Jessie leaned against her husband, tears rolling down her face. "Oh, James, what are we going to do?" "Don't worry, Jess. We'll get our little girl back. Thank you for all your help, Dr. Giovanni." It was a typical Tuesday afternoon for Misty, when a knock was heard on her door. This was unusual, because her doctor met with her in the evenings, and it was not mealtime yet. But it was the doctor who entered her room. "Good afternoon, Misty. How are you feeling?" "Fine," she lied. "What is it?" "You have a visitor," he said warmly. "Would that be okay?" She didn't know what to say. A week ago, she would have jumped at the prospect of a visitor. But her world was crumbled. Who could visit her that she would want to see? But maybe she could get some answers from the person. "I would like that," she answered smoothly. The doctor smiled and left the room. Actually, there were quite a few people waiting outside, bearing gifts and get-well cards. "She's agreed," he announced to the gathering. "But I think it would be best if we started out with just one person. I think she would be most comfortable with you, Mr. Ketchum." The young man nodded, and looked to his twin brother, Richie. "Good luck, bro," Richie whispered, patting him on the back. "Misty?" Her head shot up at the familiar voice. "Ash..." she breathed. Memories flooded her mind, but were they real memories? He cautiously entered the room, encouraged by the fact that she seemed to recognize him. Dr. Giovanni had said that, in Misty's make-believe world, they were friends, and that she would probably welcome his presence. It was a great relief to find that out first hand. "Hey, Misty, how's it going?" he asked with forced casualness. "Terrible," she answered, her eyes great with tears. "Where were you? What's happening?" "What do you remember?" he countered, sitting next to her. "I woke up in the hospital! And then Team Rocket was there! And-" "Wait, wait, wait," he soothed, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I mean, before that. What's the last thing you remember before your accident?" "I...we were..." She trailed off. She could not remember. "I don't know," she conceded. "I can't remember much of anything now." Ash pulled her towards himself in a firm embrace. "That's okay. You will." Misty was puzzled. The Ash she knew wouldn't have done that. "Is it true, what they're telling me?" she questioned. "Am I crazy?" "No," he said loudly. "You've been through a lot, and your mind has tried to protect itself. That's all." "Then...tell me about...the real world." Ash faltered. Would the doctor approve? But he couldn't refuse, or blatantly lie. "Well, we've been friends since you were born. I remember, there's a picture of me, three years old, holding you just a week after you were born. We've known each other just that long." "Wait a minute. That's impossible! I'm a year older than you." He laughed, but not unkindly. "You wish. You're fourteen, I'm seventeen. When I got my learner's permit, you were so jealous, remember?" "I...think I do..." Yes. There it was; a subtle mental image. "And remember the time you tried to teach me some of your swimming moves? You were teaching me the mermaid kick, when Bryant walked in, and I was so embarrassed!" He laughed. "Ash, why was Team Rocket in the hospital with me?" she broke in solemnly. "Huh? Team Rocket? What's that?" Misty gasped. "Team Rocket! Don't you remember? Jessie and James! They're always trying to steal your Pikachu!" Ash's face fell. Dr. Giovanni had said something about not bringing up the subject of her parents. "I don't know why they were there," he lied. "Where is Pikachu?" she asked at length. "He's outside, with Richie," he comforted. "Oh! Richie's here too?" "You remember him?" he asked doubtfully. "Sure. He's your rival, your strongest competition at the League Games. Why are you looking at me that way?" "Misty, Richie is my brother. My twin brother. Remember?" "Your...but you don't look *that* much alike," she argued. "He couldn't be your twin brother." "He dyes his hair lighter, to be different." Misty just stared into space, speechless. His *brother*... "I should probably go now," he said nervously, seeing that he had upset her. "O-okay," she stuttered softly. That night, Misty tossed and turned in her sleep. The meeting with Ash had upset her, brought on memories she couldn't explain. She had asked almost incessantly for him when she was first brought to the home, but the Ash she had met that day wasn't the Ash she knew. On her desk, cards and toys from many other people she had thought she knew were placed; from people named Professor Oak, Marina, Brock, Professor Ivy, and many others. But were they who she thought they were? The tumultuous thoughts boiled over into tumultuous dreams. A half-asleep night watchman saw the warning light go off for room 234. He switched to visual mode, and saw with relief that the disturbed resident of the room had only awoke from a bad dream, screaming. He drowsily called for assistants to take care of the child. Three white-clothed men burst into Misty's room, armed with straight-jackets and tranquilizers. She held her hands up in a gesture of surrender and forced herself to calm down. "I wasn't t-trying to cause any trouble," she said shakily. "Please...I just want my parents." The men exchanged glances. "I'll get Dr. Giovanni." "Now, Misty, are you sure you want to see them?" the psychologist asked worriedly. "The last time you saw Jessie and James, you seemed very frightened, remember?" "I know," she replied evenly. But she didn't know. She didn't know why on Earth she was asking to see her two least favorite people, the people who did nothing but make life hard for her. She only hoped she would find out soon. "Okay. I'll send them right in, if that's what you want." Misty nodded. She held her breath as he walked out of her room. What would Team Rocket do? What explanation could she even give for calling them here so late? The door opened again, and this time, a tall couple walked in. They did not attempt to come close to her; they stayed by the wall, their eyes shinning bright with tears. "We're here, Misty," Jessie offered gently. "Dr. Giovanni told us you wanted to see us." "Tell me the truth," she intoned hoarsely. "Are you really my...parents?" The word was hard to force out. They exchanged a glance. "We're not your birth parents, Misty, no." "We adopted you when you were five years old," James added quickly. He moved cautiously towards her, as though she were a snake that might bite him. "We were friends of your real parents. They died in a boating accident. Do you remember?" He kneeled at her bedside, looking up at her. Misty shook her head vigorously. "What do you remember, Misty?" Jessie questioned. "Nothing." She turned away. "Nothing!" she shouted suddenly, frustrated. "I don't remember any of the things these people have been trying to stuff down my throat! I can't even remember that other world now...I don't have anything!" She buried her face in her hands and sobbed raggedly. They both rushed to her then, wrapped their arms around her, around each other. "You have us, my dear," James promised. "I'm not your dear! You're Team Rocket! I hate you! I..." But the words died in her throat. How could she hate them, when she wanted them with her now more than anyone else? "Then let's start over," Jessie pleaded through her tears. "Get to know us again. Give us a chance." Misty felt a pain so intense, it was like an explosion in her head. A pain a hundred times worse than anything physical. A scene came to her mind. A small girl with short orange hair was being cradled between a young man and woman. 'We know we'll never replace your parents, honey,' they had said. 'But we'll love you and take good care of you, just like you were our own daughter. Things will be alright, just you wait and see.' "Jessie, James, I want to go home." It took Misty a moment to realize she had spoken the words aloud. They gasped. "Misty, do you...can you..." "I believe you," she intoned softly, fragiley. "Please, take me away from here. I just want to go home." Epilogue Three months had passed since Misty's accident, but it might as well have been three years. Little by little, the life she had lived returned, and the Pokemon world, no longer needed, vanished like a nightmare in the light of the morning sun. Gary, her vindictive ex-boyfriend who had run her over in a drunken rage, was serving jail time. Professor Oak, Ash's endearing grandfather, had suffered a stroke, and it was now Misty's turn to comfort and console her best friend. Jessica and James Roque had taken a year off from their successful clothes designing business to be with their adopted daughter, at their ranch in northern California. One clear, beautiful morning, Misty left her house, a large box in her arms. She headed into the pine woods beyond her backyard, following a trail only she knew. After about half a mile, she stopped at the foot of a great redwood tree, placed the box on the ground, and stopped to catch her breath. 'There is no "completion" in life,' someone had once said, 'not until you die.' But there was one last thing Misty needed to do, in order to close this chapter of her life. She dug away a hole in the soft earth with her hands. Then, one by one, she took out the contents of the box. One was a round blue candle with a spiral pattern and two beady eyes cut into it. The next, a pink little bean bag with two blue dots for eyes. She held each one in her hand for a moment, before placing them into the hole. When she was done, some one-hundred and fifty little pocket monsters lay in the ground before her. She stood over the grave for a moment, gazing at her childhood toys for the last time. With a transparent sigh, she poured dirt over the hole, covering them completely. She carefully spread some pine needles and twigs on the surface, to hide the burial site. She did a good job; no one would ever be able to tell that something lay underneath. Misty let her gaze sweep over the area one last time. Then she turned and walked back towards the house, where her parents would be waiting. By Mirei
