The moonlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the grass where Ash and his friends slept. Ash was fast asleep,inside his tent, having a nightmare. He dreamt that Misty was being stricken again and again, and he was uselessly screaming, struggling but held back as if by invisible arms…
"AAAAAAAGH!" he screamed, jerking out of his sleeping bag. Throwing off his blanket, he unzipped his tent and crawled out onto the moonlit grass. He stood up, and walked over to the rushes, gazing down into a pool where a school of Goldeen slept peacefully. He looked up at the moon. "Oh Misty, where are you?" he asked urgently, wishing she would answer him.
Misty stumbled over tree roots and rocks, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She was so tired, but she needed to find Sapphire Mountains, and her sisters, and finally face Coral. But right now, she needed sleep. Marill knew Misty needed sleep. They had always shared a special bond, and Marill could feel how tired Misty was. With a flash of blue light, the little Pokemon shot from it's Pokeball, crouching down in front of Misty, causing her to trip. Misty landed on the soft grass. She saw Marill in front of her. "What do you want?" she muttered. Marill squeaked, and looked deep into her eyes, chanting it's name softly until, before she knew what was happening, Misty fell into a deep sleep on the emerald grass, her long red hair being used as a blanket by her faithful Marill.
The sun shone, and Pidgies sang as the morning arrived. Ash, Tracey, May and Brock rolled up their sleeping bags, took down their tents, and fed themselves and their Pokemon before Ash came up with a plan.
"OK, we'll cover more ground if we split up. Daisy mentioned a place named Sapphire Mountains, so that's where we have to go. We all have map, and Pokemon, we've been fed, so we're ready!"
"Good thinking Ash. Good to see that your stomach isn't the only thing you use!" Brock grinned.
"Ha ha." Ash groaned. "OK, I'll go with May, Brock, you go with Tracey."
"I don't think that's such a good idea, Ash. I think Brock should go with May, and we should go together." Tracey said.
"What? Why?" Ash asked, surprised. Then he grinned. "Oh, I get it, you don't want me and May together."
"No, I just think that judging how hurt Misty was last time she saw you and May together, it would be a better idea if you weren't with her!"
"Hey, it's not my fault Misty's jealous!"
"Maybe not, but it's your fault that you're so naïve to Misty's feelings!"
Ash blushed.
"Guys, guys, guys!" Brock intervened. "Come on, this is not helping us find Misty. Let's go already!"
"Fine!" Ash cried.
"Fine!" Tracey yelled,. And they sped off into Emerald Forest, leaving May and Brock behind.
"Do you think they'll be OK?" asked May.
"They'll be fine." Brock grinned, watching the two retreating boys race into the forest.
"I just wish I could say the same for Misty."
Misty awoke to the sunshine. Suddenly, she realised where she was. "Oh no!" she cried. "I overslept!"
She rounded on Marill. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she demanded angrily.
Marill squeaked indignantly.
"Oh, be quiet!" Misty snapped crossly. "We'll just have to make up for the lost time. Come on!"
She started to walk away, before realising Marill wasn't moving.
She turned around, and saw Marill propped up on it's tail, glaring with it's arms folded.
"Would you get a move on?" Misty cried.
Marill shook it's head.
"Fine! I don't need you!" Misty yelled, and turned to walk away.
Flashback.
"And another thing!" Coral yelled. "Do you call this pool clean?" she motioned to the grimy pool next to them.
"But I haven't started on it yet!" Misty protested.
"And why not?" her mother demanded.
"Because I was training Marill, that's why. Marill's important to me. I'll clean the pool after I've fed the Seaking!"
"Oh no you won't young lady, I want that pool done NOW!" Coral blasted.
"But, Coral, the pool will take me two hours to clean properly, and the Seaking need feeding now!"
"Well," Coral breathed, "You should have thought of that before you decided to waste time training that oversized balloon with a tail!"
Marill squeaked angrily.
Coral turned to face it. "Shut up, you little rodent!"
"Don't speak to her like that, you old witch!" Misty cried angrily, her fists clenched.
"What did you just call me?" Coral asked quietly.
Misty trembled as her mother turned to face her.
"I said, WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Coral screeched.
"You heard." Misty said icily.
"That's it!" Coral took a step forward and pushed Misty into the filthy pool, icy water flooding over her daughter's head. Misty came up spluttering.
"You know Misty darling, that little rodent might be worth something. How about I sell it to Team Rocket, hmmm?" Coral laughed.
"Don't you dare sell her, you creepy old witch!" Misty shouted, her head bobbing above the disgusting water.
Coral stopped laughing abruptly, and glared at Misty, her eyes narrow and sparkling with hate and malice.
"That really is it."
Coral spun around, and picked up a huge seashell they used as a prop for the underwater shows. She threw it hard, and it hit Misty, smashing across her face. Misty cried out in pain, as shards of seashell stuck in her hair, and bruises already started to form on her face.
"I have had it with you, you horrible girl!" Coral turned to a spike in the water. "Feraligatr, teach that girl a lesson she'll never forget! Diamond Jaw!"
Coral's Feraligatr sped towards Misty, who screamed and tried desperately to swim away, floundering in the freezing water as Coral watched.
The Feraligatr's fangs were becoming hard as Diamond, ready to sink into Misty's leg……..BANG!!
There was a flash of blue light and Marill attacked, ready to protect her beloved owner…….
Coral stalked out of the gym pool house with her Feraligatr, leaving her injured daughter and her Marill floating unconscious in the murky water.
End of Flashback.
Misty sank to her knees, then collapsed on the floor, sobbing. She crawled to a huge hollow tree to hide, before she slipped into darkness.
She didn't want to be found. Not by anyone. As she hauled her limp body inside and curled up on the leaves, she called Marill, who was leaning over her, tears dripping from it's eyes. It too had seen what Misty had seen. "Marill," Misty whispered to her beloved friend, "I love you."
Then everything went dark.
Will they ever find Misty? Will Misty ever stop being controlled by her flashbacks? R&R!