A/N: I'M BACK!! Yep! I'm back in the states after a month long vacation in China. I won't bore you all with the details, but I got one word about it. It was FUN!! Oh yeah, it was fun. But I'm finally back! And ready to write once more. So after one long month and some more caused to writer's block, here's chapter 25.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.
Reviewer's Comments:
Nightswift::: Uh… Ash coming back soon? Uh? Can't tell ya. Maybe… maybe not. Guess you got to read to find out huh? Thanks for the review.
Joy-girl::: Well… it's been a month and some more. It wasn't that bad of a wait was it? Hmm… Ash… we'll see I guess. Can't tell… sorry! Thanks for the review.
ZetaBee::: Hmm… yeah. She has been having a lot of flashbacks lately of her past with Ash. Hmm… I guess I got to decide. Which I like better… Ash or flashbacks. Hmm… hard choice… not! Any ways! Thanks for the review.
Overlord::: Thanks for the compliment! I'll really, really try to make each chapter better than the last. Thanks for the review.
Labannya::: You can? Good! Then you got the one trait I don't have! Patience!!! Oh! That question I can answer. Of course there's going to be a battle! This won't be much of a fic if there isn't going to be a battle especially all the not so clear hints I've been giving out the last 25 chapters and one prologue. Errr… is there really a guy is Jessie's past that she loved. Well… I can't tell you that know… it'll spoil the surprise, but all of that will be explained in a later chapter. Hey! I'm not going to give Jessie and James a smooth engagement, 'kay? Good! You didn't throw your cards away! Go going! Err… actually this flashback isn't that funny. You'll see what I mean once you start reading this chapter. Thanks for the review.
Crystalstorm21::: You give me then that it took me so long to post? Thanks for the review.
Etherelemental::: Huh? I said two weeks? I kind of meant a whole month and now it's way over a whole month. Err… sorry. Can't tell if I'm going to use guardian Pokémon, and if I do! It might not be the way you might think that they're going to be used. Uh! Right the enemy… it'll be relieve what the enemy is later and it'll be one heck of a surprise you can be sure of that. Something that I doubt anyone has expected yet. Thanks for the compliment and for the review.
Ash and misty forever::: Err… I didn't exactly mean it that way. Err… right… happily… got it! Course I got it! ^. ^ Err… right the original summary… the one I kind of forgot. The overly long one that I think I used for the prologue and the first few chapters. Back when the middle was still clear to me, and I didn't get myself into so many loops. You remember. That one… any ways. Thanks for the review.
Kit Kat::: Really? This fic is actually original? Thanks! With so many Pokémon fics out there unread by me I thought I used stuff that other people already had. Oh good! That means I don't have to explain it. Cause I'm kind of confused myself this moment on how to end this fic… originally! Err… Ash? Hmm… maybe it was … maybe it wasn't. Not telling. Thanks for the compliment and the review. Oh! And sorry that you had to wait over a month for this chapter.
SulliMike23::: Hmm… I did have fun, but I wish now that I took that other advice of yours. During the last few days of my vacation I was walking down this street when these two kids probably no older than 10 or 12. Well… when I walked passed them I had a freaky feeling about them and that feeling came true too. They were pickpockets, and they were going to pick the purse I had on! Luckily my older brother who was walking behind me saw and stopped them. So all was good! Well thanks for the review.
Chapter 25
Ash said nothing at such a response that Misty gave him. He didn't know what to say. He knew that Misty was nervous about the performance that they had to give. The rodent upon the boy's shoulder let out a small sigh as Ash gently rubbed the space between its ears. "You know where Brock went?" Ash said to nobody in particular.
"No." Ash startled, turned and found Misty staring at him. Her eyes were sparkling again. The tint of worry had left her eyes.
"Mist, you, you… what… I thought you… were…"
Misty beamed as she looked at Ash. "Nah. There's no point. You were right."
"Right, what am I right about?" asked Ash.
A small chuckle escaped Misty's lips. "You know. What you said, yesterday at rehearsal."
"Err… Mist, you mind… err… I don't know. Telling me exactly what I said?" Ash asked. The dense part of himself that had startled to demolish over the years once again resurfaced. Just like always when he was nervous, he would scratch the back of his neck. It was an old habit that he just couldn't break.
Misty grinned. "I love you like this."
"Like what?"
"Your old dense self, it's one of the things that I miss the most about you these last few months."
Ash raised one of his eyebrows in confusion. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult."
Misty chuckled before reaching her hand over and lightly pinching the side of Ash's cheeks. "You can take it anyway you want," muttered Misty. A small pout appeared on Ash's face. "What's wrong, Ashy boy? Can't take a girl's compliment?"
"No, that's not that, not really," muttered Ash before realizing what Misty had called him. "Ashy boy!"
"You don't like it? I think it suits you perfectly." Misty's eyes sparkled as she looked at Ash.
The boy looked to his side. A small blush appearing on his already flushed face. "Only when you say it," said Ash in a volume that was close to a faint whisper.
"Hey, what you say?"
"Nothing," muttered Ash. He looked back with his most innocent looking expression. The look broke Misty's heart and immediately she forgot about her questioning. The look that Ash gave her was priceless. She loved that look almost as much as she loved him. The two had gained a mutual bond over the last few months by telephone. After not seeing each other, day in and day out they had lost their friendship bond and instead it grew into more of a lovers type bond. Even though the other didn't know it yet, completely know the other's feelings, it was pretty obvious by now.
Light music was filling the room. The ceremony was about to start. The lights started to dim around them all as Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms. The boy, on impulse caught the Pokémon before turning to look at Misty. "Mist," said the boy once more.
"Hmm."
"Have you ever gone to… school before?" asked Ash.
"Huh?" asked Misty turning around. Such a question startled her. Why would Ash ask her such a question? Surely he knows that everyone has to go to school… at least for a little while.
"Have you ever gone to school?" repeated Ash once more.
"Course, why? Haven't we all?" asked Misty. "Surely we have all gotten through at least the fourth or fifth grade."
Ash immediately looked away. A small streak of red appearing under his eyes, damping the black lightning marks. Misty seeing that Ash hadn't commented turn to look at the boy. "Ash, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," muttered Ash.
"Ash, tell," commanded Misty. "Why did you ask me such a question?"
"Cause… cause." Ash stopped and looked down, playing with his fingers. "You got to promise you won't laugh." Misty nodded. "I never went to school. You know how small Pallet is right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, then you probably guessed that Pallet doesn't have a school either. The closest school is in Viridian, but Mom didn't want to send me to study at one of them private schools there. When… when I was little, I had a 'over imaginative' imagination," said Ash with a tint of annoyance and angrier. "You know how my dad died when I was really young right?" Misty simply nodded. "So Mom was afraid to send me to Viridian to study. I… I use to 'm… make up' stories about how he died and stuff. O… only… I knew I wasn't making 'em up."
Misty watched in fear as Ash said those words. It was as if he was in pain with his mental state. It was as if each word caused him greater pain. Misty opened her mouth to protest only to have her actions stopped in mid doing. Ash continued the mental struggle as he continued with his story. The pain easing away as he continued causing Misty to sigh in relieve, but still there was still a trance of curiosity and worry left in her. She never really knew exactly how Ash's dad died. All she knew that he did and that was basically it.
"I stopped after I was six, but Mom was afraid. She was afraid… that in a new environment. I would start up again. She wasn't even going to let me get my Pokémon license at first, but… hum… Prof. Oak talked her into it. You see, Mist, my stories got scary and sick. Real scary and sick." For a second Ash's face changed. The normally innocent and sweet face changed sinister. Once again Misty watched the change in facial features. Knowing… knowing that something was wrong… as if the death of his father was something he never… never came in terms with… not even a little. Heck! This was a most she ever heard about his dad in one sitting. Sure, sometimes Ash let something slip. Like how he use to be a Pokémon Master, or the way his smile could brighten up any stormy day when he was little, or… or the way that he would let Ash play with his Pokémon, and together they would have mini battles each other. But that was basically it, she didn't even know the man's name, or what he even looked like. But Misty had a mental image of the man in her head, someone strong, someone handsome, someone caring, daring, loving, fun and sweet. All characteristics that Ash held and more, that he and surely any child would fantasize and idolize.
"So, instead Prof. Oak taught me when he wasn't teaching at Celadon UV or working. He taught me to read, write, math, science, history, Pokémon physiology, anatomy, behavior status and other stuff which was all beyond my comprehension." A strange look of astonishment appeared upon Misty's face.
"Yes, Pokémon physiology, and anatomy, and believe me, I saw some pretty weird stuff that gave me nightmares for weeks and for taking away some of his time once a day. I would work at his lab learning more on the subjects that he taught me. And you know what?" asked Ash. A bit of that sinister smile had once again returned to his face.
"What?" asked Misty questionably?
A light chuckle escaped from Ash's mouth. "I learned one thing over those years. Probably the one thing that has been permanently etched in my mind forever."
"Well… what is it? Come on tell me," said Misty. A trance of eagerness tucked into her words.
"That… that I never want to be a Pokémon Professor," stated Ash.
"Huh?"
"Not only is it a boring, tough and tiring, but it gets dull really fast. You don't get to reach a new challenge, a new step like when you're battling. Where you get to find a part of yourself that you never knew you had in you. But… being a professor you re-search to much."
"Hmm… you never were one to like hard work, huh Ash?" asked Misty.
"Huh? Hey! What's that suppose to me?" asked Ash insulted.
"Hmm… nothing, Ashy boy… nothing," muttered Misty.
"Oh, any ways that's why I'm pretty impressed that both Tracey and Gary's wish is become Pokémon Professors and that they've survived this far."
Suddenly the reason of this conversation became unclear. They had started this conversation since Ash wanted to know if she had ever gone to school before, and now… now it was on his experiences that taught him that being a Pokémon Professor was… well boring. Deciding to draw them back on course Misty stated a simple question. "So what's wrong with Prof. Oak giving you classes beside the fact that it made you never want to wear a lab coat and that it…it's a little strange?"
Ash gave Misty a weird look before continuing. "Besides the fact that it was never a complete lesson, for example I would learn about a Beedrill's heart chambers one day then the next would be something on a Rhydon's eating habits. Sometimes it was even… more bizarre, but that's not the point. I don't mean that Prof. Oak was a bad teacher or anything. The thing is… well Mist. You see this?" Ash said looking around the auditorium.
"Yeah, so?"
"Well… well." Not finding the right words Ash stopped talking. The blushing upon his face grew more intense as he looked down. Misty gave the boy a queer look before looking around. She looked at the room. It was true that it was beautiful. PKMN Tech's auditorium was glorious, but she knew that wasn't what Ash was talking about. He wasn't the kind of person to care about… beauty or fashion. He was the kind of person that cared only for the beauty that was within. That's when she realized what Ash was talking about. It wasn't the building. It wasn't the auditorium. It was the principle of the matter, the feeling of walking across that stage and graduating. It was the feeling of completion and a feeling of ending. She had felt it herself when she had graduated from grade school and after getting her license to be a certified gym leader. But Ash didn't have any of it, if Prof. Oak had tutored him.
"Ash," mumbled Misty. She brushed her hand upon Ash's shoulder.
"Hmm?" asked Ash looking back.
"You want this don't you? The feeling of completeness?" asked Misty. Ash simply nodded. "How… how about someday we go to school… together?" Ash shook his head.
"No, I couldn't. I couldn't go to school. I… I'm not that type of person. Just like doing research isn't for me. But the feeling of completeness that's a good feeling Mist. When I beat Drake in the Orange Islands and got that trophy, that was good feeling. Not only because I won, but also because I accomplished something. That's a good feeling, Mist. The feeling of accomplishment, isn't that what a graduation is all about?" asked Ash. He looked at Misty, waiting, wondering, if his theory was right or wrong.
"Kasumi."
Someone was calling her name.
Someone was calling her name. Taken her from her thoughts. Kasumi looked around and saw Takeshi nudging her shoulders. The man seeing that he got her attention simply gave her a small nudge forward. A small gasp and a look of embarrassment appeared upon Kasumi's face when she saw that both Kojirou and Musashi were both done with their speeches. Two speeches that she had neglected to listen to. Kasumi so wanted to slap herself for not listening. Now how was she supposed to summarize their speeches? She stood up passing the other generals when a sheet of paper was passed into her hand. She looked down and felt her heart leap forward a couple of paces. It was a sheet full of notes on both Musashi and Kojirou's speeches. She looked at the other four generals and found Haruka smiling at her. She wanted to drop all formalities that moment and give the young woman a hug, but she knew it wouldn't be appropriate for such an occasion. Instead Kasumi settled for a simple smile which Haruka returned.
With the sheet of paper in hand Kasumi walked back to the podium where she was once again received the mike. She looked at Musashi and Kojirou and simple nodded at the two before starting her speech.
"What both these two future soldiers in our broad army have stated are both very true. It is true that the world today is very different from that of so many years ago. But it mustn't look upon as a weakness but as a kind of strength. What these future soldiers have said should in no doubt be placed deeply into our own minds. Minds, that needs to be nurtured. Minds, that even now longs for more information. But today, isn't one of those teaching days. No, today is something else. Not only for our graduating class, but also for all the lieutenants who have taught them to be the honest and hard working men and women that they have become today. Today, I grate you all that feeling of accomplishment, the feeling that is given the feeling that makes up a graduation. So, I would like you all to welcome the class of 2024 as their join our ranks."
The lights illuminated the stadium as the graduating class stood up each throwing their hats up into the air. The sound of applause filled the arena as Kasumi stood alone upon the stage…alone in the stadium. The other generals were leading the class into the arena across the hall where they would receive their mark. A simple, engraved thunderbolt sign that would burn brightly upon their skin. The sign of unity, the sign that united them all, just like how lightning is always connected to the heavens above.
A sign that Kasumi wore proudly upon her left arm. The tattooed mark burned proudly upon her arm. It's yellow, golden color burned warmly into her body. It was a sign that they all bore, Takeshi, Haruka, Sakaki, Shigeru … everyone. It was Kasumi herself that came up with the idea for the sign. What was a better way to unite them when their forces got too big then to have one common sign… the sign of the thunderbolt? But to Kasumi… not only was it Thunderbolt's team sign but another… another longing reminder etched in her heart. A burden, a love that told all men that she was off limits. That her heart and soul already was claimed and that she claimed another's.
So, nobody, nobody noticed her as she stood alone in the darkened stage. The general's graduation gown lying plainly by her feet. The mike falling to the ground. The long, ebony cord wrapped around her feet. Her hands stood in mid position of a clap. A single tear inching for a way out of the corner of her eyes. Kasumi looked up. Up to the ceilings and a screamed a simple, heart cutting…
Yes
The mike hit the floor hard. The feedback echoed what seemed like for all of eternity within the stadium. Another sound… one of a hard object striking the wooden floor. A lone figure clasped on the wooden floor. A head rises. A mouth opens. The words…
Baka Ash! Baka… baka… baka…ba…
Are said. Sobbing is heard… soon silencing into soft hiccuping. A brush of the wind is felt. A warm feeling covers Kasumi's body. The soft stroking of her hair and the comforting sounds of a young man's voice lulls Kasumi into deep slumber.
"Baka… yes…"
The words disappear into the wind…
A/N: Well! That was err… not the original ending that I had planned. But that doesn't matter does it? Whoa! The wind's talking. The P…phantom of the wind… not! Hee! I've been watching too many scary, ghost films lately. Well, please review. I'll only take a sec. The next chapter hopefully will be up in a week's time. Till then ja ne.