Episode 198

Phantomness: *Yawns and falls asleep*

Lance: *Pokes her with a rolling pin* you can’t stop writing now.

Phantomness: *ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz*

Lance: *Eyes light up* I’ll write this chapter then!

Shoyko: *Hides*

Pika-chan: I sense… bad things…

Disclaimer: I own this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic. Nintendo owns pokemon. Do not take my writings.

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

Championshipping goodness most likely…

Timeline: 4 days later

Akiko Koishii – well I’m glad _one_ person sent me a review. >.<

Episode 198: Sugar Sweet

Ash snuggled next to Lance as the Dragon Master stroked his hair. It had been a long night.

She wrapped her arms around him as she smiled.

Ash still blushed faintly when he thought back to what had happened. A pleasant afterglow suffused him.

He felt melted, like sweet candy syrup was flowing in his veins and making him happier.

She kissed him tenderly as she got up. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“Um… candy?” He asked hopefully.

“I’ll make chocolate chip pancakes.” She grinned.

“Yay!”

Lance got up and belted her blue robe around herself, put on her Dratini bunny slippers, and padded down to the kitchen. She was back in less then fifteen minutes, with stacks of pancakes, and sizzling bacon and eggs. Ash was combing out his hair when she returned.

“Wai!”

Ash cheered at the sight.

Lance sat down next to him and they fed each other breakfast as they made little whimsical comments.

Ash snuggled next to her as the spring breezes blew by. The faint scent of salt wafted in through the air from the open bay windows.

Sparkles of light and flower petals saturated the background.

After some light petting and kissing, Ash smiled at Lance.

“What is it, koibito?”

Ash grinned. “It wasn’t difficult after all.”

“I told you.” Lance said, with a fake-smug look.

Ash tackled her. “I know.”

Lance got up and they both sat on the window seat, watching the play of light on water outside.

“You know, I wish I hadn’t been so hasty.”

“Mm.”

Ash nodded and kissed her as she threaded her fingers into his hair again. “Play with me?”

“Hai…”

“Yay!”

Many games of freeze tag and twister later; two guardians sat on the beach watching the water lap around.

Lance looked at the moon hanging in the sky, and smiled.

‘Look, the moon’s out.”

“Kirei…” Ash said. “Just like you. Tsuki de!”

Patting his head, Lance wound her arms around him as they lounged on the warm seashore.

It wasn’t as if life were easy, she mused, as a Goldeen swam up with a petition. Apparently a rogue Gyrados was destroying their habitat with numerous dragon rage attacks.

Sighing, Lance shifted into her dragon armor and flew off to take care of the problem, while Ash adjusted the temperature in Seafoam islands a twitch, so Articuno’s eggs would have a better chance of hatching.

Time consuming, yes, but valuable, the work they were doing. Saving pokemon was important, after all.

…Especially if you had the time to do it…

After a few more minor emergencies, which didn’t require the scales, the two sat down to a romantic dinner.

Lance smoothed down her black dress with a band of diamonds right under her torso, glad it wasn’t itchy. Ash looked uncomfortable in the suit, but rather cute as well. His hair was neatly secured back in a ponytail, the few escaped wisps giving him a roguish look.

They both tried to ignore the swooning diners in the restaurant they had chosen.

“I was hoping it would be more private, since we were in the Aqua Islands.” Ash whispered.

“Luckless hope.” Lance sighed.

“Want to try?”

“Try what?” Lance raised her eyebrows as she took a dainty sip of the creamy soup.

“The league here.”

“I’m not very interested in badges as power items, I like magic better.” Lance said. “But you are welcome to compete.”
“Perhaps I will.” Ash considered.

“If you wanted to make it more challenging, I can seal your card powers for 24 hours.”

“Truly?”

“Or, I can use a shield spell so you cannot magic your way in a match.”

“Maybe it would be more fair that way.” Ash said as he took a chewy biscuit and spread butter on it.

“Perchance.” Lance said, as she took a biscuit as well.

Outside the door, a photographer lurked. Aha! Priceless shot! Finally, he had proof that Ash Ketchum, Indigo League Champion, was seeing someone. This shot would make his career!
Taking careful aim, he focused the lens on zoom and clicked…

A second later, a mallet slammed into his head

Charlotte brushed off the dust that had collected during her interdimensional jump. “Young love should be left alone, for goodness’ sake.”

The kanji for ‘fire’ glowed on her forehead in red as she banished him to the dream realm… straight into a bubbling volcano.

She smiled.

Lance spooned some crème brulee into her mouth and hid a chuckle at the sight outside.

It was truly amusing.

Funny how stupid some people could be.

Ash smiled at her from across the table.

“Amusing?”
“Quite. Although Charlotte must be bored if she jumped dimensions just to see us. Her magic must be all right though.”

“Maybe.’ Lance agreed. “Remember, she’ll go into the sleep of death when the time comes.”

Ash nodded.

The sleep of death was what stage a guardian would enter if rebirth were unnecessary. He or she would be sealed in an underground temple to rest for years upon years, until once again called upon to take up the torch of duty.

It was convenient at times.

Besides, it also worked as power transfer without death.

He didn’t like dying.

Outside, Charlotte waved again, before walking into the shadows and disappearing.

End Chapter!

Completed 1/20/2004, created 1/17/04

And… since ff.net doesn’t give a care, I’m not putting up my next arc here. However, it will be on my web page when it’s up.