Thought I'd forgotten about this little fic, eh? Nope.This chaps just, erm, been in the works a while.I sure as heck don't own Pokemon.And if I did, I'd have a lot more money. And did you know that the Digimon cartoon is REALLY bad? Because something possessed me to wake up at the awful hour of seven thirty or something and it was on and yeah. And there was nothing else on and I was forced to watch it.*sigh*

Oh, and remember that Sakura person that has the four sisters with the Eevee evolutions? And they email each other and stuff? Yeah. And Gary.Well, this is about where the title comes in.Anyways, I think there'll be one more chapter in this time and then they'll go three years in the future. And, by the way, Gary's evil in this chap.Kinda reminiscent of him in the first season when he was all obnoxious and all.

Misty sighed and continued hiking through Route 36. She was dirty, tired, and hungry. And it was uphill from here to Blackthorn, that is, if she ever made it to Blackthorn. If she didn't drop dead from the heat, she'd die of exhaustion or hunger. Why hadn't she thought to bring more food with her?

She'd been hiking for an entire day without sleep. She wanted to make it to Blackthorn. Soon. She didn't want to camp out anymore. Her back hurt from sleeping on rocks, dirt, and twigs every day.

A trainer glanced at her, but she glared at her nastily and the trainer let her pass. She had made it to Route 35, according to the sign next to the cave nearby. She had only a little way to go. She could almost see Blackthorn City from here. She smiled for the first time that day and wiped the sweat from her brow. She broke into a run, but was stopped cold by a man.

"Hey, look, it's a fiery redhead! You think she'll be good?"

"I dunno. She looks awfully young."

"So? Won't that make it so much better?"

"Yeah, you're right."

"This one gonna be good enough for you?"

"I think so."

"You know, I could always hire someone."

"No its fine."

"Good."

The men sneered at her and she knew exactly what they were thinking. She acted annoyed, though she was scared, and added a brassy tone to her voice.

"Buzz off. I know what you're thinking, Mister. All I have to say is get your mind OUT of the gutter!" Misty sneered back.

The man's eyebrows upturned and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh really, Miss?" The man said slimily.

Misty defiantly put her hands on her hips.

"You think I'd be traveling alone if I COULDN'T handle you?" Misty said warningly.

The man shrugged and moved closer to her. Misty couldn't take it. She kicked him in the groin. The other guy approached her from behind and she sent her foot into his stomach. But the other man had gotten up. She punched him in the stomach and whipped out her mallet to use on the other guy. She beat the two men up pretty badly.

However, a moment later, she spotted a shadow at the end of the street. She turned around and saw who the person was. Gary. She frowned, especially seeing the way he looked at her. She turned to him, glaring.

"What do you want?" Misty snapped, starving, exhausted, aching, and very, very pissed off.

Gary looked at her curiously. He cocked his head to the side.

"Do I know you?" He asked curiously.

Misty crossed her arms over her chest. She rolled her eyes.

"I should hope not," Misty huffed.

Gary walked up to her and stuck out a hand.

"Gary, Gary Oak," Gary introduced.

Misty sighed disgustedly and pushed his hand aside.

"You are?" He asked, looking confused.

Misty glared at Gary and brushed him aside, walking towards Blackthorn. Gary grabbed her arm. Misty glared at him.

"What's your problem?" Misty said angrily.

Gary's grip on her arm tightened and he looked at her oddly.

"HEY! I know who you are! You're that runty chick that ran around with Ash! But, it looks like you've grown up a bit." Gary smirked.

Misty was enraged.

"Who's Ash? And WHAT did you just call me?" Misty said angrily.

Gary shot her a look.

"You know who Ash is. So don't play dumb," Gary stated.

Misty glared at him.

"Let go of me!" Misty screamed.

Gary released her arm and turned away. Misty was confused, but she hiked up the hill to Blackthorn anyways. She ran into the Pokémon center, garnering looks from Nurse Joy and it's patrons.

"What?" She barked angrily, glaring.

Nurse Joy stepped out from behind the register.

"Is there a problem, Miss?" Joy asked sternly.

Misty sighed.

"Other than the fact that I'm starving, haven't slept in over a day and I can't remember what it feels like to be clean and get a good night's sleep?" Misty asked rhetorically.

Nurse Joy frowned, but nodded at her request. Misty ran into the cafeteria and scarfed down all the food she could eat. She smiled and then walked to a room, where she deposited her stuff on the bed and walked into the bathroom. She showered and sighed at all the dirt that went down the drain. Then she changed into pajamas and fell unto the bed, asleep.

Misty woke up, hours later, with Gary on top of her. Praying for the best, she hoped futilely that he hadn't done anything to her while she slept.

"Get OFF of me!" Misty yelled.

Gary, however, didn't listen. Misty kicked and moved underneath him, but she could do nothing. Misty sighed inwardly.

"HELP! NURSE JOY! OFFICER JENNY! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Misty screamed.

Gary's eyes widened and he began to roll off of her. Misty winced and covered herself up with a blanket. Nurse Joy came in the room, running, just as Gary grabbed his stuff and went out the window. Nurse Joy looked around.

"What happened here, Miss?" Nurse Joy asked, confused.

Misty sighed.

"It's Misty, by the way. I fell asleep a while ago. Next thing I know, I wake up, and HE'S on top of me! He went out the window, by the way," Misty said quickly, trying not to start crying.

Nurse Joy just stood there, dumbfounded.

"HELLO? HE'S GETTING AWAY! Call Officer Jenny, you moron!" Misty snapped.

Nurse Joy nodded slowly and pulled out a cell phone and explained to Jenny about the situation. Nurse Joy turned to Misty.

"She'll be here soon. Now, can you tell me what the man looked like?" Nurse Joy asked in a sweet tone.

Misty rolled her eyes.

"Large spiky brown hair, brownish eyes. Wears huge wrap-around brown boots, a long-sleeved blue shirt, a ying-yang necklace, and black pants. His name's Gary Oak, he's a pokémon trainer and the grandson of Professor Oak, and he's from Pallet Town," Misty stated quietly.

Nurse Joy's mouth formed an o.

"So, you uh, know him?" She asked.

Misty sighed sadly.

"Unfortunately yes. He grew up with a person I used to travel with, they're rivals, and so we saw him from time to time. And seconds before I arrived here, he hassled me," Misty mumbled.

Nurse Joy nodded.

"Is there anyone you want me to call? You know, family? Friends? Anyone?" Nurse Joy asked calmly.

Misty looked at her, eyes finally welling with tears. She looked away.

"N-no. I wouldn't want to b-bother anyone," Misty said, tears running down her face.

Nurse Joy looked at her sadly.

"They care about you, it wouldn't be bothering," Nurse Joy said quietly.

Misty looked up at her defiantly.

"The day I am going to my sisters for help is the day I renounce ice cream," Mist said vehemently.

"Okay, Misty, anyone else you'd like me to call?" Nurse Joy asked.

Misty sighed, thinking of the other people she'd like to call. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with an idea.

"Yeah, actually! Can I have a phone?" Misty said, pushing the sadness aside.

Nurse Joy nodded and handed her the cell. She dialed a number and waited for the familiar voice to answer.

"Hi, Sakura?" Misty asked, smiling.

"Yeah? Misty, is that you?"

"Yeah. So, where are you?"

"Well, Misty, I'm still in Violet City."

"Good. Can I join up with you?"

Sakura was perplexed at Misty's sudden decision.

"Uh, what about Ash and Brock, Misty?"

"Who?"

"Misty!"

"Oh, I left them."

"MISTY! Please tell me you at least left them a note!"

"Yeah, I did. And I kind of ran into Ash on the way up here."

"What do you mean, kind of? You either did or you didn't!"

"Okay, I did."

"What happened, Misty?"

"Let's just say that there was running, rain, woods, and crying involved."

"Anyways, I'm in Blackthorn now."

"You know, he's probably really worried about you, Misty."

"No, he's not. Now, can you PLEASE hike over here?"

"Misty, can I at least call them and tell them you're all right?"

"Sakura!"

"Please, Misty?"

"Oh, fine, you can call them."

"THANKS, Misty!"

"Yeah, whatever. Just hurry up and get here. I'd go to Violet, but I.yeah."

"What, Misty?"

"What?"

"You trailed off and didn't finish the sentence."

"Sakura, seriously."

"Misty! Tell me what you were going to say."

"Well, I'm otherwise engaged right now and I don't want Ash to find me and he's got Faulkner helping him and I don't feel safe traveling alone, which is why I called you, and you better hurry up because I can't stand it here, no offense Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy, OH! Hi, Officer Jenny. Sure, I'll sign that report! Why am I so cheerful? I don't know myself. Well, I'm talking to a friend. And yeah, he went out that window. You might want to contact Professor Oak. But don't tell him about me. PLEASE don't. Why? I know him and I don't want to embarrass myself, which is what I would be doing. And OH JEEZ! Sakura, I'm so sorry. Oh, great, you just heard all that!"

"Yeah, Misty, I heard. What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Right Misty."

"Yes, Sakura, I am always right. Now, see you soon, Goodbye!"

"But Misty-"

"GOODBYE, Sakura," Misty restated, hanging up the phone and going back to fill out the report.

Misty hung up the phone and after Nurse Joy and Jenny left for a moment, she changed into clothes and hollered for them to come back in. She sat quietly on the bed and burst into tears. Her thick sobs pierced the night and all around knew to stay away.

- Loren ;*

REVIEW! Please?