This is hard to write… *sighs*

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo, but this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me, ok? Do not take my work.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

 

Episode 195: I don’t have time for this

 

            He lost count of the number of ones she banished or killed for his sake. She still felt the need to protect him.

            And they kept swarming, like insects.

            “Overpopulation leads to environmental destruction.” Lance-chan explained when he asked her about it.

            Made sense, save all the poor pokemon.

            If all else failed, they could seal the area and escape, but he didn’t feel like doing that just yet. He wanted peace.

 

            Lance was currently grooming her Gyarados, which was purring like only a dragon can do.

            He himself was tying Pika-chan up to protect their picnic lunch.

            It was quite delicious, bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, with a chocolate cake wrapped in wax paper, and bunches of grapes.

            Pika-chan had attempted to pilfer the cake.

            Luckily, Luna had purloined it back. She had then attempted to devour it herself. Ash was now locking the chest she was in. it would only hold her for about ten minutes, hopefully long enough for the picnickers to eat.

            Lance smiled as they munched on sandwiches. “Maybe…”

            Ash blinked. “Life is strange, isn’t it?”
            “Very. I mean, we aren’t exactly living normally either.”

            “I’ve heard that Pallet is being rebuilt, but I’m not sure I want to go back.”

            “You could join the Elite Four after we finish our tour of Houen?”
            ‘Sounds good.”

 

            After twenty minutes, both guardians broke up, but their Chosen had mostly finished eating by then. Sabrina nursed a cup of mint tea, having decided that maybe food was not such a bad thing.

            Ash giggled as he picked up a rock and knocked Pika-chan out with it. “Glutton. Maybe that’ll teach you some manners.”

            Luna scowled as another rock was sent her way. “Hey!”

            “I think you’ve gotten complacent.” Sabrina continued, as more rocks filled the air.

            “I vote we take shelter.” Lance whispered.

            “Good plan.” The two quickly plummeted into a nearby Oran berry bush. As they watched, Sabrina soundly took on both guardians at the same time and came out the victor.

            “Wow!”

            “Sabrina tends to use her head more than just pure force. That’s her way.” Dragonair-chan supplied helpfully.

            “Smart of her then.”

            “Yep, one fluffy bunny guardian and one nice one.”

 

            “Fluffy bunny?!” Pika-chan demanded.

            “Nice?” Sabrina raised her eyebrows.

            “Well, clever at the least.”

            Lance passed out crepes as the fight ended, much to the enjoyment of the participants.

            ‘Yummy!”

            “Food… hehehe…” Luna began giggling to herself.

 

            All too soon a trainer barged in.

            “Let’s battle.” Ash said, grinning.

            “Okay! I’m Katrina!”

            “Nice.” Ash said, ignoring the quite obvious attempts at flirtation. “I’ll choose first. Pidgeot, go.”

            Ash’s pidgeot card appeared in a magnificent spray of golden light, cawing happily.

            “Go! Meowth!”

            Ash blinked. Twice.

            “Bird Vs. Cat usually leads to bird winning as is on higher level. Pidgeot, Wing Attack!”

            Pidgeot sent meowth flying away with a good buffet.

            “Meowth, Slash!”

            “Double Team.” Ash said calmly, as Meowth approached the number of pidgeots suddenly multiplied by ten. It sailed through a copy.

            “Ok, let’s finish. Gust.”

 

            Katrina frowned. “Maybe that’s not good enough. Dodrio, go!”

            Meowth was recalled and switched.

            Pidgeot frowned and instantly called down Hail from the skies. Dodrio panicked.

            “Dodrio! Tri-Attack!”

            Pidgeot was burned, but she was persistent as she stirred up Icy Wind. That and then a Blizzard Strike blew Dodrio out of the air and into the ground.

            Ash dusted off his hands and recalled her as well.

 

            < You were wonderful. >

            Pidgeot puffed up slightly, and cheeped.

           

            Katrina frowned. “Ok then! Whismur, go!”

            “Umbreon.” Ash said silkily, dark-type eevee called out.

            Umbreon snarled at Whismur, which began to cry.

            “Faint Attack.”

            Whismur immediately started a uproar!

            Umbreon flicked its ears in annoyance and used Bite.

            Whismur succumbed to sheer terror and fainted. Ash raised an eyebrow as Katrina sent out yet another pokemon.

           

            “Haunter? Slightly different.”

            “Dream Eater!” Katrina yelled, pointing at Ash. Ash’s eyes widened as he realized that the trainer was attempting to steal his soul.

            “Mewtwo! Reflect now!”

            In a second the potentially harmful attack had been eradicated.

            Ash frowned. “Now use Frameshift!”

            In a second, time changed. A minute later, only a bawling baby remained.

            Ash walked on. He didn’t care what happened now.

 

            Lance poked her head out of the bush she had stayed in to stay out of the way. “Has she been dealt with?”

            “Yes.’ Ash said harshly. “Stupid pride-loving, spineless idiots.”

            “True.”

            A dark light flickered in Ash’s eyes. “Can’t we just kill them?”

            “Not ‘we’,” Lance corrected. “You have the power, Ash. Guardian of the realm can always cleanse.”

            Ash quickly muttered a chant, although he knew that others would become depraved and evil as time passed.

            It was a normal cycle of life.

 

            He knew they were both getting weaker. Charlotte was practically drained by now.

            Her fire energy was fueling his power, sometimes. And if he concentrated, he could feel her thoughts.

            Soon, she would probably be a little ripple in his subconscious mind.

            He could see her, almost floating in a lake full of liquid fire. Pretty.

            Not that he was crushing on her, just an observation.

            Besides, she was his sister in a sense, well, maybe cousin, and he didn’t do incest.

 

            “HALT!”

            Ash rolled his eyes as another ninja boy jumped out of a tree and released another Koffing. * Here we go again… *

            “You’re annoying me.”

            “I challenge you!”

            “Fine…” Ash flipped over another card. “Espeon… Psychic, please?”

            And a lovely burst of light later.

            “There we go.’ Ash said, grinning.

            “Are you bored yet?”

            “A little. What if I just grab all the badges and then we’ll go dimension hopping?”

            “Amusing.” Lance considered. “Why not?”

            “YAY!”

 

            Lance grinned. “Just be careful, would you please? I hate worrying… Now where are we off to next?”

            “Um… where haven’t I been?” Ash thought. “Oh! I haven’t fought Flannery yet, and fire is easy to beat.”

            Mudkip and Vaporeon preened themselves.

            Lance sweatdropped slightly. “A little swell-headed?”

            “No, don’t think so.”

 

            Besides, you’re a water-type. Vaporeon said, beaming.

            I guess…

            And you make a cute couple!

            Lance sweatdropped. Not only were all the cards teasing them, so were the testers. And the guardians…

            Oh well…

            It would hopefully get better.

            Was everyone’s mind on romance?

 

End Chapter!

12/29/03 to 1/12/04

 

Cooldud12345678901 – well, thank you for your concern on my behalf! ^-^ Can’t wait to see fic.

Shaladin – I think I am finally not sick anymore…

Akiko Koishii – hi! Um, you did find the info on Serebii right? Just checking… Ah! Poor you. Well, I don’t think there’s any way to get past 7 of Pokemon Adventures in the US

Dreamer – thank you

Ranma – I see! You can post on my LJ if needed…

 

Now, a question…

Does Lance look like he is wearing female clothes in the manga/anime? Just a personal question… because it’s another point for my ‘I think Lance is really a girl’ list!