~*~*~*~

Authors Note: Please tell me if you like this. ^_^ rb31@team-rocket.net

~*~*~*~*~

“You’d better pay me back for my bike Ash Ketchum!” I screamed for the hundredth time this day.

“I know, I know...” Ash muttered in reply.

Ever since I’ve met Ash, he’s never repaid me. Not one cent!! So I was pretty angry with him, who wouldn’t be??

Ash laid his head down on the table in exhaustion, sighing.

I slammed my fist on the table. “Ash! This is it! I’ve HAD it!!

Ash titled his head to look at me.

My heart skipped a beat as his eyes met mine. He was so cute, so sweet, so -

“STUPID!! Ash! You’re stupid, you know that?! I could have you arrested for theft, and you STILL won’t do anything!!” I shouted, my green eyes clouding with rage. He had some nerve, wrecking my bike, and pretending it wasn’t a big deal. Didn’t he know how much that bike ment to me?? No, I thought. No he doesn’t.

Ash stood up in anger. “Oh get over it Misty!! It’s JUST a bike!!”

Just a bike? JUST a bike?!!!! That *bike* was the most important thing in the world to me. Suddenly my eyes filled with warm tears. I couldn’t stand it, it was too painful for me.

Trying desperately to hold back the tears, I smacked him. Hard, across the face, and he was knocked across the room from the blow.

Ash let a small sob escape his throat. He looked me in the eye, with a look I’ll never forget.

Hurt. I had HURT him!! How could I do such a terrible thing?!! I gave in, let the tears pour out.

Ash looked very surprised at my reaction.

“Misty,” he began.

I didn’t want to talk, I just needed to be alone.

Backing off, I rushed out of the pokémon center we were staying at.

I raced out the door, to a tree by a small pond.

Sinking to my knees, I stared at my reflection, sobbing all the while.

I watched the small ripples drift outwards as my bitter tears plopped into the cool water.

I suddenly saw a different reflection, one of my mother. Gasping, I whirled around.

No one was there. Confused and frightened, I turned towards the pond again.

And there she was. Just standing there, wearing her favorite blue shirt, her tight shorts, and her long red hair hanging loosely about her shoulders. She smiled up at me through the water, her blue eyes twinkling lovingly.

“M- m- mom??!!” I whispered to the reflection.

I half expected her to answer, but she didn’t. She only motioned me to close my eyes and concentrate.

As I closed my eyes, I saw the things that terrified me still to this day. The accident. The bike accident.

My mind traveled further back into time. I saw my 7th birthday, my mother wheeling out my present.

I looked at my past self, saw my eyes fill with tears of joy, as I saw my present. A bicycle. A beautiful, expensive, new bike.

And I saw my mother kiss my cheek, whispering how proud she was to have me as her daughter, saying she loved me.

Then my mind switched to the day after. I re-lived the flashes of red, the screeches of the truck, the fatal scream that took her away. And I saw the bicycle. Sitting there, untouched, yet so damaging to look at. The bike had killed my mother. She was riding it with me on her lap, when tragedy struck. My mind focused on the street, on the limp body, with the bloo-

My eyes shot open in horror. I couldn’t take it any longer. I buried my face in my hands, sobbing uncontrollably. That’s when I heard it. The wind.

It almost seemed to say something. I listened intently to it. “Beware the bike.......”

“What?” I whispered. “What do you mean?”

But the wind was gone. All was silent, as if nothing had ever happened.

“Beware the bike.” I repeated softly. “But why? It’s only a bike.”

The wind picked up yet again. “History repeats itself.”, it seemed to say.

Crying in despair I shouted “What are you talking about?!! What are you saying?!!!”

But it was silent again. I looked into the pond, but all I saw was my reflection. What was going on? Why was this happening all of a sudden? Then it hit me. Tomorrow. The anniversary. Tomorrow was the day my mother died. That meant.....

“Today’s my birthday!” I gasped.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself. “Ash and Brock will get me a present.”

The thought cheered me up. “What will they get me?” I wondered aloud.

I glanced at my reflection, thinking happily about my birthday.

I closed my eyes again, deep in happy thoughts.

Then I had a vision. I remember it, it was only a few days ago. I had hinted that my birthday was coming soon to Ash and Brock, and then I shut the door to hear what they were getting me.

“What are you getting her?” I remember Brock saying.

I could hear Ash chuckle. “Something she’s always wanted, something I’ve been meaning to get for a while now.”

My face turned white as I returned to reality. I suddenly understood, understood everything.

“NO!!!” I screamed.

I raced back to the pokemon center, praying it was only a coincidence. But somehow I knew it wasn’t.

Throwing the doors open, I found Brock reading a book.

Sobbing, I screamed to Brock “WHERE IS HE?!!!”

Brock looked startled. “Who?” he asked.

“ASH!! WHERE IS HE?!!” I shrieked madly.

Brock looked confused. “Why? Something wrong?”

Losing it, I grabbed Brock by his neck and began shaking him.

“You tell me where Ash is RIGHT NOW!! He could be in danger!!” I shouted.

Brock looked terrified. “He-he- he said he had to go on an errand.”

Crying, I yelled “Where? Where did he go?!!!”

Brock obeyed. “He went to the bike shop.”

Reality hit me. This can’t be happening!!

“I have to stop him!” I screamed, rushing to the door.

That’s where I made my mistake. I saw it. Saw it all. The whole thing.

There he was, walking the brand new bike across the street, and he noticed me. He smiled, waving to me proudly.

And then history repeated itself, like the vision said.

A truck appeared from nowhere, and I saw the whole accident.

“NO!!!” I wailed, and raced to the street in agony.

It was too late. As I reached down to help him, Ash looked at me through his dark eyes.

“I love you Misty, and I’m proud to be your friend.”

And then he was gone, in the blink of an eye. Sobbing, I rested my head on his, repeating that I loved him.

I couldn’t live with this anymore, Ash was dead because of me. But I had to go on, to fulfill his dream of being a Pokémon Master.

“Yes Ash,” I whispered. “I’ll be the best Pokémon Master in your name.” And I ment that too.

But the one thing that still haunts me to this day, the thing no one else noticed, was the shiny new bike, sitting in the road, gleaming like nothing had ever happened. The very same thing that had brought me to Ash, kept me with him, had killed him, destroyed my life and his, was.......the bicycle. ~*~*~*~