Converted Dreams; Nightmares
by: Angelical Proportions

   Misty closed her eyes happily, awaiting her transport into the dreamworld where she would spend the whole night Ash.  Ash, on the other hand, lay in confusion.  What should he do?  He knew that she would be expecting him to be fun and all... or what if she would expect something else?  
'Hmm...'  Ash thought.  He had the worst troubles trying to get to sleep.

   Misty looked around her into what she expected to be fog, but it was gone.  Sighing, she carelessly sat on the gray, flat ground with a small smile on her face.  She would wait for Ash until he would find her or vise-versa.  Either way was great.   She giggled at a couple of memories, especially the one earlier today when she'd tease him.  Yep, tonight was going to be great.

   ~~1 hour later~~

   Misty became concerned.  
"What's going on with Ash?"  she said quietly to herself.
Pouting, she stood and decided to go looking around for him.  She had only walked a few meters away when she suddenly hit what felt like a wall with her foot.  It was a grey wall that completely blended in with the rest of her surroundings.   How was she supposed to know that it was there?!  Growling, she grabbed her foot and swollen toe as she pounded at the wall in anger.  An idea suddenly hit her and she turned around.  Breathing heavilly, she ran in the opposite direction.   After what seemed about forty meters away, she hit another wall.  She screamed at the pain that hit her straight into the skull.
"What's going on?!"  she yelled, holding her fist into the air.
Looking to her right, she spotted another wall.  This, she could see as a random crack was easily spotted as it seemed to be floating in thin air.  Then, to her left, was a blackness.  A forest.  She didn't remember wishing for a forest.   Why was there a forest in her dream?  Where there are forests, there are definately going to be bugs.  Knowing this, she would've easily refused a forest.  Out of curiousity, she walked towards the forest.  Something seemed to have been luring her there, because she suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked around.
"What am I doing here?"  she asked herself, feeling silly.
"You have come to see me..."  a raspy, thin voice said from inside the forest.  It sounded a bit like Ash's, she noticed.  
"Ash?"  she asked shakily.  Something told her this just wasn't right.
The voice chuckled evily.
"Do I sound like Ash?"
"Ash?"  she asked louder, beginning to fear whatever was waiting for her in those trees.
"Hmm... You are Mistique Buen Waterflower?  Heh heh, I thought you sounded a bit like her..."  
"Who are you?"  Misty demanded, her voice quivering.
"I would normally say, "Your worst nightmare", but too many actors took my line before I ever was able to use the damn thing.  But, yes, I am your worst nightmare.  Creator of all your nightmares and fantasies.  I also see that you fancy that boy you are expecting to see.   Well, he isn't here.  He's in the real world."  the strange voice said.
"What are you talking about?"
The 'thing' didn't answer.  It was gone.
"Who are you?!"  Misty said, outraged that some freaky person was invading her personal dreams.
She stomped into the dark forest where the trees shed little or no light at all, if any.  She walked carefully, stepping over the many fallen tree branches or pinecones.
"What are you doing here?!  Get out!  This is my territory!  Go!"  screeched the raspy voice.
Misty looked up in the direction of the voice, but fell to the ground as a sudden weight fell upon her shoulders.
"Beware little French miss, beware the forests, for they belong to me."  the voice hissed into her ear.  "Here's a suvineire for you to remember thine words."
Misty gasped.  What would it do to her?!  She felt a cold breath upon her neck as the weight nearly crushed her shoulder crudely.  A sharp tip pricked the side of her neck, then another, and another.  Was the thing going to bite her neck?!
'It's going to bite my neck!'  Misty's mind screamed.
"Move!  Move now!"  her brain told her to move, but it was too late...

"Ash!  Ash! ASH!!"  Misty suddenly screamed as she sat straight up in bed, shivering constantly.
"What?!"  Ash jumped from his sleeping bag in fear and concern.
"Ash!"  she screamed.  "The thing, it was going to... I was going to die!"
Ash realized what was wrong.  He walked over to her bed.
"It was just a nightmare.  Don't worry."  he said, stroking her back for comfort.
Wait a minute, something wasn't right.  Misty suddenly looked up and smiled.
"What?  Am I doing something wrong?"
Misty shook her head 'nothing' and began to lay down, looking over to Brock, who was sleeping soundly.
"So you're okay now."  he asked.
She nodded.
Ash began to walk off when she grabbed his nightshirt.  He looked over his shoulder at her for a moment and began to back off.
"Oh no.  Not tonight."
Misty stared pleadingly at him with the whole watery eyes routine.
"Please?"  she begged.
Ash shook his head 'no', but couldn't resist this chance.  He sighed and laid down next to her.
"Fine."  he said.
Misty put a finger to his lips.
"Sshh.."
She mouthed the words 'thank you' and turned to her side waiting for Ash.  After ten minutes of not going anywhere, she simply grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her herself.  
"Oh, this is what... oh."  he whispered, hugging her tighter.
"Good night."
"Good night."
"Sweet dreams."  he whispered.
"You too."

   Misty stood on the hard ground.  The fog was alive and well.  It trenched the ground in the usuall humid wetness.  She had a feeling Ash was there with her.  She knew... somehow she just knew...
"Ash!"  she called.
"Right here!"  he called back.
Misty smiled.  "Where?!"
"I'm right here." she heard a voice behind her and turned around to see... nothing.  She looked to her right, her left, but nothing.  She gave up and turned around, but before she got a look at Ash, she was wrapped up in his arms.
"There you are."  he whispered.
"There you are, there you are, there you are, there you are..."  the whispering echos faded.
"Uh... yeah."  she replied confused.
"Are you Ash?"  she asked, tapping his shoulder.  
"Of course I am."  he said, pulling away.
"Well, ... well, you're hugging me."
"Oh.."  he backed away.  "Sorry."
"No, it's okay."  she smiled.  "It's actually kinda... nice."
With that, Misty hugged him as he had before and whispered slightly:
"See?  You can be gentle to a girl."
"Gentle, gentle, gentle, gentle..."  repeated the echoed whispers.


   They walked through the blankness in silence until it was broken by Misty.
"Ash?"
"What?"
"Why don't we do... this when we're awake?"
"Do what?"  he asked.
"This."  Misty said, holding up their gripped hands.
"I don't know.  Why would we?"
Misty stopped.
"Because I want to."  she said sternly.
"You.."  he didn't get to finish.  Everything went black.


   Misty had been knocked unconsious, or at least she thought she had been... For some reason, she was here instead of there.  Ash!  Where was he?!  Where was she?!   Misty looked around her into the piercing darkness, a few flames licked the dry ground as it seeped up in through the cracks.   The sky was filled with clouds, a few crackling lightning bolts hit the far mounds and mountains in rage.  There was an old, useless highway that looked like it hadn't been used in centuries.  The skies seemed to last forever.  Misty did the only thing that was useful at a time like this.   She screamed.
"ASH!!!"
No answer.  No echo.  An idea hit her brain instantly.
"Ash..."  she whispered.
"Ash, ash, ash, ash, ash..."  the whisper echoed.
"Misty, misty, misty, misty, misty..." she heard Ash's voice being carried through the still breeze.
Her head sprung up.  He was around here somewhere and she had to find him.


   Misty panicked.  She had been jogging down this highway, involuntary, for half of an hour.  Her legs were pained for some strange reason, and she would do anything to stop herself, but she just couldn't.  Her pace slowed, thank God.   She walked silently as her feet dragged slower, and slower, and slower...  She hang her head and whimpered.  She was never going to wake up from this nightmare.


   Ash panicked.  He had been jogging down this highway, involuntary, for half of an hour.  His legs were pained for some strange reason, and he would do anything to stop himself, but he just couldn't.  His pace slowed, thank God.   He walked silently as his feet dragged slower, and slower, and slower...  He hang his head and whimpered.  He was never going to wake up from this nightmare.

   Another hour later, Misty sobbed.  She didn't know why, but tears poured from her eyes in mighty streams.  She could feel the skin on her face dampen and her eyes burn.  The collar on her shirt was soaking in teary wetness.   Why was she crying?  Her knees dropped to the pavement tiredly.  What was going on?  What was taking over her body?


   Another hour later, Ash sobbed.  He didn't know why, but tears poured from his eyes in mighty streams.  He could feel the skin on his face dampen and his eyes burn.  The collar on his shirt was soaking in teary wetness.  Why was he crying?   His knees dropped to the pavement tiredly.  What was going on?  What was taking over his body?

    A whisper slipped from her lips: "Ash.."
"Ash, ash, ash, ash, ash..." it echoed.
   A whisper slipped from his lips:  "Misty..."
"Misty, misty, misty, misty, misty..."  it echoed.
Her head sprung up as she heard her name called.  He was closer than ever!
His head sprung up as he heard his name called.  She was closer than ever!
Frantically, she looked around for him, but caught no sight of his pokemon league cap or the friendly blue jacket he always wore.
Frantically, he looked around for her, but caught no sight of those bright red suspencers she always wore or the beautiful orange hair of hers.
Suddenly, her legs jumped into action and ran.  Where were they taking her?  Towards Ash, she hoped.
Suddenly, his legs jumped into action and ran.  Where were they taking him?  Towards Misty, he hoped.
She SAW him!  Ash!  He was right there at the end of the highway!
He SAW her!  Misty!  She was right there at the end of the highway!
"Misty!"
"Ash!"
But as soon as they were near, their feet stopped.  As hard as they tried, they wouldn't budge no matter what.
"What's going on?"  Misty asked, trying to pick up her feet.  
Each time she lifted up her foot, it seemed to way a hundred pounds.  She groaned in anger, and tried stomping, but of course couldn't.
"I don't know."  Ash said and did the same.
Their backs drooped as they stood only a few feet away.  They fell to the ground as their legs gave in.  The two lay motionless on the ground and felt a little... dead.
Dead.
Dead.
Dead.
Was this what death felt like?  To be mere inches from the one thing you love most, but there was nothing you could do to get there?  Nothing at all?  Was death that horrible?!  
A tear slipped from Misty's eye.  She felt death.
"No, don't cry.  You'll feel weak..."  Ash tried so hard to talk.
"I already do..."  she whispered.  
"I do, I do, I do, I do...."
A tiny flame licked the side of her cheek.  The sudden weakness reminded her of that time she was stun spored.  Using as much energy as he could manage, Ash crawled over to Misty on his hands and knees.  The weight he had to bear was terrible and reminded him of the time Sabrina's father had used his powers on him.   Ash suddenly collasped to the hardend dirt as some flew up in his face, causing him to close him eyes, but once they were closed, they wouldn't open again.  Using the rest of his energy, he fumbled for Misty hand, which lay lifeless in the dreamgrounds.   As soon as he found it, he held her hand, then, fell asleep.  Feeling a familiar hand hold hers, Misty looked up at Ash.  He lay with his eyes closed.  She wanted to scream, but couldn't.  What if this was real?  What if this wasn't a dream?   It felt too... real.  Too... sad.  Too... dead.
Her tears had now formed a small puddle on the ground, but it absorbed all of the moisture as it could, and the puddle disappeared.  She tried not to let her eyes close, but they fell heavily.  Using all of the energy she had left in her body, she whispered:
"I love you.."

"I love you.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.."

~~~~~End chap. uh... something....~~~~~
End
End
End
Well, be glad it's not the end of the story.  That'd suck.  Anywayz, hope you got the end.  I'll bet some people's over there wondering, "What the heck was that all about?!"  Well, try reading it over if you don't understand.  Well, 'till next time, See ya!   ^_^