CHAPTER THREE

The room ruptured with riotous rabble. Reporters from every corner of Kanto were waving their hands, trying to get Misty's attention. She called for silence, but was ignored. The public simply could not understand her decision to close the Cerulean Gym.

"Ms. Waterflower, do you have the authority to close the gym?" One reporter from the Saffron Gazette asked, "After all, you left the position of leader years ago," Misty remained silent and looked towards her older sister sitting at the table next to her podium. Daisy nodded, as if giving her silent encouragement.

"It was a mutual decision that my sister and I both agreed on," Misty began, eyebrows wrinkled with seriousness and a twinge of regret, "She is in no emotional condition to be battling, and I am much too busy with the League."

"Why not hire a replacement?" Asked the editor of the Johto Journal, raising his notepad in the air.

"There will be no replacements." She said coldly. She started to grow angry, as evidenced by the vein growing in her forehead. "Now, if you people would let me continue…" she looked towards Daisy again. Daisy nodded. "The Cerulean Gym is but one of the issues that I mean to address in this conference today. The important thing here is the severity of the situation. My sisters," she paused at pointed to Daisy, "Our sisters—were killed, no, murdered and I will not rest until we find the rotten piece of trash responsible. The Saffron City police department has had no luck, but they're also not resting until they find something. I request that every officer that attended today keep a vigilant eye out for whoever did this heinous crime, in your own homes especially. We believe the killer or killers traveled by train, as the body was found outside the train station, so this monster could be anywhere." She paused to collect herself. The room was now so quiet that you could hear the feedback coming from the speakers. Misty's voice however, grew angrier and louder with each word. The other officers, some from my own department, were wrapped in attention. She continued: "Finally, the compensation for finding the killer slash killers…" She paused again. She looked around the room at the wide eyes and agape mouths that littered her view. "One Million. In cash." Camera flashes filled the room, and I could nearly feel the monstrosity that those last words caused. With that, she walked off stage, not even sitting at the table with her sister, friend or the man, who was now getting up running off stage as well. Daisy Waterflower stood up and walked to the podium. She tapped the microphone and spoke into it.

"We have been told by like, Officer Jenny: If you like, see this guy or girl, I don't know, then you should totally call your local police department, 'cuz he could be dangerous." She stepped away from the microphone, but then remembered something and walked towards it again. "Or she. Thank you." She then bowed and ran off from the camera flashes and noise to stage left. Sakura sat at the table alone and blinked at the audience, whom all seemed focused on her. She sat there awkwardly.

"I'm just here for emotional support," She said timidly. She got up slowly and walked out. Brock and I looked at each other and shared a mutual look of 'What the fuck just happened'. Pikachu lie asleep on my lap, not fazed by any of this.

***
I leaned on the side of Brock's car and puffed on a Marb Red. I didn't much like smoking, but it was kind of nice after a stressful situation comes rolling down. I wasn't much stressed because of the whole press conference. For all I knew, Misty was a billionare who had the kind of tenacity to just hand out a million dollars. Also, I didn't much care about Cerulean gym being closed. I don't care much for gyms in general anymore. What I was utterly dreading was actually seeing Misty again. It had been six whole years. The last time I saw her…I was 19; Just about to enter the academy. It feels like forever already.

In case you were wondering, yes. The last time I was with her, shit hit the proverbial fan. I had just moved my apartment in Goldenrod, and I'd had a couple friends come over for a little party: Brock, Misty, May, Max, Cilan and Dawn. My closest friends, though some more close than others. Cilan and Brock had bonded over cooking, and made the best dinner I'd ever had in my entire life. Dawn and Max were talking on the sofa, laughing and drunk. May and Misty were mad at each other for wearing the same colored shoes. I was enjoying myself. All was well.
I walked outside to get some fresh air. I had also started smoking by then. Though back then I used to smoke Newports. I lit one up and sat on the stairs of my apartment. I'd twist my hat backwards, back when I wore one, and I just leaned back and looked at the stairs. What little stars Goldenrod had. If I really looked hard, I could see about twenty or so stars twinkling upon the navy sheet that cover the sky. The streets were unusually quiet that night. Not more than four or five taxis drove by while I had been out there, and I hadn't seen one person walking. It was around 1 am after all. I heard a creak behind me, and I realized it was the door opening.

"Since when do you smoke, Mr. Policeman?" spoke the silvery voice of a young girl, age 19. I turned to face her. It was Misty. She walked over and plopped down next to me. "Plop." She said. I could see she was a little tipsy. Not wrecked. Just a little tipsy. "Whatcha' doin'?" She asked childishly. I chuckled.

"Just chillin'. Thought I'd get a little air." I took a drag off my cigarette and then exhaled. Misty reached over to my hand and took it from me. She started taking drags off of it as well. I laughed again. "How 'bout you Mist, how are you liking the apartment?"

"I like ittttt." She was as she held the cigarette with two hands. "I can't believe you actually got your own place." I cocked a brow and grinned.

"What do you mean you?" I said, pretending to be offended.

"It's just so grown-up. I thought you'd be ten forever." I smiled as she jibbed me.

"Whatever, man!" I rang. "'Gimme that." I said as I took my cigarette back. She grew mock-furious.

"Haaaay, that's mine!" She hollered as she reached for my outstretched arm. I held it opposite my body so she had to stretch over to reach it. As she leaned closer to me, our faces passed eachother. As she held herself against me, I felt less struggle for the cigarette and more caressing. Her arms wrapped around me and she hugged me for a while. I correct myself from before, I think she might have been a little drunk. So was I, as a matter of fact. That would explain how we were suddenly making out.
Without a word, without any preparation or thought, without even asking, we had started passionately kissing each other. That had never happened before. We pulled away from each other and just looked into the other's eyes. Years of knowing each other and being best friends seemed to crash down onto us. She had literally been my sister since I was ten and we had just made out.

"I kind of liked that." I said, breaking the tension.

"Me too, actually." She smiled shyly. She was blushing furious. "Ugh, I'm so drunk." I laughed. She laughed with me and we fell into each other.

"I know, me too," I said softly. I flicked my butt onto the street as we sat there. My heart had felt as if it were about to burst out of my chest. I had honestly loved this girl since I was at least 12. I just never said anything because we were best friends. I didn't want to ruin that. She hadn't even said anything about what we just did. All these thoughts ran through my mind as I looked silently at the stars.

"What're you thinking about?" She asked as she poked my cheek.

"'Lotsa stuff…" I responded lowly.

"Are you stressing again?" She asked.

"What? I don't stress." I turned my head to look at her with a confused face.

"You've obviously been stressed." She said matter-of-factly, "Why else would you disappear and then reappear with an announcement like this." I stayed quiet. "In fact… it all started after the Lilly of the Valley Conference."

"Dude, what are you talking about?" I asked, getting a bit defensive.

"You know that match was unfair. It wasn't even your fault that you lost." She said, penetrating me with words I didn't want to hear.

"Could we not talk about this?" I asked simply.

"No, you need to talk about it!" She slurred. I grew colder inside. "You quit being a trainer and become a police man all of a sudden! Hell might freeze over next."

"I did it because I wanted to." I said sharply. "Being a trainer is…stupid. Why compete to see who's stronger anyways? It's just sport."

"I can't believe Ash Ketchum Pokemon Trainer from Pallet Town is actually saying these words." She said with faux-surprise.

"I don't even say that anymore!" I yelled in anger. "And I don't go by it either. It's just Ash-Sometimes from Pallet Town."

"You're ashamed?" She asked flatly. I glared.

"Of course I am." She looked shocked. "I travelled around the damn world, and worked my ass off, only to be humiliated time and again. No matter how hard I trained, it never mattered. There was always someone stronger, or someone who'd beat me at the last minute, completely from dumb luck. I don't even remember who won the Indigo Plateau."

"So you gave up?" She asked angrily. "You just quit? That's not the Ash I knew."

"Well the Ash you knew is gone. I'm an adult now, and it's time I acted like one."

"Well, maybe I don't like that." She spat.

"Well, maybe fuck you." I spat back. She looked even more shocked than before.

"Wow." She said in a brittle tone. "Well, then maybe don't kiss me again."

"Oh please, you're drunk, you wouldn't have done that if you were sober." I crossed my arms and turned away.

"You're such an idiot!" She screamed. "I can't believe how stupid you are! You're still just a spoiled rotten brat!"

"Nuh-uh! You're the brat!" I hissed back, "You always have been!" I immediately regretted my words but I didn't want to lose the argument.

The rest of the conversation was vague but I remembered a lot of yelling and cursing and then I remember her having Brock take her on the Magnet train home. That was the last time we talked. I tried contacting her that first year, but she always ignored my calls. I just wanted to apologize. But I never did. After that, I pretty much gave up on trying to get back in touch with her, and I rose up the ranks of the Police Department, getting busier and busier every year.

I flicked my cigarette and got off the side of Brock's car. It was then that I looked back and saw Brock walking with two people: Daisy and Misty. I had just seen Misty on stage, but in person, it was even more breathtaking that before. She looked amazing. She had curved out in all the right places and she looked truly grown-up without that silly pony-tail.

"Hello Ash. It is just Ash, now? Correct?" She said sarcastically. I felt uneasy.

"Detecive, actually. It's…good to see you again, considering the circumstances." She actually smiled, which surprised me.

"It's good to see you too." She said as she hugged me suddenly and started to cry on my shoulder.

END OF CHAPTER 3