I curse hard contacts… and my small eyes that make it so hard to put them into…
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
Chapter 5…
“So… you’re Rain?”
The blue-haired woman nodded. “I’d be happy to baby-sit your child. For an infant this young, I charge fifteen an hour.”
“Sounds fair enough….” Ash said. “Well, I’ll leave her here with you then.”
“What does she eat?”
“What does she eat? Um…. She drinks baby Formula?”
The woman sighed. “What else?”
“There’s something else?”
“Of course! You can’t let a child live on only milk once it’s this old! She has teeth, doesn’t she?”
“Two.” Ash said, after he took a peek.
Rain sighed. “You’re a horrible father.”
“Hey!”
“Typical of males though. The woman is the homemaker after all…. I’ll see what I can do. You’re off to work then?”
Ash nodded.
“Go. Leave this to me.”
Ash needed no further urging as he shot out of the door, glad to be away… babies were quite annoying… how had his mother taken care of him? It was perplexing.
“I need another sitter.”
“Oh? I thought you found a good one.” It was ‘Share your misery’ day at the Indigo Plateau – a.k.a. just another normal day when they all felt like complaining. “It’s only been two weeks.”
“She tried to jump my bones last night.”
Lance chuckled. Bruno began rolling on the ground in laughter. Lorelei half-smiled.
“It’s not funny!”
“Well, I suppose it was to be expected. You’re Champion, after all…”
“She’s old enough to be my mother!”
“That could be a problem… still, there’s only, what, four days left until your mom comes home from the cruise? Hang in there, Ash… It’s not that bad.”
“I hope so…”
He still had almost no idea how to change a diaper, but he was learning…
Messy.
He wished she’d grow up soon…
“I’m tired….”
“What happened last night?” Lance asked, taking a sip of his – Ash wasn’t quite sure what was in the glass, but it looked like wine.
“Ugh… didn’t sleep…”
“Babies do tend to do that to you.”
“I’m going to turn into a zombie!”
“Well, think of how Misty feels, having to deal with this…”
“Well, now I feel guilty…”
“Bit late, isn’t it?” The Dragon Master laughed. “I guess she – her desire to get away from this is quite justified.’
“Still, she’s the mother… what if May develops abnormally without her?”
Lance shrugged. “I lived without my mother for five years. I was fine.”
“Oh.”
Fine? Er… no. Ash thought Lance was a bit off in the head, but he was still cute… wait, where did that come from!
Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts! Begone evil thoughts!
Lance blinked as Ash began banging his head against the table, then shrugged and attributed it to marital stress. No way he was ever getting married… too much trouble.
Besides, he didn’t like anyone… no, that wasn’t quite true. He liked Clair and Lorelei and the other Masters but that was different.
He didn’t quite love anyone. Pokemon, Father, power, yes. Did he love people? Hardly! Earth was for the pokemon after all…
Ash finally realized what he was doing and hastily began searching the fridge for an ice pack to put on his now throbbing head. Lance poured himself another glass of wine. It glittered reddish, softly.
He took a sip.
Ash found an ice pack and availed himself of it. His headache began to dull somewhat…. Good!
“Lance?”
“What is it?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“Dear Lugia, No!”
“Oh, I see….” That was a pity. “But I’m sure you have lots of fans.”
“Fans do not equate love interests in any vague sense of the word’s interpretation, my dear Champion.”
“I suppose so…”
“Why are you suddenly so interested in my love life, Champion? Trying to hook me up with someone?”
“Er…”
“Don’t say a word. I won’t marry Clair or Lorelei. Clair’s already going out with Drake from Orange anyways.”
“Oh, she is?”
“It’s genetically advantageous…”
“What?”
“Dragon blood gets stronger if both parents have it… smart of her, but I think she does love him…”
“Ding dong, ding dong, you’ve got mail!”
Ash hastily picked up his pokedex – yes, he still used it, despite his Champion status – and blinked.
“Is something the matter?”
“I’ve got an email from Brock…”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“He’s inviting me to his wedding!”
“Oh? He’s getting married? How interesting…”
“Hmm… but I can’t…but Misty won’t be here yet, and I’ll have to take May with me…”
“What? Is he getting married tomorrow or something?”
Ash nodded mutely.
“And he didn’t give any advance notice? Tch. I’m sure you can find someone to baby-sit for a few hours, right?”
“I-I suppose so…”
Lance ignored Ash and flicked the radio onto Poke Flute music…
End Chapter
Completed 7/31/05
*Yawns*
Sleep = good…
Spell check is stupid. Phantomness doesn’t really have anything else that’s enlightening to say…