CHAPTER 2: REUNITED ONCE AGAIN
Misty had walked for what seemed like hours now. The soles of her feet were beginning to ache and her belly rumbled for the taste of Brock's cooking. Azurill followed her trainer closely. Misty's arms were tired from carrying the small pokemon so she decided to let the blue water mouse hop along beside her.
"Hmph...That Ash Ketchum has some nerve! I mean come oooonnn! Who the hell in their right mind thinks the way he does? He's a joke...A hot mess of a joke but a joke all the same!" she said furiously.
"Azuri az azurill rill" asked Azurill as she bounced up and down on her tail.
"Well of course I don't mean that...it's just... he makes me so bloody angry sometimes. Ugh...I bet he sees me as some naggy old woman with nothing better to do except bitch and moan! " cried Misty.
"I miss Ash...why did I have to storm off like that?" she sulked.
"Azurill zuri az" said Azurill
"Hmmm...I know boo, me too. I'll get you something nice to eat when I find my way outa this stupid forest!" she stormed, flailing her arms about. With a new determination she marched onwards with Azurill hopping behind her.
Suddenly a sharp pain shot up through her foot. She could feel her left ankle twist uncomfortably to the side and felt her body fall through the air. Instinct told her to outstretch her hands and get ready for the hard impact of the ground. She landed with a thud on to a bare patch of earth. She gingerly looked behind her to see what had made her trip so effectively and she soon found her answer. A small hole had been dug into the ground no bigger than a couple of inches across but it was just big enough for Misty to lose her footing. She winced slightly when she tried to turn over onto her back but she finally managed to sit up and examine her injuries.
"Azurill az" squeeked a worried Azurill.
"I'm ok sweetie, don't worry." She said softly, trying not to freak the young pokemon out.
"Azu...Azurill..Ahhhhh" cried the pokemon
"Oh no, honey don't cry, please calm down Azurill" pleaded Misty.
It was no use. The pokemon sobbed incessantly. Misty tried her best to stand up on her own but the pain was making her sick to her stomach and she would flop back down to the ground with a thump. This distressed the pokemon even more who was already in floods of tears and she took off without a second glance at Misty.
"WAIT, AZURILL! COME BACK, PLEASE!" she begged. Misty eyes filled with tears. She was all alone in this forest with no food and no one to help her and it was beginning to get dark and cold. She cursed her stubbornness and choice of garments. She wasn't going to stay warm for long in shorts and a belly top.
"Ok girl come on, get up off your ass and get moving" she whispered to herself. With all the strength she could muster she pulled herself up off the ground using the nearby rocks as leverage. Gingerly she did her best to stand up while keeping as much weight on her good foot as possible. She carefully glimpsed at her surroundings, searching for anything that might be of use to her and then she spotted what she was looking for.
"Ah ha..that's what I need"
A long sturdy branch was sprawled out about two feet from where she was standing. She hopped over to it while letting out tiny yelps of pain every time her weight went down on her busted ankle but eventually she made it.
She picked up the branch and stripped it of all the twigs and leaves that were still attached and then grabbed her handkerchief that she kept in her back pocket and wrapped around the top of the branch. She then seen two smaller branches protruding from the bigger one and she carefully ripped off one of them leaving the other as a hand rest. Misty stopped and admired her handy work for a couple of seconds but was interrupted by the touch of a small water droplet bouncing on to her cheek.
"Oh well that's just great, that's ALL I need now...Thanks a frickin' million!" she shouted as she glanced up at the sky. She decided to put her makeshift crutch to the test. It wasn't ideal but it got the job done. Misty shuffled along slowly in no particular direction. The rain began to fall heavier by the minute. It wasn't long before she was soaked to her skin and shivering with the cold. She could feel the last few rays of sunshine dip behind the tall trees.
"AZURRRILL" she yelled, "AZZZUURRIILLL, WHERE ARE YOU?" she screamed again but it was to no avail. Her pokémon was long gone and she could feel her resolve beginning to melt away with the dying sunlight. Misty searched the area she now found herself in. There wasn't much in the way of shelter but there was a small embankment fifty yards away to her left. She decided that this was as good as any to try to shelter for the night. She hobbled over and finally sank down into the alcove that had been carved out by the wind and rain. She carefully positioned herself into a sitting position and placed her newly acquired crutch to her right. Then she huddled herself into a tight ball to try to conserve the rest of her body heat while the rain pelted her back. She hoped desperately that it would stop raining soon and that any bug type pokemon stayed well clear of her. She could feel her eyelids grow heavy. Her ankle throbbed painfully and she could feel the last of her energy leave her body. Sleep was approaching fast and she could do little to fight it off.
"MISTY WHERE ARE YOU?" shouted Ash at the top of his voice. Now that it was sunset his concerns for her had doubled.
"MISTY, ARE YOU THERE?" he shouted again. Not a sound he could hear. An eerie feeling passed over the back of his neck making his hair stand on end. Although he was no longer a ten-year old boy he still hated being out on his own in the dark. However he hid this little tidbit of trivia away from everyone lest they think he wasn't strong and manly. He pressed on through the thick undergrowth of the forest none the less.
Ash shined the torch he had borrowed from the desk in the main reception onto some rustling leaves then on to some shaking branches. He was defiantly on edge but he knew he had to find Misty. Suddenly his ears picked up the sound of a rustling bush nearby. He spun around and pointed the beam of the torch in its direction. Ash could feel his heart thumping in his ears. Goose bumps covered his entire body and his breathing was quick and shallow. The rustling began again.
"He...Hello?" squeaked Ash who suddenly sounded several octaves higher, taking himself by surprise. He cleared his throat and mentally told himself to get a grip.
"Hello, who's that in the bushes?" he asked again but with more power behind his voice. Ash inched closer. He couldn't quite make out what he was seeing. He could hear soft sobs now. Closer he got the better he could distinguish the creature. The sobs were getting louder. He could see its skin. Blue? he asked himself. He was yards away now and could see what it or rather who it was.
"Azurill?" asked a slightly confused Ash. After hearing her name Azurill stopped crying immediately. She had recognised that voice. She leapt full force at the man stooped over him and snuggled him tightly. Ash responded by giving her a consoling hug.
"There, there little one, It's o.k, you're safe now" he hushed. Ash may have been clueless to the ways of women but he was certainly in tune with the needs of pokemon. He would rather take a rampaging gyarados over a rampaging Misty any day of the week.
"Azurill, Could you take me to Misty?" he asked softly after the little blue mouse had calmed down. She nodded excitedly and hopped out of Ash's arms and down onto her tail where she immediately set off into the forest. Ash made sure to stick close to her in case he too, found himself lost. He bumbled and stumbled his way through the thick bushes and briars that covered the ground and eventually came to a clearing. The cloud cover had finally given way to the moonlight which was now illuminating the surrounding area. Ash continued to follow the little blue pokemon. There wasn't a sound in the forest; Ash assumed it was because it had just finished raining.
"Azurill Az" piped up Azurill.
"Huh, do you see something?" asked Ash
"Az" she replied and gestured towards a dark embankment. Ash squinted his eyes, willing them to focus. He could just about make out the figure of a person hunched over on the ground. His stomach back-flipped in horror.
"MISTY!" He ran full pace to the little hollow that had been scratched into the earth by the elements.
"Misty?" he asked again as he collapsed beside the still form.
He placed his hand on her skin which was cold to his touch. He gasped slightly. He could feel his heart pounding again. His eyes scanned every inch of her body looking for signs of life.
"Misty, wake up, it's me, Ash." He pleaded as he shook her gently. She still never responded.
"Azurill?" squeaked the small pokemon.
"It's no good Azurill" whispered Ash forlornly. Without thinking twice he removed his jacket and wrapped it carefully around Misty's limp body.
"Ok Azurill, stick close to me" said Ash. He lifted Misty's body with all the strength he could muster. Her weight was making Ash unbalanced as he tried to position her comfortably in his arms. His leg muscles burned as he tried to stay upright. When Ash was happy enough to cope with the weight, he made his way back to the small clearing, carrying Misty's motionless body bridal style.
"Oh God, Misty just hold on!" he begged, wincing slightly at the thought that it was now twice in one day he had to utter those words. He studied her face under the bright moonlight. It was alarmingly pale, even for Misty. Her usually shiny red hair was now damp and matted. Ash studied her slender face. He was always struck by the beauty of her features. Her soft lips and high cheek bones and those eyes, how he wished he could see her emerald eyes again.
They had walked for ten minutes when Ash spotted the orange glow of street lights in the distance. His heart skipped a beat. They were so close now. He shifted Misty weight again, determined not to drop the dead weight of the girl who had always by his side.
"Just a little further." He whispered to himself. His muscular arms where beginning to tire under the strain. Although he was now eighteen and had filled out substantially, so had Misty who was no longer taller than Ash but was still pretty close. He remembered the day he returned from the Kalos region as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.
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It was a sunny day in Cerulean City. The scent of flowers wafted lazily through the air. Ash was is in a joyful mood. He had just won his first championship league title in the Kalos region and was feeling on top of the world. Pikachu was perched proudly on his trainer's shoulder.
They made their way down a crowded street full of shops and restaurants until they reached a side road leading down to the local gym. Ash was feeling excited. He hadn't seen Misty in two years and now he would meet her once again. His head was filled with countless tales of his adventures and was bursting to tell her all of them.
"There it is Pikachu, the Cerulean Gym." He said happily as he gestured towards the large complex at the end of the path.
"Pik!" answered Pikachu who proceeded to hop down from Ash's shoulder and skip toward the massive glass doors that adorned the front of the building. Ash admired the architecture for a moment. It hadn't changed since the last time Ash was here. A massive dewgong decorated the roof which was also painted in pink and yellow stripes.
Pikachu had barely reached the doors when suddenly they flew open with a bang. There stood Misty, a tall and slender thirteen year old with a huge grin on her face.
"Ash Ketchum, you're late" she smirked.
"Sorry Misty, I got...distracted!" he grinned in return.
"Let me guess, you're stomach had other ideas." said Misty knowingly. Ash blushed furiously. She was right as usual.
Ash studied the girl in front of him. She had definitely changed since he had last seen her but not by much. She still had her fiery red hair and deep sea-green eyes. He smiled gently at her.
"What are you smiling at?" asked a slightly self-conscious Misty. Ash shook his head and blushed again.
"Uh...eh...I..." answered a fumbling Ash. She tutted in response and gestured for him to follow her inside. Ash cursed himself at his foolishness.
Later that evening, after Ash and Pikachu filled their stomachs yet again, the two teenagers retired to the swimming pool. They sat on the bleachers talking incessantly about all of their journey and accomplishments. Misty was now looking after the gym full-time for her sisters. She loved her job but part of her wished she could travel again. Ash's eyes lit up at the thought of his proposition for Misty.
"Would you please stop smiling at me, it's creepy!" warned Misty.
"Oh...sorry...I...well...I was wondering...if...maybe...you wanted to comeonanotherjourneywithme?" asked Ash to his feet. He had spoken the second half of his question so quickly that Misty had struggled to catch what he had said.
"Huh?" she asked puzzled. Ash gulped but he steeled his nerves.
"Do you want to come with me on another journey?" he asked again but slower.
Misty's face was blank. Ash searched her face with his eyes, looking for a hint of what she was thinking. She turned away from him so that her back was facing him. Ash's heart dropped. Her shoulders began to shake up and down.
"Oh Mi...Misty you don't have to if you don't want to..I just thought it would've been nice, I mean I knew it was a long shot!" exclaimed a terrified Ash. He placed his hand on one of her shoulders in consolation. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern for the girl. He had never seen her cry like this before. She lifted her head slowly and turned to Ash again, only she wasn't crying as he first thought, instead she was laughing hysterically. Ash was utterly perplexed.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked angrily to her.
"THE LOOK ON YOURE FACE WAS PRICELESS!" she wailed, still in the kinks of laughter.
"Oh come on Misty! You know how you are!" he said bleakly. Misty's laughter stopped abruptly. A flash of anger darted across her eyes. Ash knew he had said something dangerous.
"AND WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" she furiously roared.
"I didn't mean anything by it, I swear, I'm sorry!" apologised Ash, fearing the mallet that Misty would thump him with whenever he let something stupid slip from his mouth.
Misty deflated after seeing Ash cower. This wasn't the time or place for arguing. She sighed at the helpless looking boy in front of her. He had closed his eyes tightly in preparation for whatever Misty had planned as punishment. Instead she reached over and placed her hand on his. She ignored the intense heat rising to her cheeks and waited for Ash to look at her.
Feeling her soft hands on his, he opened his eyes slowly. Misty was staring at him intensely. Ash's throat was dry and his hands were sweaty. He smiled nervously at her.
"Ash, of course I'll come with you." She said simply. Ash and Misty hugged each other tightly. Tomorrow they would set off on their journey retracing their steps around the different regions.
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They had reached the outskirts of the town now. It was starting to drizzle again. Azurill bounded forward in front of Ash. Misty was still unconscious in his arms. He was sweating heavily and was out of breath. Eventually they made it to the small inn they were staying in. He quickly past the front desk, which was unoccupid and swept up the stairs. He finally arrived outside his room and kicked the door with his foot. Brock swung it open in reply and quickly gasped in shock at the sight before him.
"What happened?" he asked concerned.
"I don't know, but she hasn't moved a muscle since I found her like this" said Ash as he placed her carefully on the bed he had fallen asleep on earlier.
"Ash, go into my bag and get my thermometer" ordered Brock. Ash complied once again. He tipped all the contents of the bag onto the small table in the centre of the room. He eventually found what he was looking for and quickly passed it to Brock who was busying himself covering Misty with several blankets.
Brock placed the small digital thermometer in to her ear and waited for a result. A few seconds later he removed the device and looked at it. He frowned when he saw the reading.
"Wh...What's wrong?" gasped a worried Ash.
"Her temperature is too low. We gotta get her warmer." informed Brock.
"Ah crap! What do I do, WHAT DO I DO?" panicked Ash.
Calm down will ya, you're worse than a weedle in a spinarak's web!" teased Brock. Ash took a deep breath to steady his nerves.
"Now, will you get some extra blankets from the linen closet at the end of the hall." asked Brock gently. Ash nodded and made his way to the door. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
TO BE CONTINUED...