Yep, more bets…
This idea was taken from Greg Sharp the Ranma author, who had a lot of deities making bets as what to changing one or a few things in Ranma’s life would change his life. Well, I’m doing the same thing to Ash and Lance…
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks
Warnings: Very AU, Gender-bending, adultery, AAMRN, Championshipping (Ash x Lance)
Title: Aphrodite’s Bet
Chapter 1
“We all have to take turns.”
“Why did you get to go first?”
Aphrodite giggled. “Zeus let me.”
“In other words, you slept with him and…”
“So? I’m the goddess of love. It’s my nature? Oh, yes, I’ll make a change here…”
Phantomness, Championshipping no miko, looked as Aphrodite tossed something into the fic timeline.
“What is that?”
“Oh, just a ring I’m sure Lance will like…”
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Being a girl wasn’t fun at all, at least not a little girl. They made you wear ugly frilly things and didn’t let you leave on your pokemon journey because you were too weak. They also wanted to marry you off to people who were old enough to be your grandfather so they would get richer. And it all depended on you because they couldn’t have any more children...
So it was much nicer to be a boy.
Lance looked at the tiny silver ring on her hand. There was a red jewel in the middle – no, a blue jewel, but if she pressed it, it would turn red and she could change… into him, and that was much better…
She pressed it.
She opened eyes that were no longer soft blue, but now blinding gold.
He smiled.
He carefully took the ring off and put it on a chain around his neck, before he looked at the house one last time.
He smiled.
“Charmander, use Flamethrower…”
Timeline – 7 years post-anime… (I’m assuming Houen and Battle Frontier Arcs didn’t happen. Ash is 20, Misty 22…)
“Why do you have to go, Ash?”
“Because I’m the pokemon master, Misty.” The boy – man now, smiled. “And it’s my duty to stop this. You know it is.”
“It doesn’t mean I have to like it!”
“But I has to be done. I can’t be selfish.”
“What of our daughter then? What of little May? What will happen to her?”
“It’s only for a few weeks, Misty!”
“I know, but!”
“Shh, shh…”
“It’s so hard, Ash… it’s not fair…”
“Don’t worry, I’ll come back – don’t I always?” He smiled.
“Yes, but I’m still worried…”
“I won’t be alone! The Elite are coming along too.”
“Well, take care, all right?”
“All right…”
The group was somber as it met outside the Plateau, all of them shrouded in black. Lance. Lorelei. Bruno. Ash himself.
Agatha had left the Elite Four, oh, years ago, as she was too old. Now, it was the younger generation, and yet, Ash was still the youngest…
“Shall we go?” Lance said. He looked exhausted – who wasn’t? They had been trying to find a way to stop the meteorite from reaching earth, and none of them had slept, until Bruno had stumbled upon that prophecy…
Call Lugia to summon…
Call Lugia – sacrifice a legendary pokemon to save the earth. Fair trade? Of course it was!
That was why now; they were searching Whirl Islands for the elusive pokemon…
Lance’s Dragonite and Ash’s Charizard took to the air, Ash riding with Bruno, Lance with Lorelei…
They took off for Whirl Islands.
It was not a pleasant flight by any means, almost six hours of sitting on a pokemon, but…
They got there.
“Part of Whirl Islands is underwater. That’s why I’m here.” Lorelei said calmly. “My pokemon are the only ones that know Surf, Dive, and Waterfall… not to mention Whirlpool… and we need to search underwater…”
“My dragons and I can search from the air.” Lance nodded.
“I’ll search the rocky parts.” Bruno grunted.
“I’ll…” Ash hesitated, “Try and contact Lugia. I haven’t seen it since I was eleven though…”
“Perhaps Lugia will remember you and be willing to step in.” Lance smiled. The group split up.
Lance waited until he was in the air before he twisted the ring he wore on a finger now, watching the red wash into blue…
Weight dropped a little, really, there wasn’t much difference between forms, he was slender and lithe in both, quite agile, but…
It depended on elements. Wind and water worked better in female form, fire and earth in male, so…
Lance began to whistle a spell that would quicken Dragonite’s speed as they sailed over the ocean in search of Lugia…
Lorelei buckled on her scuba gear as she climbed on her Dewgong’s back. “Let’s go.” They dove into the water. Luckily, it wasn’t freezing like the water in Seafoam…
It was pitch-blank down there, though, and even with her flashlight she could hardly see anything… she drifted back up to the surface, disappointed. Also, if she went deeper than thirty or forty feet, the pressure would be too much for her. Oh dear.
“Maybe I can’t go down there, but there’s no way for me and my pokemon to keep in contact, unless I…” Lorelei sighed. Sacrifices had to be made. As always.
A few hours later, Lorelei swam with her Dewgong beneath the waters, breathing through strange gills while luxuriant white fur coated her body, changed legs into a tail…
This was the only way….
“Um, Lugia?” Ash flushed. He looked at the ocean. There was no response. Hmm…
“I wonder if trying to do the Shamouti prophecy would work? I mean, if I captured the legendaries, wouldn’t that summon Lugia?”
It would, right? Perhaps he should try that…
He looked at the sea. It hadn’t changed…
End Chapter
Completed 7/29/05
Aphrodite is the goddess of… love and sex from Greek Mythology.
Ash/Lance: …
Phantomness: Imagination run wild…
Blue = female, Red = male…