Epilogue: Sever the Seven (Years Ago)

Misty's POV

I remember that summer very clearly. It seemed that year was the peak of everything, but little did I know it would be a turning point that would lead to nothing but the fading away of a flickering light.

Things were looking well at my gym, for after we finally finished the remodel I got compliment after compliment from trainers about how well it looked. Of course I didn't take into account the money, or the time, to make a swimming pool larger and add a few fountains to it. I was just so into the dream at the time. Finally, I could come into my own as a pokemon trainer. Now that the league was over I could also get some practice done, but first I had a small dinner celebration to go to.

Ash's mother had fixed this lavish dinner, in celebration of Ash becoming champion, and had invited Brock and I in good faith, since we haven't seen each other in so long. How long has it been really, maybe two or three years? In reality it had only been two, but it seemed like time went so quickly back then.

And so went the dinner: I wore a long red Chinese-like dress and small pearl-like earrings, my hair in its usual ponytail. Brock wore a black shirt with brown suit pants and Ash wore a black t-shirt with a black pair of jeans-leave it to Ash to be causal. We were sitting at the kitchen room table, eating and talking just like old times.

"So Ash, I must say, after all this time and you finally beat Lance, congratulations to you! I have to say..I'm very proud of you," I said.

"Wow you're actually proud of me, Misty? Never expected to hear that," Ash replied.

"What can I say I'm full of surprises," I said, taking a sip of my tea.

"Well we have a lot to celebrate tonight guys," Brock said. "Not only do we have Ash being the new champion of Kanto, but also Misty is doing well with her gym, and I'm in the top of my class in breeding school. We've all certainly come into our own haven't we?"

"Speaking of breeding school I thought you were going to be a pokemon doctor like Nurse Joy," Ash remarked.

"Well who says I can't do both? And besides breeding pokemon is just as fun as I imagined it to be, with it's few perks," Brock replied.

"Perks? You mean pretty girls?" I said, a smug smirk on my face.

"Girls?" Ash repeated. "So you met someone?"

"Well I did happen to run into this cute breeder who loves Rock types," Brock said, with this derpy love crazy look on his face.

"Oohhh is she your study buddy? Did you seal your deal with a kiss?" I said giggling.

Brock acted like he was going to pour water on me but I rose up quickly, watching him roll his eyes and smile. And so we talked like that for a while, just us laughing and talking, just like our old campfire nights.

A few days later, I was getting ready for the Pokemon League conference that would take place in a week, so in order to prepare for the trip I had to buy supplies. Which meant another boring day of shopping. Unfortunately back in those days I was still underage, and wasn't really allowed to travel to the conference without a guardian, which meant bringing my sisters along. They disliked the trip as much as I did, but such was the life of a gym leader, and at least I would have a chance to see Ash and Brock again.

Well while coming home with groceries in my arms I saw a man talking with Daisy outside the gym. I wanted to assume that this guy was her boyfriend, but since he seemed a bit old for her I decided against it. He had messy grey hair and a long face, wearing a dark blue suit that seemed to show as much wear and tear as his face did. Just looking at him made me tired enough.

I walked up to Daisy, interrupting their conversation, "Hey sis, a little help here?" I asked.

"Oh yeah sure," she said, opening up the door wide and then folding her arms, as if in an effort to get back to her conversation.

"Really?!" I exclaimed.

"C'mon, Misty, I just got my nails done. Do you really want me to go back and get them done all over again?" She said.

I huffed and rolled my eyes. "You just can't find good help these days I swear," I said as I walked in.

As soon as Daisy walked in I of course confronted her about what just happened. She looked to me a bit puzzled, faking her ignorance like a dense Slowpoke.

"What you mean? Oh that guy? That was, uhm, well my boyfriend! I wanted to keep it a secret but since you caught me.." she started and then trailed off, as if not wanting to explain much more.

"Your boyfriend? He's old enough to be your dad! Why would you even want to be with a guy like that?" I asked.

"Oh Misty, you're far too young to truly understand why people do the things they do, but would it really matter as long as he takes care of me? But uhm, do me a favor and not mention it to the girls alright? I want to keep this a secret," she replied, a shy look gracing her face as she looked down a bit, swaying from side to side as she attempted to avoid eye contact with me.

I lifted up an eyebrow, not even for one second falling for her insane antics. But if the mystery man at the door wasn't really her boyfriend, then why waste her time defending him?

Before I had much time to wonder, however, the days passed quickly and before I knew it, fall was already approaching. But just as I was approaching a long awaited three week break, I had received an unexpected phone call. One that would unfortunately change everything.

"Misty, Brock is on the phone!" I could hear Daisy yell.

Once I got to the phone I could see Brock's face, solemn but with a soft smile, as if he was glad to see me.

"Brock I thought we were going to meet up for the Gym Leader conference in a couple of weeks, but hey what's up?" I said, being jovial as always.

"Misty…" Brock began, but then trailed off, casting his eyes down and slumping his shoulders.

"What is it?" I said, becoming troubled, "Is there something wrong?"

"Well, uhm," Brock began to talk slowly, almost in a whisper, and I could see his lower lip quivering. "This morning, Ash found his mom collapsed on the kitchen floor and had to take her to the hospital."

"Oh my God," I gasped, "Is she okay?"

"Well…" He continued, "I'm sorry, Misty, she just died a few moments ago."

It felt like at that moment I could feel my heart stop. "Wa-What?!"

"I didn't want to call until I was sure," Brock replied. "Ash is taking it really hard obviously. I was hoping maybe some time you could come over, and we could discuss the arrangements."

The next couple of weeks seemed to go by really slowly. Brock and I planned the funeral, and it was paid for by Professor Oak himself. I never realized how much a life could mean until it was gone. Not only was Ash's mom a devoting wife and mother, but she was admired by the entire community after Ash's father was killed in a car accident. Being a single mother to a six month year old boy was hard, but taking care of children around the town was probably a lot harder. Nevertheless, Delia Ketchum took care of everyone, running errands, cooking food, washing clothes all before dinnertime, not to mention keeping up with her garden and even taking care of some of the Professor's baby pokemon-in her spare time of course. Yes, she wasn't just Ash's mother, but everyone's mother, even helping to save a few marriages whenever a disgruntled wife would ask for advice. Her strength was most likely the reason why she didn't let anyone know of her suffering. She was never one to complain, and she probably saw her cancer as another goal for her to conquer. But in her efforts not to make anyone worry, she didn't realize that her cancer had already spread throughout her body, and her chances of living a full lasting life died when she fell to her knees on her kitchen floor.

And so went the life of Delia Ketchum, just like a leaf floating through the wind, it passed quickly and touched the lives of everyone who came in contact with it.

Then again, she was never the type to dwell on something for too long.

Ash, however, wasn't blessed with that same perk. A few weeks later Brock called me again, to let me know of Ash's progress.

"It's not going so well," Brock started. "We've been trying but Ash has just been getting worse and worse, and has been spending long days and nights in his room. I've been wanting to help him, but he pushes everyone else away. I think the only one who could help would be you, Misty. I've been here as long as I could, but I have other matters to attend to, unfortunately. If you could, please help him, I believe he needs you."

I began to wonder, why me? Brock seemed a lot more experienced in taking care of a brother than I was, so why summon me? Then it began to dawn on me, the loss of my parents was almost the same as the loss of Ash's mother. Even though my father left us a bit after I was born and my mother died at an age when I was too young to appreciate it, I had assumed that maybe there might be some sort of inner connection that would help Ash and not hinder. So I made the trip to Pallet Town, despite the growing tension at that moment between my sisters and I.

Unfortunately when I knocked on the door of Ash's house I had gotten no answer, but just as I turned around to leave I heard a small sound from the window. I turned around to see Pikachu, frantically tapping away in efforts to gain my attention. So after some thought I went around to the back door, which was surprisingly unlocked, and made my way inside. As I stepped foot in the kitchen I realized for the most part it was clean, except for a small note attached to the refrigerator.

Misty, if you see this note it means I have already left, but I'll be back soon. Please do what you can for Ash and when I come back I'll have some dinner ready. I'm counting on you. Brock.

After this I looked from the note to Pikachu at my feet. Talk about pressure. I took a deep breath and sighed heavily. Well Misty, now or never. I made my way up the steps and knocked on Ash's door. Of course I got no response so I knocked again.

"Go away." Was a stern voice from inside that could only belong to Ash.

"Ash, I'm not leaving until I talk to you, and I'll drag you out of that room if I have to!" I replied back.

After no response I opened the door slightly. It was completely dark, save for the light that flowed in from the hallway. I squinted and managed to make out a lump on the bed, which I deemed could only be Ash.

I stood in front of the bed, looking at him shrouded in covers. "Ash, get up," I said.

"Go away," was his response.

"Ash," I said more sternly, "I told you to get up. Brock sent me here to look after you and that's what I'm going to do."

"Didn't you hear me when I said go away?" He replied again, more fiercer than ever.

I sighed again, taking a deep breath, "Ash I know you are hurting, and I know how hard this is for you, but you need to let it go and realize that there is nothing you can do."

"I said go away," Ash said again.

I was beginning to think Ash had little words in his vocabulary, but looking at Pikachu filled me with determination. If he believed in Ash then I had to too.

"Ash listen to me, I'm sorry to say this but your mother is gone and there's nothing you can do but get out of that stupid bed and live already! This is the last thing your mother would have wanted for you, now get up!" I said, a bit harshly, clenching my fists by my sides.

If there was anything that ticked Ash off more, it was my words. He got up suddenly, staring me down with eyes made of fire. It was then that I realized how much weight he had lost, the covers that were wrapped around him seemed to make him look a few pounds heavier, but now that they were off it only seemed like a strong wind could knock him down.

The next words he said were harsh and shook me down to my core. "You are such an annoying bitch! You're just as obnoxious as you always were and you always think you're right! Well forget you and your opinions, and I'm sick of hearing your voice mocking me like you know anything about what I am going through!"

I instinctively retaliated, just as fiercely, "I know a lot more than you do! You know what you are? You are nothing more than a selfish asshole who just wants to be taken care of like a little baby! Well no one is going to baby you, Ash! One day you are going to wake up and be all alone and guess who's fault it's going to be? My parents are gone too, but you don't see me starving myself in a dark cold bed, do you? When are you going to learn to grow up and get a pair, you stupid fool! Can't you see that people are trying to help you but you are so off into your own ass that you can't see anything other than yourself! You think that you are going through something, well there's millions of people out there in the real world who are going through the same as you, but you will never understand that will you?"

Ash rolled his eyes and huffed at me, I swear I could see the steam flowing out from his nostrils. "Why won't you just leave me alone," he said. "You think I'm selfish? You are even more selfish for treating me this way! Now leave me be!" With those words he reached out to shove me away, or at least he tried to, but all the strength he lost didn't make his case much better. He missed and nearly fell to the floor.

He picked up the nearest thing he could find, an empty pokeball, and threw it at me. I ducked at heard it crash on the wall behind me. Except there was one problem the pokeball wasn't empty, but in fact contained one of Ash's prized pokemon, Venusaur. Venusaur looked from me, to Ash, and then to Pikachu, obviously confused.

"Ash you idiot! Are you really that dense?" I shouted.

"Get out! No one wants you here so why don't you just leave! Leave and never come back! I never want to see you again!" Ash shouted back at me.

There was a tense moment of silence, Ash's eyes and mine own piercing each other. Finally I turned around and stomped off, slamming the door behind me.

Of course I never expected things to escalate so far so fast, but what could I do, I think Ash was beyond reason. Maybe he was far beyond anything, and not even Pikachu could save him. I stomped off down the stairs and out the door, running head first into Brock.

"Misty, what's-wait, you're crying, is everything okay?" He asked me.

I shook my head. "No, Brock. It's over, between Ash and I, and it was a mistake to come here. I'm done, Brock, and I think you should be too."

Brock tried to hold my shoulders but I shook away. "Misty," he said, "You know Ash isn't like this, he doesn't mean a thing he says. Please Misty, why don't we try again and we can both talk to him together."

I ignored his pleas but only got back on my bike. I turned around to look at him. "Don't you have a gym to run? Why waste your time taking care of a baby who refuses to be fed? I only hope that when he's hungry someone will give him a crumb off the floor." And with those said words I pedaled off, letting the wind take my tears away.

I thought that my anger over Ash would subside after the next few days but alas, just as I was about to get over my anger my sisters summoned me to a so-called family meeting. I sat next to the kitchen table, while my sisters gathered around me.

"Misty," Daisy said, "There's something we have to tell you."

"What is it?" I asked. I suddenly felt like being surrounded by my sisters was like being at the head of the knights at the round table.

"Well, Misty," Daisy began to explain, "You see sometimes people have to go on with their lives, even if they don't want to, and although it may be hard to understand in the end you find out that it's actually the best thing. After all we all have our own lives to live and sometimes we don't always agree with our current situation."

My look became perplexed as ever. "Huh?" I said.

Daisy placed a finger on her chin and tried again, "You see sometimes life gives you an interesting opportunity, and before you take it, you have to understand how your decision affects other people. It may not seem like the best decision to make but in the end everyone will understand your feelings."

Her current babble was fazing through me like an overbearing sound of an electric guitar. "Huh?" I said again.

"Oh forget this," Violet yelled out. "When Daisy confuses you it's just time to let it go. Listen Misty, fact of the matter is, sorry to break this to you but we had no choice but to sell the gym."

"Sell the gym?" I repeated those words like it was a foreign phrase from another language. "What are you talking about?"

"Look Misty, I'm sorry but this gym is costing us more money than it's worth and to be honest it's better to sell this place instead of keeping it run open. There's so much to pay for like utilities and water and gas, and did I mention how that huge upgrade to the gym you wanted nearly put us $10,000 in the hole? It's just too much to expect a huge profit for this place, so we got an offer and we accepted it," Violet replied, her words coming quick like she was in a rushing river.

"What? Is this true, Daisy?" I asked, looking at my older sister for guidance.

To my disbelief, Daisy slowly nodded. "I am afraid so, Misty. I'm so sorry, but you see we are running out of funds to support this gym. It's much better to sell it now than to end up in major debt later."

"Then that guy I saw you with that day, he wasn't your boyfriend, but he was a potential buyer was he? And you did this without telling me! I am the gym leader, don't I have a right to know what's happening?!" I nearly shouted, coming close to banging my closed fists on the table.

"Misty, don't you realize how young you are? In circumstances like this it's up to us, your guardians, to make huge financial decisions like this! Don't you understand that what we did was the best thing for you?" Violet said.

"The best thing for me? Have you no idea what you've done? This gym had belonged to our parents, and they shed blood, sweat, and tears for this place! This is our family heirloom, our heritage that is a part of us and you just went and sold it for a few lousy pennies! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!" I began to shout now, raising my voice into the echo chamber that was our dining room.

"We have no money!" Violet shouted back, "And this town is dying! It might be hard for you to believe because you're only fourteen, however if things continue the way they are now we would have no home to come back to! The property taxes are rising and at this rate there would be no way that we could pay for it!"

"Then we fight!" I intervened, finally slamming my fists on the table. "We shed as much blood, sweat, and tears as our parents did! We all get jobs and we work our hardest to pay for what we owe! Why, why give up our home just because we say that we can't do something? With a little hard work and determination there is nothing we can't do!"

"You have such a childlike mentality," Violet scoffed, folding her arms. "You don't understand that even if we all had jobs we still couldn't pay for anything."

"Yeah and me, get a job, and mess up these pretty nails? You can't be serious?" Lily finally spoke up, and I wished she hadn't because it only made me want to punch her in the face.

"Alright everyone let's calm down," Daisy spoke up again, trying to be the voice of reason. "Listen, Misty, as much as I hate to admit it, Violet is right. Even if we all had gotten jobs that still wouldn't be enough to pay for the bills we owe, and even those that are still coming for weeks and months to come."

I let my head fall, tracing my finger along the etch marks on the table. "So we just give up," I whispered out. It was silent but my words still echoed throughout the room.

Daisy reached out and touched my hand, and grabbed it gently. "I know it's hard to understand now, but it was the best decision to make. And with the money we received we can start a new life, live in a new place, and even start up a new gym if we wanted to. It's not the end, Misty, this is only the beginning for all of us. After all, twenty million goes a long way."

Twenty million dollars. For years of memories and battles and love and growing up, all of that was worth nothing much but a lousy twenty million dollars. It may seem like a lot to some, but it just wasn't enough for me. This place is priceless.

I jerked my hand away from Daisy, standing up and looking down on all my sisters. "You have a lot of nerve, all of you do! It's one thing to sell a home, but you also sold my gym! I would have expected you to sell a Growlithe so causally, but not my home-our home! Even if I wasn't old enough to be a part of your little club, the least you could do was ask for my consideration, you know the one who's actually the gym leader! How could you do this to me?! I hate you!"

I ran away from their sorrowful calls of my name and ran upstairs into my room. I was just so angry at that moment, as if I could punch something. I paced back and forth on the carpet, until finally without much warning I grabbed something and threw it across the room, watching it hit the wall and finally fall to the floor. It was then I realized what I had grabbed was my mother's old mini mirror, which was one of the last things she gave me, and was one of my precious heirlooms.

I went to the fallen mirror, bending my knees and clasping the broken glass in my hands. The frame of the mirror was still in tact, but the mirror itself had a large crack along the middle of it. I could almost hear my mother say: Don't break the mirror, or you will have seven years bad luck. I gazed at my broken reflection and felt tears rolling down my cheeks. It seemed like now I only had one thing left of my mother, and now that was broken too, just like I was.

Never have I wished to be a full grown adult more, to protest the situation we were in. But it didn't make a lick of difference now, since the wheels of fate were already in motion, and we only had weeks left to be here. I cried and cried in despair for what seemed like forever, until I finally realized that I couldn't do a thing about it. Just like Ash's mother who died sadly two months ago, there was nothing anyone could do. I had no choice but to accept the loss and move on, but unlike my sisters I didn't want to leave Cerulean completely. After all, home was still home, even if it was run down and old.

"If you really don't want to leave with us, Misty, I've made some arrangements for you to stay somewhere in town. Of course you would have to pay for your own food and general welfare but your rent will be paid. I know it's a lot to ask you to leave here, so it's the least I believe I can do for you. Just remember if you ever need us we will always be here for you. We love you, Misty."

Those were the last words my older sister Daisy said to me. It was a nice apartment she got for me, a single bedroom with a study, and it was paid off in full until I turned eighteen. I just couldn't help but get used to my new home, and the freedom it gave me, but what could I do with a lonely place and my share of five million dollars that I swore to myself to never touch. I guess all I could do was move on and live life, there was no point in dwelling on what should have been.

But before I could get truly adjusted to my new living arrangements, I had my first guest, a surprise visitor caught out in the rain late one night.

I opened the door to see his face, dirty and dripping wet, with two tired pokemon by his side.

"Misty…"

He collapsed in my arms that night, but not before whispering out my name. It was a shocking event, considering just a few short weeks ago he wished to never see me again, but later claiming that before he died of starvation all he wanted was to apologize to me.

With that turn of events I lost my licence since I lost my gym, and with it I also had no choice but to give away my pokemon to Professor Oak, but with it I gained a roommate, who would only slowly get better as the days went on.

~~~~~Present Day~~~~~~~

I rubbed my belly, feeling the possibility of a new beginning, and smiled to myself. I asked my best friend, who became my best boyfriend, why did he pull himself out of the dumps and move in with me.

"I needed a change," Ash told me, "And to have a change I first must change myself. Besides, I figured if you could live through your mom's death, then maybe I could too."

His bright smile pierced through my heart, with a warm everlasting feeling, and no matter how hard I didn't want to I had no choice but to wait for what the future would bring tomorrow.