Well… another chapter. *waves*

 

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, okay? This is non-profit fanwork and my creation, so don’t take it.

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

Timeline: 2 months later

 

Chapter 3: Learn

 

            Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charizard, and Pikachu romped around the beach with Lance’s pokemon.

            Lance had suggested letting them roam on their own for a few days, a little freedom never hurt.

            The pokemon appreciated it, and Ash spent time with Lance studying and working on magic.

            It was so interesting.

            As he flipped through another tome, he briefly wondered who had written it all down.

            Well, thank you very much, sir or ma’am.

            This particular book was on blood magic, which Lance warned him not to use. However, in case he did wind up facing an opposing mage who used that type, he had to learn how to counter the source.

            Of course, it was all educational…

            Lance was downstairs, practicing accuracy of attacks.

            Balls of black light flew at her from all directions and she blocked and disintegrated…

            All with her eyes closed.

 

 

            “Pidgeot! Desert Storm!”

            A cyclone of wind, electric, and ground energy sucked sixteen wild krabby into it, and then spit them out, all dead.

            The pidgeot card looked pleased. I was always one of your favorites.

            “Yes you were, girl.”

            But you flew with me.

            Ash smiled, remember the brown-and-white wings that would appear sometimes, if his mood depended on it. < I enjoyed that. >

            < As did I. >

            < You are easier to call out than many of the others. >

            < It’s favorite status. You are more used to summoning me. >

            < Oh. >

            < Arcanine and Scyther too, they were simpler? >

            < Yes. >

            < You preferred them a lot as well. >

 

            Squirtle and Bulbasaur lay on a bed of roses, smiling.

            So what if they were different species? Love transferred over those barriers.

            True love, only…

            They nibbled on fresh grass and drank pure water together.

 

            After she got hit a few times, Lance stopped.

            “Still need to focus chakra control…”
            All things needed practice, after all. And without control, power was very dangerous.

            Very dangerous

            With a thought, she summoned the sprites of darkness back, and then slipped into the dream realm.

            She also needed to rejuvenate.

            Yes… that sounded good.

                       

            Ash closed the book, he was getting a bit dizzy.

            Chansey asked if he needed Softboiled, but Ash shook his head.

            “I’m going to take a short nap.”

            “That makes sense, letting your body heal on its own.”

            With an impish grin, Ash took a flying leap and into his bedroom. It was carpeted with black wallpaper, white pokemon outlines traced in ribbon.

            The plush bed welcomed him into its downy depths, and Ash fell asleep rapidly.

            He slept well, no nightmares.

 

            He wasn’t sure what he thought of Lance.

            The general consensus would be that she was nice.

            She was a good teacher, and he learned a lot. But she seemed so controlled, she never got mad at him.

            At least, not like Misty. She didn’t try to beat him into submission.

            In a twisted way, she seemed to respect him.

            Him! A kid several years younger! But it was nice to be respected.

            Something his mom had mentioned once popped to the forefront of his mind.

            “You should never be surprised when people treat you with respect, Ash, because you deserve it.”

 

            He didn’t think Misty had respected him. It might be because of the bike, and it might not be.

            Anyway, he had managed to mail her a new bicycle with a card, so it would be all right.

            She would probably achieve her dream of water master on her own, it was better without him around.

            Yes, that worked perfectly.

 

 

            Ash woke up feeling refreshed, and smiled as the faint scent of cooking wafted up from the kitchen.

            Lance was such a good cook.

            He went downstairs, waited a little while, and then promptly devoured the food put in front of him.

            Maybe it was the beginning of a new life. he was still young, after all.

            It had been two months, and he enjoyed it. No pressure, no past failures coming back to mock him, it was like a bubble of peace.

            Very strange…

 

            Lance smiled at him, and he smiled back.

            Lance was nice…

            She was powerful, too. He could not even come close to the training she did herself, but with time, maybe he would catch up.

            All things took time, you cannot gain anything without sacrificing something in return.

            Whether in economics, or alchemy, the principle still applied.

            If not gold, then emotion… time… ability…

            He idly fingered the small stack of cards. If his magic improved more, he would be able to keep all his pokemon out of the dream realm at a time. But why would he want to do that?

            They lived freely in their own world.

            Maybe he envied them, maybe not.

            Ash popped another grape into his mouth, lost in thought.

 

End Chapter