A Jewel in Water
Part 26
Misty, Elliot, Brock and Rudy were all enjoying a nightcap in the lounge that evening. Misty quietly sipped it as Rudy sat next to here staring at the side of her head. The other two engaged in idle chatter to prevent themselves from laughing too much. When Misty had enough of the awkwardness she spoke up.
"So what are your plans here Brock?" Misty asked.
"Oh, I'm not sure to be honest Misty. I came here to visit Ash but I found out that there is a talk from Professor Sycamore in the next time over on the research into Pokemon evolution metamorphous mechanisms in a few days. Its pretty cutting edge so I thought I couldn't miss it."
"Well you're welcome to stay here as long as you need," Misty offered, whilst taking another sip, eyes motioning towards Rudy, indicating she really didn't want to be stuck with him. Brock smiled knowingly.
"Well I'd be glad to take you up on that offer," Brock looked towards Elliot. "What's your plan for the week Elliot? I can imagine a lot of wooing is in order," he said. Everyone in the room cringed. Rude let out a disapproving snort and Misty sighed. Elliot nervously chuckled and started scratching his head whilst looking at the ground.
"Actually I think I'm going to wait for the King to return before taking my leave as well." Misty put her drink down and her head in her had. Rudys head shot towards her and he took her free hand.
"Princess, what is the meaning of this. Don't tell me you have already decided?" Misty sighed.
"Yes, I have decided."
"But… you decided on him?" he cried.
"Yes, that is correct, Elliot and I have come to a mutual agreement about our engagement and he wants to discuss it with my father before taking his leave." Misty explained. Rudy dropped her hand and stood up. Brock thought he could see tears forming in his eyes.
"How could you, Princess.?You are making a decision to hastily!" he yelled at her.
"We have discussed it at length, you have no need to get involved."
"You are too cruel Princess! To take my heart in your palm and crush it into dust. I am willing to give you everything and you know that! We share a past you cannot escape." Misty tried to supress a gasp, but it was too late, the other two who had been watching the argument pan out had heard. This meant that something had happened between these two…
"Rudy, please, not now." Misty pleaded.
"If not now, then when princess? You cannot pretend that we had no relation before this. All the more reason that you should pick me instead of that imbecile. We cannot erase the passionate past-" Misty picked up her drink and splashed it in her face. Rudy and the others looked at her in shock.
"Have you quite said enough?" she said calmly as they watched her. She stood up, beads of drink dripping down from her face and grabbed Rudy by the arm, excused the both of them and dragged him out of the lounge.
Brock stared at Mistys back as she walked out with Rudy. "So something hidden with everyone then is it? Since when did we become so opaque? Makes you miss the childish innocence we used to have." He looked at Elliot and leant back, taking a sip of his drink. "I feel like you have a lot of secrets too though. Mainly because of the fact that I recognise you from somewhere, and you recognise me too, I'm sure." Elliot tensed up. More interrogation, from Brock this time? Why were Ash and him so perceptive? "Ugh, don't worry about it, I'll remember somehow, even If you don't tell me." Brock said as he downed the last of his drink and set the cup down. "Anyway, other than the inspiration for your latest makeover, the main question I'd like the answer too is what's the verdict with Misty?" Elliot was glad for the change in topic and relaxed a bit.
"Well, I'm sure I know why Misty was deliberately vague, but obviously we have decided that the match wont work."
"Oh I see… I guess that's too bad?" Brock offered.
"Not really. I'm sure she has her eye on someone else,"
"As do you I suppose?" Elliot didn't say anything, just turned slightly pinker. Brock smiled.
"Ahhh, young love. Its so cute I could die."
"Do I suggest heavy sarcasm there?"
"I mean, not heavy, its absolutely dripping with sarcasm." Both of them were silent for a few mintues.
"Enough of this talk about love." Said Elliot finally, "What are we, teenage girls, discussing crushes?" Brock nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I find myself talking about nothing except love recently!"
"Tell me a bit about the research you're doing at the moment," Elliot offered as a new topic, which was a good choice as Brocks eyes started to sparkle.
"Oh well, I'm researching the migration patterns of Pidove recently, and you know its generally your standard bird migration stuff, but we've actually found that its this migration that determines the gender of a female Pidoves egg. You know how they can only lay one gender of egg throughout their whole life? Well…"
Ash was back in his room after the chat with May. This was unbearable. He had to get out of here now and clear his head. Seeing Misty after so long was supposed to have been sobering, but the fact that she had forgotten their whole past together was hurting him more than he had liked. She must have used it as a defence mechanism to protect herself from the pain she went through. If that was the case then maybe what he had done to her was more serious that he had thought. He thought that time would heal all wounds but not when the wounds had been plastered over. That plaster was bound to break someday, he was sure that the cracks were already formed and ready to fracture. He had run away the last time when things got hard, and he was running away this time. Once a coward always a coward. He felt a lump form in his throat and self hatred spreading from his heart to his fingertips. Pikachu climbed through the window from outside to see Ash standing by the door motionless. It was happening again. Pikachu was used to this particular behavioural trait of Ash, it happened whenever he thought of Misty. Pikachu shocked Ash to get his attention back to the present. Ash yelped and landed on the floor. "Pikachu…" he said and covered his eyes with his arm. Pikachu bounded over and stood on his chest. Ash removed his hand and looked at Pikachu. All of a sudden sat up, causing Pikachu to slide into his lap. "Buddy, we are getting out of here. Now."
"Pika?!"