Disclaimer: The song "I Don't Want To Be" and respective lyrics is copyright to Gavin Degraw. I don't own Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri does. The rest of this fic is original material written by me. Copyright 2005.
Chapter 4 - Departure
Ages:
Ash: - 18
Misty: - 18
OoOoOoO"Was there not a solution that would solve all this?" Misty wondered.
She gazed out the window, onto the street. The outside world seemed to her…so tangible. More real than it had appeared to her in a long time. The only answer she could arrive at was to swap her said sense of "captivity" for what she perceived to be freedom.
There wasn't the option of saying a proper goodbye, she knew that if she did, her will would be melted, that she would either be persuaded to stay, or Ash would insist on joining her. Neither of which she felt she could deal with, considering the circumstances.
She quickly gathered a few personal belongings, into her small red bag. As she did so, she wiped away a single tear, which fell, glistening, down her cheek.
Her final action within the Ketchum residence was to lay down a small, scrawled note on the bed, depicting the words:
"I have to leave…Goodbye Ash"
She thought it heartless if she did not give any clue as to her departure; yet she did not want to give any hint as to her reason, so she kept it as short and simple as she could. It was easiest this way…
Can I have everyone's attention please
if
you're not like this and that
You're gonna have to leave
I
came from the mountains
the crust of creation
My whole
situation made from clay dust stone
and now I'm telling everybody
It was time to act. The option of hesitation was no longer.
Ash bent down and carefully removed the contents of what he was to give Misty from under his bed. It was slightly heavier than he had remembered it to be, and slightly more awkward to carry. Perhaps this was because of his nervousness?
He knew it was crunch time, time to act. He had procrastinated over this long enough, it was time to set things straight.
Walking slowly towards Misty's room, he braced himself before turning the corner, gearing himself to gather all the courage he possibly could. He knew that this was not going to be an easy thing to do, especially considering that he was not coherent with his feelings at the best of times.
He grasped tightly at the edges of the frame, stepping cautiously and warily towards Misty's vacant room unaware of this fact. Hesitating at the door for a moment, the sense of apprehension in his stomach slowly and steadily increased.
Each step brought him closer to a certain confrontation…the outcome of which he was highly uncertain. This was a feeling which had been his common companion now, for quite a while.
Yet all that greeted him was a sparse room.
His jaw hung open. He was not expecting…this; not expecting her departure. Not expecting her to act in a way which would so utterly and entirely confound him.
The small speck of white which adorned the bed caught his eye. In a swift motion, he took it gently between his fingers, as if it were a delicate feather. Scanning what it said, he let it flutter to the floor.
Disbelief…questions…why?
Something, or someone, was depriving her of happiness. He knew her well enough to be able to read underneath the words which she had written.
And he would find out what…or who, it was.
OoOoOoOThe storm growled above, sending signals of warning to the citizens of the earth. Jagged bolts of light ripped the sky apart, separating it into uneven sections. Water pierced the atmosphere, soaking anything which resided below its vapory realms, including a young girl who was just braving the last of her teenage years.
She sat, huddled between the young branches which surrounded her. Shivering, cold..
Alone, all alone…
Misty was left questioning her decision; she knew it had been rash, abrupt, but surely it was her only option. No, it was her only option. She did not have the luxury of choice.
She continued on, into the darkness. Away from familiarity, away from contentment. Away from everything she associated with happiness..
She looked up, forward. Ahead of her, she glimpsed the shimmering lights in the far distance. Cerulean City. She had been traveling for, what seemed to her, to be days. But reality harshly stated that it had only been a few hours.
Silently she wished that Ash had not noticed her departure until recently, save for a small part of her being which hoped with all its might that he had figured it out quickly…and that he cared…
OoOoOoOThe rain whipped at the surfaces of Ash's car, beating down with a ferocity which was most uncommon. He knew time was crucial here. All his nervousness had transformed into a sense of..adrenaline? Of necessity. It was no longer a matter of wanting to tell her how much she meant to him, it was now vital that he did. He kicked himself for not realizing earlier her importance in his life. Misty had always been a constant in it, a friendly, smiling face, a string of kind and comforting words.
Had he taken her too much for granted? He sure hoped not. He did not want her to feel that way. She was someone very important to him, and she was not just some part of his life that he knew and did not appreciate.
Cerulean City.
The lights of the town gleamed in a welcoming way. Night had well and truly fallen by now; most of the residents would be tucked up in their beds by now, teetering on the realms of sleep and dreams.
He pulled up too the gym, stopping the car a little too suddenly. He took out his gift, and slowly made his way towards the heavy oak doors. Rain was dripping in his eyes by this point, streaming down his face.
He reached for the door with one hand, and knocked.
OoOoOoOAnd that is the end of chapter 4! So sorry about the long span between updates…..XD Thanks to all you guys who have read and reviewed this, I really appreciate it!
SE