Hi everyone, this is my first fanfic so please review! Hope you will like it! This will be an AAML but I promise I will give an original and enjoyable ending.

Who's that Shadow?

After a long day of chores and facing the latest challengers, Misty Waterflower – the proud Gym Leader of Cerulean City – sat dejectedly on the edge of her vast pool. Her adorable baby, Azurill, nudged her dangling legs with its head desperate to cheer up his mother from what seemed to be an endless state of depression.

Misty thought back of the events of that day: the arrogant rookie, who was adamant he would be the first trainer to beat her in seven years, sent packing in tears. At first, the battling in honour of her city's reputation was enjoyable, exciting even, which helped hide her desire to travel and explore again. However as months became years whilst receiving no visit from her secret school-girl crush, that delight of freedom gave way to frustration to anger and then now?

Just a heavy cloud of tiredness of how monotonous her life had become.

In the beginning of her career, Misty's fiery character attracted trainers far and wide to take up her challenge. Local jealous girls whispered about her lush, shiny hair. The numerous suitors were entrapped by her enthralling, sparkly eyes and by her equally beautiful smile. But alas, the predatory emptiness steadily grew: squashing the life out of her beauty; the hair became ragged and dull; her eyes lost its mischievous and playful glint; sleep became a luxury yet there were no dreams…

Just an overwhelming darkness enclosing her mind.

Sunset approached, as the Sun sleepily inched towards its rest, casting brilliant blazing orange colours on the darkening sky. Five years back Misty would have squealed in delight at such a stunning sight but not now. She glared at the horizon with loathing disgusted that the Sun would dare reflect her long-lost dazzling hair and worse taunt her to bring back painful memories of the past she fought so hard to forget.

As she sat there musing over her misfortune, she felt a strange tingle in her spine.

"Go away Azurill! I'm not in the mood!" she shouted angrily thinking that her baby had tried to rub her back to lighten her mood.

"Azuu?" her baby asked at the other side of the pool, regarding her with confused and concerned eyes.

Misty frowned believing it must have been a figment of her imagination but as she did so, the tingle came back but a gentle warmth accompanied it this time. Naturally Misty fought it but the sensation seemed to be a comforting gesture and she relaxed into it – a function she thought her body had forgotten how to do.
At that moment she saw something flit quickly through the gym's exit that looked remarkably like…

"No it can't be," she berated herself quietly and cast the thought aside with a vigorous shake of the head. The same silhouette flashed by again as soon as Misty dismissed it causing her to rise and investigate, the seed of annoyance inside her beginning to sprout into a small plant of irritation. Cautiously, she moved towards the doors wondering if exhaustion was starting to play tricks with her eyes.

"Azurill? Stay here and be a good boy. I'm gonna be out for a little while okay? Go to your room if I'm not back in five," she called out before slipping out to what she hoped would become a twist in her fate for something better. How true that little spark of optimism would turn out to be.

After checking that the doors were locked and the sign 'Sorry you guys! Misty the Mermaid is having a relaxing splash in the sea! See ya soon!' was hanging the right way, she warily looked around for the disturbingly familiar shadow that brought her outside. A rustle in the bushes to her left caused her to whip around to witness the mysterious figure to suddenly bound off leaving her with a flash of playful eyes.

Irritation gave way to Misty's inquisitive side as she hurried off in the direction of those enchanting eyes determined to find out who this odd shadow was and how it had managed to get in the gym previously unnoticed.

"Curiosity killed the cat," she told herself grimly but to her surprise she discovered that she did not care if this was the case. She was just so tired and bored of her life; this adventure was an opportunity to do something different, new, memorable. Joyous at the possibility of doing something fun and potentially dangerous, she set off in a more enthusiastic pursuit.

Initially Misty fretted over if she would lose sight of her prey as it seemed to lead her deeper and deeper into the forest but occasionally she saw an impatient flick of a ear behind a bush or a glow of those captivating eyes through a shrub before disappearing again. Eventually after what seemed like hours, she stumbled across a scene so breathtaking she abruptly stopped in her tracks and stared in awe.

Before her there was a beehive of activity but there was not a sense of anxiety or stress in the atmosphere but a feeling of happiness and ignorance blooming with nature's most stunning sights. Still gaping at what was before her, she walked in a daze towards the lake: the centre of the beauty. Never before in her life had she seen such pure water perfectly reflecting the silver moonlight and house so sleek and beautiful creatures. She completely forgot the reason why she was here and simply gazed at the buzz of life around her.

A flock of Swanna glided across the water leaving ripples that washed gently over Misty's shoes and a small shoal of Goldeen flitted past creating a brief but striking mixture of bright orange and white against the deep blue colour of the water. Misty had a sudden urge to stay in this spot of paradise and make most of this once in a lifetime moment, not caring if her sisters would be worried about her whereabouts. She was becoming more and more certain that she must have fallen asleep and discovered how to dream again.

As she silently pondered if this was the case, a swarm of Beautifly fluttered past leaving a trail of glittering Sleep Powder and with the combination of a cute group of Bellossom dancing a hynoptic dance to her right, Misty slowly nodded off. Her last thought was her realisation that she had forgotten to continue following the mystery-filled character.

That night for the first time in years, she dreamt.