So silent, no violence
But inside my head
So loud and clear
You're screaming, you're screaming
Covered up with a smile I've learned to fear
- Still Alive, Lisa Miskovsky
# # #
The next morning, Misty and Melody left Bill's Lighthouse, waving goodbye over their shoulder. In Melody's opinion, Bill seemed happy that the two girls were finally leaving; he seemed socially awkward, not really knowing what to do with two girls suddenly taking up residence in the empty Lighthouse. Although she would give him some credit, he did tell them to come back anytime – no doubt he thought Misty might return to Cerulean City as she headed for Route 24.
"You're not really heading home are you?" Melody asked, rummaging through her messenger bag for her sunglasses.
Misty shook her head, her eyes trained ahead of her. "Of course I'm not. I'm not ready for that, my sister's just got over my death – I can't force my reappearance back at them at a drop of a hat. Maybe someday I'll return home."
Melody nodded, putting on her sunglasses before shoving her hands in her pockets. She silently followed the red head through Route's 25 and 24, taking in her surrounding's as she went, considering she'd never been to Kanto before.
Misty had finally changed out of her Pokemon Ranger outfit that morning, the outfit resting in the bottom of her backpack – although she had kept the blue biker shorts on, pairing it with a blue top Melody had picked up in town. Inwardly, Melody was happy the red-head was wearing something else for a change, the red-head only having packed another Ranger outfit – "I was here on a mission", Misty would say when asked about it.
"Hey, what's that over – oof," Melody mumbled, preoccupied with the small, guarded cavern to the left of them as she walked into Misty's back. "What's going, oh! It's Cerulean City . . . which way are you going to go?'
The last time she and Misty had past through Cerulean it had been near dusk. But, on Saturday's, Cerulean seemed to become busy. From their vantage point on the bridge leading into the city, Melody could see a small market taking place in the center of town, and almost every front yard had children playing or adults cleaning their cars or gardening.
While Misty's hair might be longer now then it was in the pictures at Bill's Lighthouse, but would someone recognize the former Gym Leader? "Hey, you want to use my hat?" Melody said, jumping slightly as Misty turned to the right, houses on either side of the road. "Someone might recognize you," Melody hissed, reaching for her green hat.
Misty shrugged, not paying Melody any attention as she started down the sidewalk, her eyes trained ahead of her. "If someone recognizes me, so be it. It could . . ." Misty trailed off, shaking her head.
Misty didn't have to finish her sentence; Melody could guess what the red head was thinking.
She wanted someone to recognize her, she wanted her sister's to hear word of a look-like.
Misty wanted someone to know that she was alive.
But, she didn't want to say anything to disturb the fragile peace her sisters had created.
Melody sighed, slipping her headphones on as she pressed play on her CD player, remaining a few steps behind Misty, watching the people working in their yards – most of them not giving the two teenagers any attention.
###
It had been three weeks since Melody had taken off in the middle of the night.
Jessilina had watched as Karol took off in one of their neighbor's boats, hoping that Melody might have gone to one of the surroundings islands for some reason.
Sure, she could see why Melody might try to venture to the Islands of Fire, Ice, and Lightning; the brunette had always been the adventurous type.
But, somehow, she believed that given the chance – Melody would go further.
Why would she stay so close to home, given that Karol's boat was so recognizable to those of the Orange Islands?
So, it came of no surprise when Elder Samantha got a long distance call from Kanto.
"I'm home," Karol called, shrugging out of her wind breaker as she hung her boat keys up on a ring. "What's wrong?" she asked, pausing in the doorway of the kitchen, noting the unimpressed look on her grandmother's face as she hung the phone up.
"That was Officer Jenny –"
Karol sighed. "What did –" she shook her head, Jenny wasn't calling about Melody. "What did she need?"
"It was an Office Jenny from Vermillion City, Kanto. She claims that a boat was docked there a week ago without a permit, the owner never coming back for it. They traced the boat back to –"
"Kanto?!" Karol exclaimed, cutting her grandmother off. "Are you serious – Melody went there?"
"Oh, did you find her?" Jessilina asked, typing away on her Poke gear as she entered the living room, her make-up all done for the upcoming taping of her morning show.
Karol shook her head, rolling her eyes. "It seems that Melody decided to really runaway, apparently she docked my boat in Vermillion's harbour, and is currently somewhere in Kanto."
Jessilina nodded, storing her cell phone in her designer jean's pockets. "She was always the adventurous type."
"She's thirteen," Karol said, her hands reaching for her wind breaker again. "Sailing around the Orange Islands is one thing, but going to a different continent and just – ugh! She's probably lost somewhere."
"I bet she's fine, Kanto's not overly huge. It just has a lot of small little towns and cities."
Karol raised an eyebrow, pausing as she zipped up her coat. "How do you know?"
Jessilina paused, wracking her brain for an answer. How did she know? "I think I read about in a book. Don't forget, we interviewed Suzy Lamont and – what was her name? – Lara Laramy in the past couple months on the show."
Karol nodded, grabbing the keys off the key ring before turning and opening up the door leading to the garage. "I'm going after her," she said with finality, heading into the garage.
Samantha shook her head, mumbling about how she had expected more out of Melody. Jessilina frowned as she walked past her, following Karol into the garage. "Do you think you'll find her?"
"Of course I will," Karol said offhandedly, rooting through a cabinet against the far wall. "Melody's going to wish that I didn't, but she'll get over it – she's just trying to rebel again."
Jessilina nodded, leaning against the doorframe. "Hopefully she finds the adventure she was looking for," she mumbled, her cell phone vibrating in her pocket. "Hello, Jessilina speaking," she said, flipping the phone up.
She cast a glance back at Karol, her back turned to the television host, making Jessilina shake her head, focusing on her manager running over the weeks' guests on the talk show.
"Jessilina, are you alright?" Danny stage whispered, the taping of their show having just ended. "You didn't see like you were all there . . ."
Jessilina shook her head, dispelling the thoughts as she glanced up, Danny before her. "Sorry," she mumbled, smiling slightly. "Samantha got a call from Vermillion City in the Kanto region; apparently Melody docked Karol's boat there –"
"Ah," Danny interjected, nodding. "You're worried about her aren't you? Not that I blame you, she seems rather erratic in her thinking sometimes."
Jessilina nodded, flipping her cell phone open and close. "Karol sent me a text when the show was on, she's heading out to find Melody tonight. In a way, I'm not surprised, when I left for here Sunday morning, she seemed," Jessilina shook her head. "She's spent the past week packing and mapping out the fastest way to Vermillion and locations that Melody might go to."
Karol also mentioned that one of the people Karol worked for was loaning her one of their boats to go after Melody. Everyone on seemed Shamoutti Island seemed intent on getting Melody back safe and sound – even though the brunette had thought everyone on the Islands compared her to her sister.
"Well, she'll have an interesting adventure in front of her, hopefully she's prepared – we all know Melody can be troublesome."
Jessilina paused, tuning Danny out as his words stuck in her mind, chasing each other around.
Adventure . . . prepared . . . trouble . . . and there was –
"Jessilina, are you sure you're alright?" Danny asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're spacing out again; maybe you need some time to think about it?"
She shook her head, she didn't have time to think about that recurring dream – the blue haired man was just part of a dream.
"Think about what?" She asked, drawing her attention back to the conversation at hand.
Danny sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You girls sure don't make it easy for us," he shook his head, his gaze holding Jessilina's. "It's been over a year since we met and started the show, not knowing that it was going to be such a success, and given everything that has happened and our chemistry – Jessilina, will you marry me?"
###
"Finally!" Melody exclaimed, seeing the end of the tunnel ahead of them. "I never thought we'd see daylight again!"
After leaving Cerulean City behind them – Melody taking note that no one really paid them any attention, to absorbed in their own lives – they quickly made short work of Route's 9 and 10, leading them out of the city's limits, an oddly shaped mountain snaking its way through the area, causing them to make a turn here or there. Misty commented that it was part of the Rock Tunnel – which was where they were headed.
Only thing was – Misty forgot to mention the cave was dark, the two girls unable to see a foot in front of their face. Melody scrunched her nose up at the sight before them – was Kanto so far into the boonies that they didn't have a lighting system set up in their caves?
Misty shook her head at Melody's comment, the brunette running ahead of her. "You're overreacting. We made it out of there fine," Misty grinned, glancing down at the Pokemon following along beside her. "Didn't we, Cubone?"
It might have been a fact that she had overlooked – neither her Azurril nor Goldeen knew the move Flash, and neither did Melody's Slowpoke. Thankfully, luck seemed to be on their side as they soon came across a Cubone, which didn't fare well against the water types.
"But imagine if we hadn't found it," Melody's voice drifted back, the brunette in the entrance now. "We'd still be lost and wandering around in circles, ugh!"
Misty let out a laugh, fishing Cubone's poke ball out of her pocket. "Come on, it's time for you to have a nice rest, you've been a lot of help to us."
"Cu-bone, bone!" It said, raising the bone it held before returning to the poke ball. Misty smiled, stowing the poke ball back into her pocket as she turned on her heel, picking up her pace to catch up with Melody.
"Ah, you finally made it," Melody grinned, the sun beating down on her. "I couldn't stand being in the darkness much longer – a girl like me isn't meant to be the dark!"
Misty laughed, shaking her head at Melody's actions as she stretched her arms out. "You're exactly like Jessie was – over exaggerating everything."
Melody paused, scrunching her nose up. "I'm nothing like her, that's actually kind of mean!" she half-yelled, pointing a finger at Misty. "That's so not cool; I'm not one for the spotlight anyway."
"Or stealing Pokemon," Misty grumbled under her breath.
"So, you never did tell me," Melody said, falling into step beside Misty as they started down the small incline, a town below them. "Where are we even going?"
Misty grinned slightly, shrugging. "I don't have a place in mind yet. I just couldn't stand there at the Lighthouse anymore – I know that Bill kept thinking that I should return to the Cerulean Gym. I felt like I couldn't trust him, I was just waiting for him to call my sisters and tell them he had something to show them. He used to date one of my sisters, you know?" Misty added, seeing the look on Melody's face. "And I'm not ready to see my sisters yet; I need to do some soul searching. I wanted to come to terms with the fact that Ash and Brock were gone, but then you said that Jessie was alive –"
"It could have been a coincidence," Melody interjected.
"I wish," Misty let out a laugh. "But in that journey, the one thing I realized was that if it involved Jessie and James, it wasn't a coincidence."
"So, you're just running away then, traveling to different places?" Melody summed up, raising an eyebrow.
Misty shrugged. "If that's what you want to call it, you can. I don't think you really understand what it's like, believing that you know one thing and then finding out that everything you created, it was just . . ." Misty shook her head. "It's hard to put into words, you know?"
Was it wrong of her to wish Melody had mentioned Ash and Brock instead of Jessie?
"So, what is this place called?" Melody asked, changing the subject as the silence stretched on. "It doesn't look very lively."
"It's called Lavender Town," Misty said, walking into the town. "I haven't been here since my sister's Lapras died."
"I see . . ." Melody trailed off, how did a Lapras come into it?
"Lavender Town is the final resting place of Pokemon," Misty explained. "About twenty-five years ago, a man named Mr. Fuji created the Pokemon Tower after his beloved Chansey died. He wanted a place to pay his respect for his companion, which led him here. Originally this was just an open space, connecting Saffron City to the Rock Tunnel. He built the Pokemon Tower and the house next door by himself. Slowly, Lavender Town was built around it; more trainers become intrigued by his idea of remembering the Pokemon that have past before their trainers. The Pokemon Tower is seven floors high, all full of Pokemon graves, although no one ever goes past the second floor – the third to seventh floor are rumored to be haunted," Misty shook her head. "With everything that has been going on lately, I thought this would be a good place to start my new journey."
Melody nodded, her eyes trained to the large Tower looming above them, its roof pointed, as if piercing the heavens. "That's a sad story. Are any of your Pokemon here, Misty?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure."
Her Staryu and Starmie – what had happened to them? She couldn't remember if she had called them back into their poke balls or not, or were they were still out there in the ocean, waiting for her? Or had someone else came along and captured them?
She didn't want to think about it, those were the final gift her parents had given her.
"Come on," Melody said, breaking through Misty's thoughts. "Let's just get a room at the Pokemon Center and Nurse Joy can look over Cubone," Melody added, tugging on Misty to get her to move, her feet rooted to the floor.
"I suppose so," Misty nodded slowly, her eyes trained on the Pokemon Tower, her eyes scanning the tower. She shook her head, it was her mind playing tricks on her – she didn't see something yellow in the corner of the grimy windows.
###
Every day was the same as the day before it.
Pokemon Trainers came to visit the graves of their deceased Pokemon.
Some would come with flowers to mark an anniversary, some would come with their friends, and some would stop at the gate surrounding the Tower before turning around, going back the way they came.
And every day, Pikachu sat in the shadows cast by the sun, its eyes trained on the gate.
Meowth had done the same in the beginning, before giving up after a week.
It didn't believe that Jessie and James would come looking for him.
And he certainly didn't expect the likes of Giovanni to show up at the gate.
"You's got ta face it, they're not comin'" Meowth said, shaking its head. "We's been left behind."
It would take time – Ash would come looking for him.
Pikachu kept looking for him, that black hair hidden underneath a red hat.
He would come.
A week went by . . . then a month . . . then a year.
Ash would have come by now, Pikachu knew it. Maybe Meowth was right?
And yet, Pikachu still sat there waiting.
It was only a matter of time . . .
"Are any of your Pokemon here, Misty?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure . . ."
Pikachu's ears perked up at the muffled voices, not many trainers visited the tower this late.
Muffled voices and then – "I suppose so."
"Pi?" It said lowly, picking its head up, looking through the window.
And then, he saw them.
Her strawberry-blonde hair might have been pulled out of its customary ponytail, but Pikachu could recognize that voice anywhere. It was Misty.
"Pi! Pika-chu!" Dropping his front paws off of the window's ledge, Pikachu turned, heading for the spiral stairs leading down.
All of his waiting had paid off, Misty had returned.
"What's all dat racket?" Meowth said, muffled as Pikachu raced down the rickety old staircase. "You's finally giving up, Pikachu?" He continued, as Pikachu raced into view, the sounds of Gengar and Haunter laughing at something on the old television.
"Chu! Pi –pi!" Pikachu replied, paying Meowth little attention as he skidded around the corner, down the stairs, and out of sight again.
"Wait a second," Meowth said, translating what Pikachu had yelled. "You's saying that the twerpy girl's outside with someone?"
Subconsciously, Meowth found himself following after Pikachu. He had put Jessie and James out his mind as best as he could, he wasn't part of Team Rocket anymore. But, if the twerpy girl had survived –
"Hey, wait for me!"
Meowth stumbled as he quickly descended the stairs, trying to keep Pikachu in its sight. By the time, Meowth reached the bottom of the stairs, rows and rows of graves stretched out before him and Pikachu. They hadn't visited the bottom floor since their arrival, they hadn't wanted to be reminded of their past . . .
"Pika!"
Meowth shot a look at Pikachu, out of breath. It had been over a year since he had walked further than a couple floors – and he certainly didn't run them. However, Meowth shook his head, pushing himself back into a standing position, nodding to Pikachu.
"Chu," Pikachu said, squeezing through the small opening that was hidden behind a bunch of nailed in boards. Since Mr. Fuji had past away, the upkeep and repairs on the Pokemon Tower had slowly come to a stop.
Meowth sighed, squeezing through the small area after Pikachu. The sun was setting over the mountains, casting long shadows over everything in sight. Meowth blinked a couple times, taking in their surroundings. "You's sure you saw her?"
Pikachu nodded, coming to a stop at the gate that surrounded the Pokemon Tower's property. Meowth watched as Pikachu sniffed the dirt and grass around the gate, its ears and tail twitching before looking to the left, starting off moments later.
"You's found her scent . . ." Meowth shook his head, he couldn't believe it.
After a year, he had long since given up on them.
###
Melody sighed, flopping onto the bottom bunk, stretching out. "Awesome, these are so much more comfortable than those spare rooms at the Lighthouse!"
Misty let out a laugh, hanging up her pink jacket on the back of the chair, her small bag resting on the floor. "I somehow doubt Bill has many guests visit him."
"Didn't your sister date him? I'm guessing she never stayed the night up there?"
Misty grinned, shaking her head. "If you had ever met Daisy, you'd understand. Daisy's my eldest sister and she was used to getting everything she ever wanted, the rest of us always got her hand-me-downs. I couldn't see Daisy roughing it on a thin mattress where you could feel the springs digging into your back – without a doubt, she would prefer the four-poster bed she has back in Cerulean, everything she needs available at the drop of a hat."
"Huh, they're pretty popular then."
Misty nodded, flopping into the empty chair. "Daisy was the captain of her high school's swim team, Violet was the captain of the Cheerleader's, Lily was voted Prom Queen, and all three of them had no problems finding dates."
That was one of the reasons she had run away from home – she was tired of always being compared to them. She wasn't the captain of anything, and couldn't care less about Prom. Being a Water Pokemon Master was more important, but was that just a silly wish of a twelve year old?
Now, she wasn't too sure.
If she hadn't left home, she never would have met Ash, Brock would've just been another Gym Leader, and she wouldn't have gotten on the Saint Anne and died in the public's eye.
But . . .
"Are you going to go back to the Pokemon Tower?" Melody asked, scrunching up her nose. She wasn't a fan of the tower and the way it seemed to loom over them.
"I'm not sure," Misty said slowly, frowning. "I don't know where to go next."
"You said your friends lived in Kanto too – why not start there?"
Misty shook her head. "I – I can't."
Sure, she'd only seen Ash's mom and Professor Oak in video calls with Ash, but she didn't want to see them. She didn't want to know what happened to Ash's mom after she learned her son was dead; imagining it made her shiver, goose bumps rising on her arms. As for Brock's nine siblings . . . wasn't the youngest sibling two then?
"Just a suggestion," Melody shrugged. "Doesn't this mean half of Kanto is off limits?" She had a map of Kanto somewhere in bottom of her bag; it hadn't looked that big at the time.
The pager on the small table buzzed off, making the two girls jump. Nurse Joy had given them the pager alongside a key to their hotel room for the night, saying that she would page them when she was done checking over and healing their Pokemon.
"I'm too tired to move," Melody mumbled, pushing herself into a sitting position. "The Rock Tunnel was so much longer than I thought," she muttered.
"I'll go," Misty said, snatching up the vibrating pager as she stood up. "I just need –"
"Time to think," Melody finished, nodding. "I understand. I'll wait here."
Misty mumbled a quick thanks, heading for the door as Melody reached for the television remote. Misty's footsteps were muted against the carpet lining the hallway. She cast a glance at the elevator as she past it, suppressing a shudder. She had been glad this Pokemon Center was only one floor – she didn't think she could handle being trapped in the elevator, even if it was for a few minutes.
Her mind was running in circles; her sisters, Ash, Brock, Team Rocket, Cerulean City, the Pokemon Tower's significance, Pallet Town, and then the terror of being trapped under the water and left to die, unnoticed. She let out a sigh though, trying to dispel the thoughts that threatened to consume her as she opened the door separating the hotel rooms from the lobby of the Pokemon Center.
"Ah Willow, glad you were still awake," Nurse Joy said, once she noticed her, smiling. pulling out a tray of Poke balls from below the counter. "Everyone is in excellent condition after a nice rest. Your Cubone also seems to be in relatively good shape considering you just captured her," Nurse Joy said, reaching under the counter for the Poke balls, Misty nodding as she place the Poke balls in her pockets, her bag upstairs. "We hope to see you again."
Misty nodded, not paying any attention to the Nurse's words, her mind already too full. In the back of her mind, she heard the doors of the Pokemon Center ding open for someone, but it didn't pay it any attention as she headed back towards the beige door separating her from her hotel room.
"Hey, is that Meowth walking on two legs?"
"Where's its trainer?"
"It's following that Pikachu –"
Misty cursed her luck; of course she would place her Poke balls into the same pocket as her room key.
"Maybe we should catch it? Pikachu's are hard to find –"
"Wild Pokemon rarely venture into cities –"
"Finally," Misty mumbled, grabbing the top of the keycard, pulling it out.
"Pika!"
"She ain't listening –"
"Did you hear that – that Meowth just spoke –"
Misty grinned, the keycard sliding through the mechanism at the door, allowing her entrance into the hotel portion of the Center. She vaguely heard the people in the Center talking, but she was so tired, she didn't really care.
"Pi-pika!"
Pulling the door open, Misty paused as something collided heavily with her leg.
Misty paused, an eyebrow raised as she glanced down.
Her cerulean coloured eyes paused on the Pikachu at her feet, her heart pounding against her ribcage as she recognized the tilt of its head. Looking up slightly, she noticed a Meowth standing there, a Meowth on two legs.
Misty shook her head, her Poke balls falling from her hands, her grip on the door handle going slack. "It can't be –" she mumbled, shaking her head, her mind blank.
"You's better believe it," Meowth said, out of breath.
"Pikachu . . . Meowth . . ."
And just like that, Misty's carefully constructed world fell apart. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on the ground, her Poke balls scattered on the ground, Pikachu held tightly in her arms as she buried her face into its fur.
She never even thought about Pikachu . . .
"Are those your Pokemon?"
Misty blinked, glancing up, coming face-to-face to a bunch of curious stares. Misty let out a slight laugh; she could only imagine how she looked to these other trainers. She nodded, running a hand underneath her eyes. "I thought I had lost them . . ."
The other trainers nodded, muttering something about Team Rocket to each other, one of the trainers scooping up the Poke balls Misty dropped, handing them back to her.
"Thanks," she mumbled, storing them back into her pockets as Pikachu perched himself on her shoulder. "Meowth . . . come with me."
The cat Pokemon nodded, a surprise slightly evident on its face as it ran after Misty, the door closing solidly behind them.
The thoughts in Misty's mind seemed to chase each other faster through her mind. Melody had shown her pictures of Jessie alive, and now Meowth and Pikachu were here.
She didn't want to think about it, but could it mean what she thought?
Could Ash and Brock still be out there . . . somewhere?
###
The reason why Melody referred to Kanto as the boonies at one point, is because of the Black and White series; Ash's rival Tripp seems to always make some reference to that whenever he sees Ash, so I figured I could tie that in here, somewhat.