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Misty, with her piercing fiery eyes, met my gaze with determination; though I also sensed something else underneath: a wave of love, perhaps, crashing forth from the depth below. Ah, I thought, how I wish for it to wash me away.
Vaporeon, sleek and graceful, stood poised by her side, eyes narrowing at Umbreon.
"Ready, Ash?" Misty's voice was steady, her eyes glimmer in the shade of Vaporeons pelt.
I nodded.
"Vaporeon, wash these boys off our shores. Water Pulse!"
Vaporeon's graceful form leaped forward, a sphere of water swirling between her fin-like paws. She launched a high-speed Water Pulse, crashing toward my dark-hued Umbreon.
"Umbreon, become one with the dark," I commanded. Umbreon fell down and into the void, narrowly avoiding the blast. Due west he sprouted out again, hissing tauntingly.
"Vaporeon. Water Pulse!" Misty bellowed again.
"Now, use Dark Pulse!" I shouted. Umbreon unleashed a wave of dark energy; Vaporeon hurled a jet stream of boiling water. Darkness and blue bashed in midst of air, devouring all the sun's golden light; from underneath grains of sand, rose shadow in tones of purple, smelling like fear itself. The shadows coiled forth.
"A true son of the shadows," I heard one of Misty's sisters gasp.
"We are the shadows, to serve the light," another one blurred out.
"A prince of darkness; he must join our cause," a third one said.
Misty's expression tightened as she assessed the situation, her option limited; the battlefield, laced with shadow and dread, fuel Umbreon by the seconds.
"Vaporeon, Counter with Aqua Ring and then Water Gun!"
"Umbreon, finish it with Foul Play!" I yelled. "Show her true darkness."
Umbreon's vanished into another dark portal, leaving it open.
"No!" Misty yelled, as a dark, foreboding sense wrapped the arena. "It's a trick Vaporeon. Stop the attack!"
She didn't.
Deadly forces of water washed into the portal, only to reappear behind her, smashing against her side. The attack was brutal, never the less, it didn't harm Vaporeon much; the water-cat dove, swimming against the current, without the need for air.
"Confuse Ray," I yelled. "And end it with Dark Pulse!" With a final burst of crackling energy, Vaporeon collapsed onto the floor, defeated.
The gym fell silent as Misty recalled Vaporeon, her expression a whirlwind of joy and furore.
She walked over, extending her hand. "Here's your Cascade Badge."
"Thanks," I said. "See you later?"
"Have you booked a hotel?"
I shook my head.
"It's fine," Misty said. "You can stay in my room."
"When?"
"Whenever," Misty said, tittering with laughter. "Later, tomorrow, in a few hours…"
"Now?" I asked.
"If you wish."
The days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, as I remained in Cerulean, training relentlessly. Sweaters and t-shirts shrank as time passed, fitting more snugly over newly gained muscle. My workouts were as grueling as the newly arrived winterland, and the water-city was now laid in ice.
I jogged alone, breathing puffs of white smoke that vanished in the crisp air. I took a break by the park, where once-gliding rivers had been enthralled by the northern chills, frozen in place as though time itself had died. Misty thought my Pokémon and I were stupid; maybe she was right—it was truly freezing. But we enjoyed the hardship; the crunching of snow beneath our feet reminded us that times are ever-changing.
I was starting to go mad; it felt safe to be close to Misty in these loving surroundings, but I didn't like that we didn't have a plan. What's happening out there in the world? What is Team Rocket plotting? How is Pewter City doing? The reason I trained so much had to do with my own brain's need to immerse itself in questions I didn't have answers to. I had to distract myself.
It was, to say the least, frustrating.
"Isn't it nice to finally be safe behind high walls?" Misty had said. "Why on earth do you want to go out into the wilderness in the middle of winter?"
I had no good answer and let her question hang in the biting air. Why do I really want to go out? I thought. Out into the wilderness where Pokémon lurk and hunt relentlessly.
I didn't have to ponder this for long: The wilderness is my true home.
"Where are you going?" Misty asked one cold and dark February day. I stood before her stark naked in her lavish chamber, which smelled of blackberries and lavender; and many books were stacked here, with dust gathering and forming a gray, sickly layer over the covers.
"You're not going out to train again, are you?" she asked. "You've already trained today."
"Yes, I am," I replied, putting on my workout clothes that still stank from the session earlier this morning.
"I thought we could eat together," Misty said.
"I'm about to climb the walls," I said. "I want to go out and do something. Out to help people! Why are we sitting here wasting time when we could be out there, in the wilderness, freeing the lost cities?"
"You don't like me anymore," Misty said, her cheeks glowing pale red in the light of the lantern beside her. Her hands trembled as they touched her face; they wiped away a tear that slipped down her cheek. It was a small, shiny streak; first on one cheek, then on the other.
"I love you," I said, grabbing her, kissing her. "But I'm only seventeen. I don't want to become an old grandpa in an armchair by the fireplace with a pipe just yet."
She laughed weakly and shrilly. Or maybe it was a sob. I don't know, because I let her go and ran out, letting the cold envelop me—ah, the icy cold.
The cold bit at my skin as we jogged through the crunchy streets of Cerulean, the sound of porous snow compacting underfoot echoed in the emptiness. Umbreon, Machoke, Growlithe, and Eevee kept pace beside me, their breath rising in white puffs. A few guards patrolled about; except for them, it felt like we were the only souls left in this frozen world.
Suddenly, Growlithe stopped, his nose pressed to the ground, sniffing intently. He growled low and deep, as if tasting the scent; his tongue flicked nervously. I followed his gaze and saw a dark spot in the snow: blood.
"Hells," I muttered. "There's a trail of blood. Stay close, stay alert. Growlithe, lead the way. Umbreon, flank me on the left and use your darkness. This worries me."
We followed the track down a winding, shadowy alley. The cold mixed with the darkness, biting so hard it numbed my cheeks. Growlithe paused, lifting his head.
"What do you see, boy?" I whispered, peering into the gloom. "What the fuck is that? Is it… is it human?"
The trail of blood ended at a slumped figure, barely visible in the darkness. I approached cautiously, my heart pounding.
"Growlithe, Ember," I commanded. The alleyway flickered to life, revealing the shape of a woman. Down her arm streams of blood flowed; she clutched the other hand over a gushing wound. Her clothes were tattered, her naked legs blue and swollen, her face hidden beneath tangled hair. She muttered, words that barely escaped her chapped lips.
"Fuck, woman, are you alright? You're bleeding." I said, stepping closer. She didn't respond. A foul stench of soil and rot filled the air, forcing me to breathe through my mouth. I looked about for the source, but then I realized–it came from her.
"Cerulean," she whispered, her voice cracked and weak. "I must run… to Cerulean. Orders to run… they must be warned."
"Warn Cerulean of what?" I asked, my voice stern, though my thoughts trembling.
She lifted her head, revealing a sun-kissed face streaked with dirt and blood. Her eyes were wide with terror.
As she collapsed, she said: "They're coming."
The meeting room was warm and damp, a true opposition to the harsh winter outside. The walls, adorned with maps of the region, were lined with bookshelves filled with dusty tomes. A large wooden table stood in the center, empty mugs littered about, and it was cluttered with various papers. It smelled like a party done right. The only light came from a flickering overhead lamp, casting a dim glow on everyone's tense faces.
Daisy, deep in thought, examined the scattered papers. "What could the woman have meant by 'they're coming'?" she pondered aloud.
Lori, leaning against the wall, shook her head. "I still don't believe Pewter has fallen. It's just not possible."
"If Lori's right," May interjected slowly, "and Pewter has fallen, we need to prepare. Every trainer in Cerulean must start their Pokémon training, become guardsmen."
Daisy's face darkened. "That will only infuse panic, havoc, and despair."
Lori shot back, "You're being ignorant, Daisy. If Pewter's fallen, we need to act now."
Misty, frustrated, interjected. "What about the League of Shadows? It has to be Team Rocket behind this. What would they do?"
Daisy's patience fled her face. "This is not the time for guesses."
Misty slammed her hand on the table. "Then I'll go back there and check!"
"No, Misty," Daisy said firmly. "You're ordered to head to Vermilion City when the winter has melted away."
Lori added, "A trip to Pewter will take months, if not half a year in this weather."
"What if Team Rocket is using the winter to replenish their forces?" May asked.
Lori questioned, "To attack in spring?"
Silence fell over the room.
"Misty should head back to check on Pewter," I said, my voice cutting through the tension.
Misty's eyes met mine, a glimmer of hope in them.
"And I will go to Vermilion in her stead," I added.
"Fuck no," Misty said, her face suddenly flushed with anger. "No way. It's way to dangerous alone."
"He has two Gym badges," Lori said, rocking her head from side to side.
May leaned over the table, her back bent seductively. "That might do it."
Daisy said nothing, her eyes fixed on the lamp above; it's light flickering in her eyes, making them shimmer red.
"Do what?" I asked.
"It might give you an audience with Lt. Surge," began Lori. "Seeing as you have two badges, you are lawfully allowed to challenge him to a Gym Battle."
"You're all fucking stupid," Misty interjected. "And I won't allow my boy…" Misty cleared her throat, cheeks blushing, "friend to go there alone. The city of Thunder is dangerous. Lt. Surge is ruthless. He slaughters anyone looking at him funny. The League of Shadows must–"
"The League of Shadows has been dispersed, crippled. We are but a mere shade now, bested at every turn," yelled May, slamming her clenched fist on the table, sending papers soaring.
Daisy's voice cut through resolute. "It's settled: Misty heads for Pewter; Ash goes to Vermillion city… alone."
Misty stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
The following day I packed the last of my gear, layers of clothing and supplies for the harsh winter journey, a camping stove, an extra thick sleeping bag, cutlery, a knife and a foldable saw, when Daisy walked in. Her gaze were solemn as she surveyed the packed bags, her eyes lingering on a future which haven't come to pass… yet.
"Have you spoken to Misty?" she asked, her voice carrying a tone of despair her transparent dress did not share.
I shook my head. "No, I haven't had the chance."
Daisy sighed, stepping forward, resting her hand tenderly on my chest. "It's probably best if you leave without saying goodbye. It'll be less painful for both of you."
"What are you implying?" I said, zipping up my bag.
She said nothing, her hand falling down, brushing my stomach, my zipper…
"I've seen the way you look at me," she said, caressing there. Then she twirled around, displaying her body like the piece of art that it was.
"You look like her," I said. "Misty."
Daisy leaned in, biting my ear. "I know," she whispered. "You can call me by her name."