Chapter 3: You can't teach a new bird old tricks

	"What?! Us?" Misty shrieked.  "You are the chosen ones, you are destined 
to do great things, you are all part of the legend.  Will you stay and help us?" 
Lotus asked taking Misty's hand gingerly.  She drew it away, closing her eyes 
remorsefully.  Ash opened his mouth to speak but Misty cut him off.  "Before you 
go and throw yourself into another dangerous situation without thinking hear me 
out.  You had dreams Ash, you wanted to be Pokemon master, you still do, and you 
were so close!  Are you going to give up those dreams to risk your life for a 
world you've never lived in?  Never will live in?  And what about your mom Ash?  
I bet everyone back home is thoroughly convinced we're dead, what about my 
sisters?  What about Brock's dad and all of his brothers and sisters?  We have 
loved ones, and dreams, think about that," Misty preached to him slowly standing 
up.  "I'll do it," she turned to see James leaning over the edge of the sofa.  
"What?" she asked bewildered.  "I'm in, I'll do it," he replied matter-of-
factly.  

	Misty knelt and looked deep into James' emerald eyes.  They told her of 
pain and longing, and the desire to do something great.  "You're really serious 
aren't you?  Why James?  Why so quickly?" she asked never removing her gaze from 
his.  James slid his eyes shut slowly and took a deep breath.  "I don't have 
anything at home worth going back for," he answered.  Misty remembered.  She 
remembered when she'd been at his childhood home, and the cruelty of his parents 
and that awful girl they'd wanted him to marry.  "The only things I had were 
Jessie and Meowth, and they're here with me.  You guys too if you're willing to 
be friends," James said extending his hand to Misty.

	She smiled, James had a good heart, despite his evil intentions before 
hand.  They hadn't been real, he hadn't wanted to hurt anyone, just please his 
boss and earn a living.  Now that he didn't have to do that, he was actually 
very kind to Ash and his friends.  Misty took James hand and shook it firmly.  
"Friends James," she said honestly meaning it.  Ash stood and vigorously shook 
James' hand as well, followed by Brock.  "Ah!  Nice to finally be friends after 
all these months!" Pikachu exclaimed leaping joyously into James' lap.  "I'll do 
it too," Jessie's groggy response startled all who hadn't known she was awake.  
"And I'm willing to bury the hatchet, just as long as I don't have to be 
emotional for very long," she mused.  Ash laughed, same Jessie, only now her 
fiery attitude could be used as a benefit.  There was silent communication 
between all present, any obstacles that had stood in the way of their friendship 
were now crushed to the ground.

	"Get some sleep, training begins tomorrow," Lotus said and began 
extinguishing candles.  "Well?  Going to do it?" Misty asked.  Ash smiled, his 
flames flaring brightly for a split second.  "I thought so, and I'm with you 
one-hundred percent," she whispered lowering her voice.  "Goodnight Misty," Ash 
whispered back.  She giggled and tossed on of the blankets Lotus had brought out 
for them his way.  It struck right on target and unfolded, enveloping Ash in a 
cloud of coarse fabric.  He gasped in surprise and smiled at Misty, who blushed 
a darker blue and unfurled a blanket for herself.  Pikachu and Brock had already 
found a warm corner by the dwindling fire and gone to sleep.

	Ash crept around to the front of the sofa and gently spread the blanket 
over Jessie and James, who had since fallen asleep again.  "Goodnight Team- Well 
I guess I can't call you that anymore.  Goodnight my friends," he whispered and 
lightly brushed the stray hair out of James' face that always seemed to be 
there.  He didn't stir, and Ash crept back to receive his own bedding.  Misty 
had set it out for him and Ash was stunned.  Normally she did things for herself 
only.  He would be stunned yet again when he saw exactly how close together 
she'd put the blankets.  Ash didn't mind, in fact he welcomed being able to 
sleep so close to her.  He crept quietly to the soft, makeshift bedding and 
pulled the woven blanket over his flame-infused body.  He was correct in his 
assumption before, if he wanted to burn something, we was positive he could.  He 
just really didn't know how.  He turned over slowly, ever so slowly as not to 
disturb the young girl who lay beside him. 

	He lay facing Misty, watching her chest rise and fall and listening to her 
soft breathing and smiled.  "You know you're beautiful when you sleep Misty," he 
whispered to himself.  He raised one hand cautiously and deftly ran it through 
her hair once.  She whispered something in her sleep and turned over.  
"Goodnight Misty," Ash whispered and closed his eyes.  Sleep came easily that 
night, despite the stress of the day's events and Ash slipped into a deep, 
dreamless sleep.

	"Ash!  Get up Ash!  Don't make me shock you!"  Ash's eyes snapped open at 
the threat of his Pokemon.  "I'm up!  I'm up already!" he cried leaping out of 
the blanket not wanting an electrocution first thing in the morning.  "Good, the 
others are outside, let's go!" Pikachu exclaimed skittering quickly out the 
door, his claws clicking on the hard floor.  Ash stretched and yawned, the 
flames that had died down to a soft blue in color with sleep flaring to the 
brilliant orange they had been.  He looked out a nearby window to see James 
falter in mid-air and crash to the ground.  Lotus sighed and rolled his eyes 
visibly.  "James, you are not using the winds to your advantage, now try again," 
he heard Lotus say.  James grumbled and picked himself up, fluttering his wings 
to relieve them of the sand.

	Ash chuckled to himself and slowly walked out of the house.  Everyone was 
standing in a rough semicircle outside in the sand, their eyes directed upward.  
Ash joined them and looked in the direction they were.  James was standing on 
the roof of the large adobe house; wings spread and knees bent waiting to leap 
off.  "You can do it James I believe in you!" Jessie called jokingly.  "Ha ha," 
he answered and jumped.  He rose shakily into the air beating the great wings 
furiously.  "No no!  Glide!  Soar!  Use the wind!" Lotus called.  James stopped 
the incessant fluttering and spread his wings to their fullest length.  He 
sailed a few feet before taking a dramatic plunge.  Instinctively with the fear 
he drew his wings in and fell like a normal human would, landing with a great 
spray of sand on the beach.  He lay there for a moment unmoving, then slowly 
pushed his upper body off of the sand.  He took one look at his wings sprawled 
haphazardly across the glittering white sand, pounded his fist into it angrily 
and buried his forehead into the hot grains.  "Uh oh, someone's ego has been 
wounded," Jessie mused assuming her normal acidic attitude.  "My ego is fine 
thank you very much," James replied getting up.  He brushed his shirt off and 
folded his wings back in respectfully.

	Jessie rolled her eyes as James trotted briskly back to the group.  "Now, 
you will now refer to me as Master Lotus, and I will train you to use your 
powers.  I have read much of the old legends and know nearly all there is about 
the seven powers," he said slowly scrutinizing each person present.  "Ash you 
have the power of the flame, use it wisely, Misty, has the power of water and 
ice, these, paired with others can be a devastating force, Brock, the power of 
fighting, with a rock hard defense, you will make a formidable opponent.  
Pikachu, as you call him Ash, has the power of lightning, you don't know this, 
but if I am correct, your powers have increased.  Meowth, with the normal 
ability of agility and speed, you will also find your powers have increased.  
James, has the power of flight, well, at least he will have the power of flight, 
this will make you a valuable asset to the team as well as a fierce warrior.  
Finally, Jessie has been gifted with the power of the mind, this is one of the 
more difficult powers to learn, but once mastered, you will be a powerful force.  
Training will be hard, but the rewards will be great, now all who are in this, 
put your hands in the center of the circle," Master Lotus finished his grand 
opening speech leaving all present speechless.  He slowly lowered his ancient 
wrinkled hand into the center of the group.  Jessie's and James' hands soon 
followed.  Meowth had a bit of a problem as did Pikachu due to height, but Ash 
and James solved it, allowing the Pokemon a spot on their shoulders.  Brock was 
the last, seeming very hesitant to join.  "Well Brock?"  Misty asked raising one 
eyebrow. 

	Brock's memory flashed with images of his little brothers and sisters.  Of 
his mother and father, and the fond memories of the times before she passed 
away.  He had a family to live for, but his father had promised him he'd take 
care of the siblings.  He had told him to go and accomplish his dream, and one 
dream was to do something great.  This was his chance.  "I'm in," he said 
placing his stone hand atop all the others.  Brock looked up into the smiling 
emerald eyes of James, he seemed very friendly to him, like a soul who'd longed 
for a friend other than Jessie and Meowth and was finally getting them.  Even 
Jessie winked at him when his gaze met hers.  He knew that this was what he 
wanted to do and he'd see it through to the end.  "Alright then, James!  Back to 
the roof!  I will be working solely with him for a while!  The rest of you, the 
first thing to do is get to know your new forms, I want you to look carefully at 
anything new about yourselves and experiment.  I have to whip this young man 
into shape," Master Lotus said and parted the circle to get to James.  He took 
him by the arm and led him behind the house.  Ash shrugged and walked to the 
shoreline with Misty.

	James sighed as he approached the back of the house where the wooden 
ladder stood.  "Now now, you'll never soar with the Talcons with that attitude," 
Master Lotus said urging him upwards.  "Talcon?  What's that?" he asked stalling 
the inevitable.  "It's a great bird Pokemon, you'll see one sooner or later now 
climb!" he replied tugging James' tail feathers roughly.  James clenched his 
teeth angrily and placed his foot on the first rung.  He looked up nervously to 
the sky where the sun was just climbing to the noon slot and pressed onward.  He 
took the steps carefully, feeling each one beneath his feet to take up more 
time.  He was not anxious to fall flat on his face again. "Stop stalling James!  
You need to learn to fly sooner or later!" he heard Master Lotus call.  "Yeah 
whatever," he mumbled.  "I heard that!"  James swallowed hard and quickly 
ascended the last few steps.

	Upon reaching the very edge of the roof, he unfolded his wings and spread 
them.  Master Lotus came huffing up the ladder after him and stopped, breathing 
hard.  "I'm much too old to be doing this," he mumbled walking over to the young 
man at the edge.  James turned around, not bothering to close his wings and 
waited for the old man to come to his side.  "Well?  You seem to know all, what 
should I do?" he asked folding his arms across his chest stubbornly.

	Master Lotus closed his eyes and shook his head as he walked calmly over 
to the youth.  He gently pried his arms apart and spread them along the lengths 
of his wings.  James opened his mouth slightly in wonderment and listened to 
what the wise man had to say.  "The beach is the place of the winds, you must 
learn to sense their patterns, know them as well as you know your friend Jessie.  
They can either be your friend or you enemy.  Now, close your eyes James, feel 
with your heart and soul, listen to what the winds tell you," he said.  James 
closed the emerald eyes and thrust his neck out into the air.  The wind whistled 
softly through his blue hair and tossed it lazily about his face. 

	Something was there, something he'd never really taken the time to feel 
for before.  It was like a quiet voice in the back of his mind, telling him and 
only him secrets that it picked up, but most of all it told him where it was 
going.  He began following the wind patterns with one hand, standing perfectly 
straight, his only movements following the wind.  "Yes, yes you feel it now!  
Use the wind, it is your most valuable asset," Master Lotus said pressing his 
hands together with satisfaction.  James opened his eyes and pushed his toes 
over the edge.  "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it," he repeated to himself 
and readied his mind and majestic wings.

	James took a deep breath and jump gracefully off of the house.  He felt 
the pull of the winds and where they were going, but he could not sense how to 
ride them.  He panicked slightly, fluttering his wings, but when he didn't fall, 
he stopped.  He lost his concentration on the winds, focusing mainly on his 
wings and sailed haphazardly to the ground.  He didn't make a crash landing 
fortunately, and lighted in the sand on both feet.  "Well, it's a start," he 
muttered to himself.  Master Lotus, unbeknownst to James, had come down to meet 
him.  He walked calmly behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder.  "You lost 
touch with the wind, when you learn to meld all the elements of flight in your 
mind, then you will take to the skies," he said.  James nodded and Master Lotus 
proceeded to help another for the day.

	James sighed, he'd never learn to fly at this rate.  He looked up at the 
beautiful coastline scenery and noticed something he hadn't before.  A large 
rocky cliff rose not too far from the adobe house.  A devious grin crept onto 
his face as an idea entered his brain.  "Perhaps my problem is I'm not starting 
high enough," he said to himself and started off towards the cliff.

	Jessie noticed him walking away and peered cautiously from the safety of 
the beach just in front of their home.  "Whatever is he doing?" Pikachu asked 
curiously.  "I don't know but it can't be good, we'd better follow him," Ash, 
who saw them staring, said.  Jessie and Pikachu nodded mutually and Ash led the 
group towards the cliff.

	James finished his ascent up the sloping back of the cliff and wiped the 
sweat from his forehead.  He closed his eyes and stood rigid.  Ever so slowly, 
his right hand moved away from his body and began to move with the direction of 
the wind as James sensed it.  After a few minutes, when he felt ready, he 
unfolded his wings and stepped slowly out to the very edge.  He peered over and 
immediately drew his wings back in again.  "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," 
he whispered to himself.  He wrapped his arms tightly around him in 
embarrassment and turned on his heel.  He felt ashamed that here he was, 
supposedly this great hero, and he couldn't even stand at the edge of a cliff, 
much less jump off, and he was the one with the wings.  He hung his head as he 
walked, upset and fearful of what everyone would think of him.  That is, until 
Jessie's shoes became visible.  He gasped and closed his eyes in fear.  "Oh 
James," Jessie called in a singsong voice.

	James looked up slowly at Jessie who stood with her arms crossed 
impatiently across her chest.  "I know it's frustrating not being able to fly 
yet, but you don't have to go this far!" she said eyeing the ground.  She 
herself walked over to the edge and looked down.  James felt the shame again, 
she could look and he could not.  "Jessie leave him alone," Ash said.  James 
looked up again to see Ash and Pikachu come up as well.  He must have seen the 
burning red color in James' cheeks and decided to defend him.  "Aw come on!  
He's just being a wimp!" Jessie said laughing.  James could practically feel 
himself shrinking.  Ash glared at the red-haired girl dipping her foot over the 
edge lower and lower in mockery.  

	Jessie discontinued when she felt Ash's eyes burning into her skull.  She 
put her hands angrily on her hips and rolled her eyes.  If James was ever going 
to learn, it wasn't going to be easy.  "Come on Ash, I bet I could jump off of 
here and land on my feet!" she said laughing louder than was really necessary.  
Ash's heart skipped as she jumped and twirled on the very edge of the cliff, 
sending several large chunks of it to plummet to the ground.  "Jessie I 
wouldn't-"  "Oh, now you're being a baby too?"  She stood on one foot, raising 
one just her toes, on the same edge, which was getting rather thin due to her 
antics.  Pikachu's acute hearing, even more so than Jessie's, picked up a loud 
snap.  Concerned, he looked to the area where Jessie stood just in time to watch 
a great crack shoot across like lightning, and the tip of the cliff crumble and 
fall taking her with it.  "No!" he cried reaching out.  James whirled around and 
sprinted to the edge, and without even having to think, dove off of the edge 
after his friend.  "I thought he couldn't fly!" Pikachu gasped.  "He can't," Ash 
replied.

	Jessie closed her eyes, mentally running through her last thoughts.  She 
felt the wind rushing around her, faster and faster as she approached the 
ground.  "I'm sorry James,"  A memory.  Her first day in the Team Rocket 
uniform, the first time she saw James, her Arbok, a devilish image of Giovanni.  
"You'll never amount to anything!  You'll never be like your Mother!"  A little 
girl crying, young James, half-frozen in the snow, thinking he was dead, a loyal 
Growlithe never leaving his side.  Cassidy, a malevolent specter, Pikachu 
shocking her.  A more pleasant memory, sitting with James after a defeat.  "It's 
okay Jessie, there's always tomorrow," The mallet resulted from that remark.  "I 
love you."

	The memories and meaningless words flashed through her mind.  "So this is 
what people go through before death.  I'm going to die?" her giddy mind 
projected near useless thoughts in its final moments.  She imagined hitting the 
sand, every bone in her body shattering, the warm blood.  She waited, she sensed 
the ground close below her and prepared herself for the impact.

	She did hit something, but it wasn't the ground.  She squeezed her eyes 
shut harder as she felt a rush of hot air from underneath her carrying a 
stinging spray of sand with it.  She gasped as it whipped across her exposed 
skin, digging into it like hot needles.  When no other pain came and her stomach 
lurched with the force of being carried upward, she opened her eyes.  

	She found herself in James' arms soaring into the sky.  He had a 
determined, hard set expression on his face and didn't even notice when Jessie 
came back to the world of the living.  She slid her arms around his neck for 
stability and James seemed to snap out of his trance.  "James!  You did it!" she 
cried happily.  He looked down at his friend and smiled.  "I...I did didn't I?" 
he shouted happily.  At that moment, a permanent bond was made between James and 
the winds.  They would forever be on his side, and he would always know their 
patterns.  He knew how to fuse the elements in his mind now and nothing could 
stop his power of flight.

	Ash and Pikachu were forced to duck as James rocketed past the edge of the 
cliff.  He performed a lissome flip mid-air and landed gracefully in front of 
them.  He set Jessie down in front of the bewildered Ash and Pikachu and took 
off again, gilding with great speed towards the house.

	"Misty, you're quite an agile swimmer, but you have the power to use the 
water as well," Master Lotus stood in front of Misty who was frolicking happily 
in the water.  She noticed an odd shadow on the water and looked up to see James 
hovering a few feet behind him. "Master Lotus!"  Misty gasped pointing behind 
him.  He didn't turn, he knew who was there.  "Very good James, I see you know 
the winds now," he said not bothering to turn around.  James smiled proudly and 
slowly let himself drop.  Misty smiled back at him and winked.  "I found out I 
could do something pretty cool.  It's not much, but would you like to see?" she 
asked.  Master Lotus seemed to perk up and nodded vigorously.  Misty blushed 
modestly and turned to face the ocean.

	She drew in a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes.  Raising her hand 
out to the water, it began to shimmer with a deep blue haze.  The mist coiled 
itself around Misty's body, leading with small points of light.  They looked 
like miniature fireflies, streaking the air with cerulean paint.  Suddenly Misty 
flashed with the mist and it dispersed, leaving her standing, her figure 
composed entirely of water.  She dove down into the liquid azure sea, completely 
invisible to James and Master Lotus.  "Whoa," James breathed.  Master Lotus 
clapped his hands together with joy.  "Oh Misty!  That's wonderful!" He shouted.  
The water rippled with colors and Misty was visible again.  "You really think 
so?" she asked sheepishly.

	All of a sudden Ash came bounding over like a small child.  "Master Lotus!  
Master Lotus watch!" he cried and thrust a hand out.  He squinted his eyes in 
concentration and a meek flame exited and extinguished with a puff of gray 
smoke.  "Isn't it great?" he said proudly.  Misty, Master Lotus, and James 
erupted into a fit of laughter.  "That makes Misty look like a pro!" James 
sputtered between laughs.  Ash raised one eyebrow cynically, but shrugged and 
strolled away the tiny flame leaping from his hand occasionally.  "I guess Ash 
is going to need as much help as James did," Master Lotus mused.  "Maybe more," 
James himself added with a smirk.

	Misty trudged out of the water flipping a bit of water onto James with the 
broad end of her tail.  He turned to follow, but found Jessie behind him.  
"Wait, can I talk to you?" she asked stopping him.  He looked to Master Lotus, 
who nodded and smiled.  "I'll leave you two alone," he said winking at James, 
who promptly blushed and turned back to Jessie.  She looked downwards and 
twirled a finger in her long red hair absent-mindedly.  "So, you wanted to say 
something?" James asked digging his hands into the back pockets of his jeans.  
"I...I just wanted to thank you for saving me," she said her cheeks running red 
with color.  "It's nothing I wouldn't do for a good friend," James replied.  
Jessie took one step forward and wrapped her arms around James.  "Thank you," 
she whispered.  James hugged her back and rested his cheek against hers.  
"You're welcome, you're my best friend Jessie," he whispered back.  "What was 
that for?" she asked with a small giggle, never leaving the embrace.  "Just so 
you know, you know," James replied.   Jessie hugged him tightly once more and 
slipped out of his arms.  James sighed contentedly and let her go.  She slid her 
arms down his and squeezed both hands reassuringly before turning and walking 
towards the house where everyone was gathering for lunch.  James turned to face 
the ocean still imagining Jessie's warmth in his arms.  The winds caressed him 
in their warmth and crispness from being near the sea.  It blew a strand of 
glossy blue hair away from his face, sweeping along his cheekbone and entering 
his ear.  They whispered a message to them that was for James and only James. 
"Yes I know," he told them, "but she doesn't feel the same way."  

	Ash mentally counted off the members of their group and discovered James 
missing.  "Where's James?" he asked scanning the shoreline.  He heaved a sigh of 
relief as he spotted him, standing with his wings folded, tail wrapped around 
his legs and arms folded across his chest.  He looked sad, and depressed as he 
stared out to the glittering swells far out in the limitless ocean. "James!" Ash 
called.  He seemed to snap out of his trance and turned around.  Ash motioned 
for him to come and he slowly walked back.  He stalled watching his feet leave 
deep imprints in the fine white sand.  Ash rolled his eyes and went inside.  
James stopped and listened as the winds bode him farewell for the time being and 
played over his lips, seeming to kiss him.  He closed his eyes and let the winds 
playfully say goodbye.  When they had finished their display of affection, James 
wearily trudged inside.

	Everyone was seated around the glossy wooden table enjoying some sort of 
odd fruit.  James smiled as he realized Jessie had saved the seat next to her 
and took it gratefully.  "What's wrong?" Misty asked noticed James' unusual 
depressed attitude.  "Nothing, just a little tired I guess," he replied.  Master 
Lotus nodded to the bowl in the center of the table filled with a bright green 
pear shaped fruit.  "They are called Caracass fruit, because they grow only 
here, they are wonderful," he said taking a large bite out of one.  James perked 
up at the mention of food and took one himself.  It was sweet yet bitter at the 
same time, the waxy skin having no impact on the clear flavor as most fruits 
did.  Everyone enjoyed the refreshing taste and ate many of them before 
returning outside to train some more.

	Master Lotus took it upon himself to help Ash who seemed to be struggling 
a bit.  Ash, refusing to believe he needed help, stomped out impatiently to a 
small flat rock close to the shoreline.  "Fine, now what do I do?" he asked 
folding his arms stubbornly across his chest.  Master Lotus sat next to him and 
took his hand in his own.  "Show me the flame," he said.  Ash looked at him 
cynically, shrugged, and pointed his hand out towards the ocean.  He 
concentrated hard, and a miniscule flame leapt from his hand for a brief 
instant.  He sighed in exasperation and he noticed Brock sparring with air.  The 
strength he saw in the muscles rippling underneath the stone skin was utterly 
amazing.  He looked past his long time friend to see Jessie, concentrating hard 
on a spoon.  It buckled under the force of her strong psychic mind and she 
smiled triumphantly.  James swooped down from aloft next to her and Jessie 
displayed her bent spoon proudly.  He took it and smiled down at her.  Even 
Meowth and Pikachu were engrossed in a small Pokemon battle of their own.  They 
had set aside any differences and had actually become quite good friends.  
Pikachu succumbed to Meowth's claws before retaliating with a quick swipe of his 
tail, which was writhing with electricity.  Meowth cried out in pain and they 
both fell to the ground, beaten by one another.

	Ash sighed and hung his head.  "I can't do it," he muttered.  He looked up 
as a large wave broke dangerously close to the rock.  Misty stood with a webbed 
hand outstretched and a terrified look on her face.  "Sorry!" she called and 
disappeared under the surf.  "I can't do it!  Everyone else can use their 
powers, but not me!" Ash moaned again.  Seeing his distress, Master Lotus patted 
him affectionately on the back.  "Listen to me young Ash.  Young is quite 
accurate isn't it?  You are younger than all your friends, it makes you feel 
inferior sometimes.  The desire you have in your mind to be better is cutting 
off what your heart tells you.  Let go of that thought, listen to your heart," 
he said looking intently at Ash's flame laced body.

	Ash took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  "Now, free my mind, listen to 
the heart," he whispered.  "Think of Misty," he said to himself in his mind.  He 
slowly extended his hand and concentrated.  A thousand thoughts ran through his 
mind, all of Gary, the way he had made him feel as a Pokemon trainer, inferior, 
and worthless.  He clenched his teeth, those were the thoughts Master Lotus had 
told him to forget.  "Listen to the heart," he repeated.  "The heart, the 
heart," he whispered.  An image of Misty appeared in his mind.  She was wearing 
a flowing white silk gown that seemed suspended in air as it caressed her body.  
Her hair was down and it hung far below her waist in a shimmering veil of red. 
She smiled and bounded away through a field of beautiful white flowers.  She 
stopped halfway through as a veritable cloud of beautiful Butterfree rose from 
the flowers.  She turned around and laughed as the butterfly Pokemon danced 
about her in a fantasy display of glitter and shimmering wings, beckoning Ash to 
come with her.  It was the dream Ash had had so many times before, and each time 
he felt as if as he ran toward her, he was caught in glue.  She was running 
farther and farther away and he wasn't getting anywhere.  He'd call out her 
name, she'd call his back and ask him to come with her.

	Ash opened his eyes when he felt heat in his hand.  He looked down to see 
a small, yet raging flame in his hand.  He played with it, using both hands to 
mold it into a molten ball, then hurled it to the ground with a vengeance.  It 
exploded with a fiery blast of heat and sand.  Master Lotus flinched, 
momentarily blinded by the flames and covered his face with his forearm.  Ash 
blinked in surprise and looked at the scorched circle he'd left in the sand.  
"Did...Did I do that?" he asked breathlessly.  Master Lotus patted him firmly on 
the back again and stood up.  "That my boy, is how you use the gift of the 
flame," he said walking toward the water to see how Misty was coming along.  Ash 
stared dumbfounded at his hands.  "Thank you Misty," he whispered and stood up 
to practice some more.