A/N: Well! Err… I don't know really what to say. Besides well… besides posting this chapter. Sorry, I couldn't post earlier. I was really, really busy this weekend. I nearly destroyed the rest of my voice on Saturday from screaming for two hours. I'm still really tired, but I knew I couldn't disappoint you all. So here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Pokémon.

Reviewer's Comments:

Etherelemental::: Wow! A new reviewer! I haven't got one in a long time. Thank you for liking this story. Interesting idea. Erm… well I can't say anything about your idea besides that I like it. Err… You're confusing me with the cliffhangers. I don't think I ended the chapters as cliffhangers. Well… me either… well then again I don't count since I knew how the story going to turn out. Thanks for the review.

Joy-girl::: You like the twist. Good! Necklace coming to life? Err… yeah. Wow! Very good theories and that's basically all I can say about your theories. Real or not real… well… that's your opinion after you read this chapter. Thanks for the review.

Labannya::: You do? Yeah, guess I did give it away a little too much. Oh… it'll be explained in this chapter all right… uh most of it any ways. The locket… right… the locket… you're understand the locket when the time comes. Thanks for the review.

Overlord::: Yeah! You like. Thanks you so much… no torture this time. I think I'm going to torture myself when this chapter is done. Thanks for the review.

Crystalstorm21::: Ahh! Good idea. And I will post… oh and thanks for the review.

SulliMike23::: Good idea and theory. Yeah… I know another cliffhanger. Thanks for the review.

Nightswift::: Err… yeah. You are?! Good for you making your brother write a Pokéfic. Err… yeah I know how to get a Celebi. The Pokémon games right… the English or Japanese ones? In the English ones it kind of impossible unless you have a Gameshark or go to one of those Nintendo conventions or the Pokémon Center… the one in NYC not in the game. In the Japanese, Crystal version I have heard that with a GS ball that you obtain from Kurt, the Pokéball maker I believe. You go to the Ilex Forest, and Celebi comes to you. Ho-Oh is obtains in G/S though getting a rainbow wing. In Silver in Pewter and in Gold you get the rainbow wing from the place where you get the Silver Wing in the Silver version. In Crystal, you get Ho-Oh from capturing the three legendary dogs. Err… I don't think so. I've held that rumor too, and I believe it's been proven false. So, no, you can't get to the Orange League in any of the versions. Err… I can't answer that question. Dream sequence? Err… that's revealed in this chapter so I won't answer it here. Thanks for the review.

Chapter 20

"Err…" Misty groaned as she flipped herself over. Everything was still blurry. Her head burned as she sat up. There were trees everywhere. Misty looked around. No longer was she on the beach. The broken lantern was gone. Both children had disappeared, and she had mysteriously found herself in the middle of the forest.

"Great… now I'm lost." She sighed before standing up to find the locket in her hands. The chain was still around her neck, but the locket piece was in her hands. "How did that get there?" Now I think I really am losing it. First it those children. Could they really be who I think they are?

Misty turned around this way and that before sighing. She didn't have a clue where she was. How could she? She just saw Pallet as it once was, and it certainty wasn't an illusion. She looked down at the locket before laughing. She found it stupid, but she couldn't help it. "Lead me to someone… anyone," mumbled Misty. The locket flashed once then twice before getting totally illuminated. She flipped it open to see the Ho-Oh hologram spin around once then twice before pointing straight ahead. Misty looked up and gulped.

This was prefect place for bug Pokémon to roam. She hated bug Pokémon, especially now. "You sure this is the only way?" asked Misty to no one is particular. To her surprise the beam spun around once, then twice before landing at the same place. "I'll take that as a yes." Misty gulped before taking a step. She found a stick by a tree and picked it up. As least now she had a weapon. It wasn't a very good weapon, but it was a weapon. Misty flicked it around before walking into the forest.

Fog was casting around her. It was getting thicker and thicker making it harder and harder to see, but still Misty walked on. A sensation, a force was telling her that she had to go on. She had to meet the person before her. Misty looked around, and to her surprise there wasn't a Pokémon in sight. Heck there wasn't a sound anywhere besides her, own breathing. It was too quiet, way too quiet, but still she continued on.

Each step was complete torment, yet it filled her with a feeling of accomplishment. She could sense a powerful, comforting, mystically force around her getting stronger and stronger as she walked on. No longer did she need the locket. The force guided her. That was all that she needed, the force.

Mist filled the air as the forest came to a close. She walked out the forest to see a field. A beautiful green field in the middle of where one forest end and another began. She sensed this to be the turning point. This was what some called the cross road in life. Only for her, she saw the cross road as plain as daylight. This meadow was the turning point. To turn around or go forward. It was all a matter of choice. She looked behind her and saw clearness. She saw the forest so clearly now, but when she looked forward all she saw was fog.

Don't look back, Mist. The past isn't something to dwell on. It's only a foundation, nothing more. The future is where answers lay.

Yes. Always so right. His saying were coming back to haunt her, but she knew they were true. She had to go ahead. Go straight. She held her head up high and marched straight past the middle of the meadow. She saw that as the future and the other half as the past. The fog started to disappear around her only covering the forest up around her. She looked down at her locket and found the light had disappeared, yet it was still so light… everywhere.

She clasped the locket tight as she looked at the forest up ahead. There were so many paths, so many choices to choose from. But the one straight ahead, caught her eyes. A shadow was slowing appearing. A dark shadow with a small ball of light right in the middle. Misty squinted her eyes as she watched the shadow getting bigger and bigger. She knew now why the locket had stopped glowing. Just like all those other times. It had fulfilled her wish, but who did the locket bring her too?

She gasped as she made out the figure in the forest. She could see its face so clearly now. The figure left the forest revealing itself. There in front of her was a man, a man around his early twenties. His hair was raven black and eyes of deep, deep amber. In his hands was the ball of light. Misty gasped before taking a step backwards. "No, no, it can't be," muttered Misty as she stepped back. "NO!" She screamed before turning around and ran away.

The man raised his hand. "Misty! Wait!" shouted the man. Misty immediately turned around hearing the man's voice. A single tear fell from her eyes as she looked up.

"Is it really you… Ash?"

The man nodded before backing away. Misty recognized his actions and immediately knew he spoke the truth. She had sense his aura, his spirit. Misty walked up to him inches away from her love.

"What… what happened to you, Ash?"

The man sighed as the light flickered in his palms. He made no indication to speak.

"Ash, tell me. Don't you think I deserve to know?" asked Misty.

The man looked up. His eyes were dull. Misty had never seen them like that before. They had always been full of life. He looked so sad, so tired. Once again he backed away looking only at the ball of light.

"Ash, tell me," begged Misty. Still he said nothing.

Misty sighed and just as she started to take another step the man lifted his head. "No! Stop!" He shouted.

Misty gasped, startled at his sudden out burst. She always dreamt of the day when they would see each other again. She dreamt of their meeting so many times, but here it was, and he was being so hostile to her.

"If you won't speak, I'll just leave, Ash," said Misty. Her words were those mixed in angrier. The man immediately regretted his words before sighing.

"No, Misty don't leave. I have much to tell you, much."

"Like what?"

"Watch out for the one that is controlling the Pokémon. He's really powerful."

"Who is he?" asked Misty. She looked up immediately interested. The man said nothing as he backed away once again. Each time getting closer and closer to the forest.

"That you will discover soon enough," said the man.

"Do you who he is?"

This isn't the time to tell was her only answer.

"Ash! Don't go!" shouted Misty. The man stopped backing up. He looked at Misty tracing her body with his eyes till they landed at her hands. A flash of light escaped which only he caught. For a split second a flash of hope shined upon his face.

"The locket."

"Huh?" asked Misty.

"The locket, in your hands keep it safe."

"What?"

"Keep I safe."

"Why?"

"Trust me, Mist," mumbled the man. Even though his words were so soft, Misty heard them so clearly. They sounded so sincere. Such simple words had such an affect on her, and she dared not ask anymore about the locket. She gasped the locket tightly in her hands.

"Ash, tell me. What happened to you? What happened that day seven years ago? Where did you go? How did you escape? Did…"

"I didn't," spat the man. His voice was full of disgust as he spat out those two words. His demeanor turned into simple disgust. No longer did he look at Misty, as if ashamed of himself. His eyes fell back on the light. He lifted one of his hands and lightly grazed his hand over the ball. Misty watched in horror as a spark of light covered his hands. The man immediately cringed withdrawing his hand. He held it up to Misty. The woman gasped seeing a huge scar on his hand. The man withdrew his hand laying it back at the bottom of the ball.

"Ash!" cried Misty in horror.

"Huhmmm?"

"Doesn't that hurt?"

He simply shook his hand continuing to stare at the ball of light. "No, no, not anymore. It's a part of me now, Mist. You know it feels to be imprisoned? To feel like your destiny is intertwine with another. That if you make one false move not only yourself is affected? You ever feel like that, Mist?"

Misty blinked. His words had no emotion in them. They were so dull, so lifeless. He talked as if he didn't have a will to live. As if each day, was an endless cycle with no hope of the future. She herself felt the same way before too. The first year she wished to die. She wanted to die. It was her friends, dear Mrs. Ketchum, Prof. Oak and … huhmm… even Gary helped her. She discovered over the course of the first year that Gary really did have a heart. A pretty decent heart too, she didn't really approve when Ash and Gary became friends after the Silver Convention. But she understood now, she understood that Gary did have a heart. "No."

The man sighed. "Guessed you won't. No body would. That's why I can't tell you. That's why I can't explain it to you. You won't understand. Nobody would. It's too late to save me now, Misty, too late." The man's voice ended in a whisper.

Misty bit her lip and looked at the man before her. The man whom she once and still love with all her heart. "NO!!" She screamed before running up to Ash. The man looked up. A blast of energy came from the ball he was holding knocking her back. She groaned as she sat up. "Ash," muttered Misty. Her eyes were filled with fear as she looked at Ash. The man groaned as his body flicked. Sweat pounded from his body. "It's too late to save me. Too late, I can't escape, Misty. It's my destiny. My destiny, just remember keep the locket safe."

"NO!" Screamed Misty getting up. "I won't give up. I found you after seven years. I won't lose you again."

The man sighed before looking up. "But you never found me, Mist."

The man spoke no more as he once again took another step back. His eyes were once again upon the ball of light. "Ash, don't go!" shouted Misty. She knew she sounded like she was begging, but she had so much to ask him, so many questions that were flowing through her head. Like how did Pallet get rebuilt again? Who were those two children she saw?

As if he could read her mind, he sighed. "Now is not the time to answer questions. Remember just keep the locket safe. Forget about me, Mist. The less you know. The better off and safer you'll be." With those words said the man turned around and walked the last step into the forest disappearing into the fog. Misty stood there stunned as she watched her love disappear once again.

Those words that he said to her. They hurt. They hurt so badly. How could she forget about him? How could she forget about the years that they had spent together? The laughter, tears, excitement, joys, conflict, fights and… dreams that they shared with each other. What happened to him? Why was he so cold to her? She didn't care. All she cared was finding him and bring him back to the haven and safety of Thunderbolt where no Pokémon could harm him again. "ASH!!" she screamed. Not caring about the bug Pokémon. Not caring about the fog she ran into the forest. "ASH!!"

There was no answer. There was no echo. There was only silence. A gust of wind blew though her hair as she ran on. She didn't bother looking at the locket. All she cared about was to find Ash. She longed to ask him so many questions. What happened to him? Why was he so… so depressed and unemotional to her? Why did he disappear into the forest again?

But most of all she wanted him to hold her. She longed to be held by him. She longed for him to fill her body with the same passion he once did. She longed for his kisses, his love. But most of all she longed for his guidance. His humor, his laughter, his smile, the twinkle in his eyes, they were all things she longed for.

She crashed into the forest. She past the trees not once did she look anywhere but in front of her, but that proved deadly. She didn't notice till it was too late to stop. The forest ended with a cliff. Misty screamed as she plummeted into darkness…

"AHH!!"

Her eyes bolts open, and Misty found herself once again in the hospital bed. Her breathing was raspy as she sat up. She was covered in sweat as she looked around the hospital room to find complete darkness. It had all been a dream. "Just a dream," muttered Misty. She sighed as she glanced at the clock. It was one o'clock in the morning. She let out a small moan as she clasped on the bed again. She never had such a vivid dream of Ash before… ever. She used to dream about him a lot the first three years, but it was always him as a teenager never a twenty-year-old man. Was it was vision of the things to come or was it a warning or a sign?

Misty sighed as she eyes closed. A single salt drop fell from her eyes landing on her cheek. A light gust of wind blew the tear away, and a child's sigh followed by a childish voice was heard. "I'm sorry, Mist. It's for the best. I'm sorry." The voice silenced as Misty twitched, opening her mouth.

"Ash."

She muttered out before falling into deep sleep. Her left hand opened revealing the locket piece without the chain. The locket flicked once…

A/N: What you think? Man, that was fun to write. So how you like it? Push the cute, fluffy button at the bottom of the screen and tell me your opinions please!