Chapter 3: In Which Misty Meets Her Past Self
"Yeah, it's gotta be you," Ash said. "No one else has that weird hair that sticks out to the side like yours does. Or wears that outfit."
Misty was too preoccupied with watching her past self approach to notice that Ash had insulted her. "But... but I shouldn't be here! I was... am... should be in Cerulean City six years ago- that is to say, now!"
"Well, we don't know where we are," Ash said. "We could be near Cerulean City."
"Cerulean City? Here? Ha. I know the area around Cerulean City quite well, and this is not it."
"Who are you?" asked Past-Misty as she reached the group.
"I'm you," said Misty.
"That is," Tracy added, "she will be. Was, I mean. She was you. You will be her..." He trailed off, seeing the uncomprehending look on Past-Misty's face. "Never mind."
"Ooo-kay," said Past-Misty. "I didn't understand any of that, but... okay."
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Misty asked. "You should be in Cerulean City."
"Huh?" said Past-Misty. "Why?"
"Because that's where I remember you- that is to say, me- being six years ago!" Misty said, losing patience. "So go, before you mess up the... the..."
"Space-time continuum?" Tracy suggested.
"Er, yeah, what he said."
"...Okay, this is kinda hard to believe," Past-Misty said slowly. "But you look just like me, only older, so I guess I've got no choice but to believe you...?" She didn't sound very certain about it.
"Oh, just GO TO CERULEAN CITY, DAMN IT!" Misty yelled, losing her temper completely. "Or in a few minutes you might have messed my past up so much that I won't even BE here!"
Past-Misty was beginning to get angry as well. "Who do you think you are, telling me what to do?!"
"I'm you! ...well, at least, sort of."
"Then you should be able to tell me why I've got to go to Cerulean City!"
"Because you... I... um, because I said so, that's why!" Misty didn't want to tell her past self that it was because she had to be in entirely the wrong place to stop Team Rocket from taking over the world. If Misty knew herself, which she rather thought she did, she wouldn't take that very well.
"So prove you're my future self then," Past-Misty said. "If you can, then I guess I'll have to do what you say."
Misty thought for a minute, then leaned over and whispered something in Past-Misty's ear which saves me the trouble of having to think of a secret for her to have . Past-Misty looked embarrassed for a second, and then rather shocked.
"But no one knows that except-"
"Me," Misty finished for her. "And you, because you're me. Do you believe me now?"
"I guess so," Past-Misty said somewhat uncertainly, although she sounded more sure of it than she had before.
"THEN GO TO CERULEAN CITY ALREADY!" Misty shouted.
"But... but how will I get there?" Past-Misty asked.
"I don't care how you get there, just so long as you go!" Misty yelled.
"Okay," squeaked Past-Misty, and left, presumably to get the soonest possible boat or train to Cerulean City.
"Well, I'm glad that's over with," Misty said, as if meeting your past self was something that happened all the time (and far too often for her tastes), and also as if she hadn't been screaming just under a minute ago. She sighed. "I suppose we'd better get going now?"
"Going where?" asked Brock. "It's not as though we've got a destination. We don't even know where we are."
"I may be able to help you with that," said a voice behind them.