Episode 169

Disclaimer: No need, already disclaimed at least a hundred times. Pokemon is not mine. Destiny, Charlotte, Eterneon, etc, are. Enough.

Notes: <> indicates telepathy, ** indicates thoughts, italics indicates translated pokémon speech.

Episode 169: Have we taken care of the problem?

“So that’s that.” Ash said happily.

“I think so.” Lance replied.

“Cool. Let’s go see how Charlotte’s doing.”

Vulpix-chan led the way back to the house. She tapped on the bubble, which was kind of an orange color now. “Wake up!”

Charlotte stirred and opened her eyes, blinking. Ash noticed that her hair was now a pale grayish color, a better sign.

“We did it!”

Charlotte managed to crack a smile, despite her tiredness. “I’m…glad… thank… you…” And then she promptly blacked out.

Lance sighed. “Oh well, at least we’ve taken care of most of the problem.”

“Nani? What do you mean, Crys?”

“The dark pokemon is still there. It can’t draw any more energy from Patrick or the dark side, but its still dangerous.”

“Until?”

“It runs out of energy. And that could take years.”

“So what do we do?” Ash asked. He was still wearing the bellhop costume.

“First, you change out of that and into something battle-worthy. Then, we go fight it. Dark creatures cannot generate dark energy to make attacks, they must draw from stored resources. So if we waste enough of its energy that should solve the problem.”

“Ok.” Ash said. “Let’s go!”

“I can’t help you anymore.” Vulpix-chan said. She curled up and transformed into a little golden sun-shaped charm that clattered onto the floor. < It was hard enough for me to maintain shape. >

< Gotcha. > Luna said.

< Let’s go. > Pika-chan intoned.

< Right. >

Ash dressed in a dark blue robe with red scales on it. It was simple, cut low above the knees so he could move, and it was shellacked to be protective. There were two red stripes on the sleeves. His hair was tied back by a dark blue headband.

“Simplicity is always good.” Lance said.

Ash grinned. “You think so?”

“Looks cute to me.”

Ash blushed a tiny bit.

Lance was dressed in a light blue robe with silver armor over it. “Let’s go.”

The two chosen sprouted their wings, and flew up into the air.

< Don’t worry, Ash, I’m shielding us in invisibility. > Lance said.

< Okay, Crys. >

Lance nodded silently. < Let’s see… do you feel anything wrong with your chi? >

< Kind of. > Ash admitted.

< That’s the dark spirit. >

Ash looked around. < Okay. That way. > He cut sharply to the right and into a cloudbank.

Lance followed a few wing beats behind.

The dark Charizard was unpleasantly surprised when two unknown humans burst into his hideout. He immediately breathed out a Flamethrower attack.

“Suicune, go!” Ash said, releasing the pokemon card.

“Watery, drown him.” Lance said icily.

The two water spirits quickly subdued the Charizard.

Ash was about to breathe a sigh of relief when the Charizard roared and broke free of its water prison.

“Shoot.”

“Thunder!” Lance said, releasing the spirit. “Go.”

“Right.” Ash said. * Should be especially vulnerable now that its wet… * “Zapdos, go! Thunder Rage!”

The attacks sent a smoking Charizard tumbling down towards the land.

“Well, that’s over.” Ash said, smiling.

“Not yet…” Lance said, narrowing her eyes.

“What do you mean?”

Lance whipped out a handful of white ribbons. She made a few complicated hand motions, and then flung them into the air.

Ash stared, as one of the clouds became a dull black ditto entangled in the white threads.

“See?”

“I didn’t even sense it.” Ash said in awe.

“Part of my magic is darkness, so it’s easier for me to tell.”

“Oh.”

“It’s okay.” Lance said. “I think that’s everything.”

Luna nodded. * All done! *

“Great.” Ash said. He cast a levitating spell around them and they slowly floated back down to earth.

Back on the good old terra firma, Ash sighed in relief. * Great, now we can go back to our dimension. *

Lance caught his train of thought and smiled. “Yes. Loop.” The card shimmered in her hands and they were once again back where they were supposed to be.

“On to Houen we go!” Ash cheered.

“Just a second.” Lance said.

“What?”

“Disguise time…”

“But Crystal! I don’t want to wear one!”

“Sorry, but if you don’t want to get mobbed, it’s a prerequisite.” Lance said. “I’ll just dye your hair, unless you want to go as a girl again…”

Ash looked panicked for about 2.5 seconds, but then he relented.

Lance raised an eyebrow, but then saw Pika-chan crackling. * Ah…. That would explain his compliance. *

“Waiting.”

Ash nodded and crossed his fingers. “Henge no Jutsu!”

There was a poof of blue smoke, and he turned into a girl, still wearing his normal clothes. She looked like Ash, only the eyes were purple, and her long blue hair was pulled back in two ponytails.

“Cute.” Lance said.

“Thanks.” Ash said. “Great, let’s go to Houen.”

“Wait a second.” Pika-chan said. “You can’t go around in that.”

She pointed to his robes. < They’d know you were weird instantly. >

“Oops…”

“Here. You can borrow my clothes.” Lance said. She pulled out a pair of pink overalls and a white shirt with a Skitty on it.

“Thanks…”

“No problem.” Lance said.

Ash went and changed. Lance smiled. “I’ll teleport us there.”

Her eyes flashed blue and they wound up in Littleroot town. There, they found Professor Birch being attacked by a wild Poochyna.

“Help me!” Professor Birch pleaded.

“Okay.” Ash said. She pulled out a card. A faint sparkle of illusion wove itself around her.

“Geodude, Tackle!”

Geodude tackled the Poochyna away from the Professor.

“Now use Rock Throw!”

One buried Poochyna later, the two accompanied Birch back to his lab.

“Thank you so much.” Birch said. “What’s your name?”

“Ashline.” Ash said.

“Oh. That’s nice.” Professor Birch said. “For saving me, I’d like to give you one of these three pokemon. Choose.”

< Mudkip is a water type, Torchic is a fire type, and Treecko is a grass type. >

< Hmm… > Ash thought.

Finally, she picked Mudkip.

“HELP!” A voice came from outside the door.

Ash quickly dashed outside and saw… May. Being attacked by a wild Zigzagoon.

Lance rolled her eyes. * This is so stupid… * “Charmander, Slash.”

Zigzagoon fled the scene.

May quit freaking out and began talking about how cute Pika-chan was. Pika-chan preened.

“This is May.” Professor Birch said. “She’s another of the trainers I’m sending out on the journey.”

Ash winced. * Why am I getting a bad feeling about this? *

End Episode 169!

Uh-oh… anyways, review.

Question: Of my other fics, which one should I update?