. Kissing her forehead, he pulled her into a hug.

She held tight to him, savoring the nearness of him, and the feeling of his arms around her. The warmth, the comfort and the security.

And the warm glow of love.

Pulling back from the embrace, he touched her face, a look of sorrow on his face. "I have to leave."

"No!" she cried. "Don't leave me here alone!" She threw her arms around him.

"I promise to return to you. No matter what. Someday, we will be together again."

"Someday…" she clung onto the word like a lifesaver. She raised her eyes to his. "You promised. You promised me you will come back and don't you ever forget that. I won't forgive you if you don't."

By a way of reply, he pulled her against him, and pressed his lips against hers. She instantly responded with all the love she had for him. It was a passionate kiss, like all their kisses, but this time, there was a sense of desperation.

A sense of a last kiss.

No! She thought fiercely. No!

He broke off the ardent embrace, and rested his forehead against hers tenderly. His eyes willed for her to understand. "I have to."

She let go of him, as he turned slowly, and walked away from her.

Further and further he went, never once looking back.

He couldn't looked back; she knew, and she understood.

But with every step he took, the pain in her heart grew.

"You have to come back." She whispered.

You promised…

*End of flashback*

It had been two years since that final goodbye. All the fighting had ceased, with the Rockets finally surrendering.

But he hadn't come back.

Day after day, she waited.

And waited.

He promised. Had he forgotten?

She couldn't believe that he would abandon her.

She couldn't believe it, and she wouldn't believe it.

He would not abandon her, not in life, not in death.

He promised.

She hung onto hope. Hope that he will return.

Hope was what that kept her going on.

Hope.

Love.

Him.

Her.

Them.

Memories.

The memories she beheld of them, close to her, in her heart.


He promised to come back…


Today would mark her second year without him.

Loneliness swept over her, as always, whenever she thought of the days, days that seemed longer, days that seemed endless without him by her side.

Friends, family tried to make her go on. To gain a new life, new experiences and a new partner. To them, he probably would never return.

She refused to heed them. They meant well, she knew. But she could never accept what they said.

She cannot go on without him. He was part of her, half of her.

How can one go on without the other half?

He would return. She was adamant of it, he would.



He promised her…


She still sat in her garden, amongst the flowers.

The day grew darker, with the sun setting, and casting that beautiful orange glow over the fields, the lands, the hills.

She smiled a little.

Remembering.

The times of enjoying the sunsets with him. She would feel so at peace, resting against him, feeling the comfort of him, and tranquility of nature.

The way he compared the sun to her.

She was the sun in his life. Casting her glow over him, making him feel alive, and having the chance to live.

To live.

To grow.

To feel.

To love.

She hugged herself, wishing, as usual, that it was him holding her.

His arms around her.

He promised…why wasn't he here?



The evening wind blew. She lifted her face, feeling the sensation of the cool air.

She stood up.

The wind blew stronger, as the dried leaves on the ground began to dance to the rhythm of it, swirling around the ground.

And finally lifting themselves off the ground, and the leaves followed the call of the wind, twirling themselves around her, as if embracing her in their dance.

She watched them fly.

Flying with the wind.


He swore to stay by her…forever and ever…

Another day was about to go. And it was another day spent without him.

She turned back to go into her house.

As her hand touched the doorknob, someone called out behind her.

"Misty."

That voice.

She froze, her hand still on the doorknob.

Her heart began racing.


Are promises ever kept?

She turned around slowly.

And she saw him, standing at the gate. Standing tall and proud.

She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

For fear that if she did, she would wake up, and find, like many countless times, that it was just a dream.

That when she looked at him, or touched him, he would fade away like morning mist in the early sunshine.

She closed her eyes.

And opened them again.

He was still there.


He remembered his promise…

His hair tousled in the wind, he smiled hesitantly at her, taking a few steps towards her.

His warm chocolate eyes met her aqua ones.

"I'm back."

I'm back.

Choking back a sob, she fled towards him, and flung herself into his arms, encircling her arms around his waist.

He was still there. There for her.

It wasn't a dream.

She held onto him closely. She didn't realise she was crying until she felt wetness on his shirt.

He stroked her hair. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm back."

Here. Back. Words that filled her with such security and reassurance.

She was finally complete.

"Don't leave me. Don't ever leave me again."

"I won't." He whispered, tightening his hold on her. "I won't."

"Promise, Ash?"

"I promise, Misty.."

He promised. He remembered. He came back.

-Finis-

Dedicated to: Satsu'mi - Happy Early Birthday, dahling. Hope your birthday is a swell one, and a year full of happiness, hope and joy.

Yeah yeah, I said I probably would not write another romance, but note the "probably". Haha. What torture, huh?

Comment, review, flame, whatever. I could sure use some constructive advice. ;)

da*mouse ®
posted September 19th 2002
2.22 a.m.