I have no idea how long this fic will turn out to be…

Disclaimer/Notes: See an earlier chapter

Timeline: 11 months

Chapter 5: Magician

He was almost fourteen.

Well, maybe it was not as close to his birthday as he thought, but still! Ash was a child in some ways still.

That meant he also thought like one.
Ash hummed as he helped his pokemon clean the log cabin, scrubbing with a brush to get the dirt out of the hidden crevices.

Magical refuse and bits were sometimes left around, and only non-magical elbow grease could remove them.

Besides, since Lance had cleaned it three weeks ago, it was his turn.

No carpet got rid of a lot of trouble though. It was easier to wash floors then vacuum. And vacuuming wasn’t even guaranteed to get the thing clean.

So there!

His mom had married Professor Oak in a private ceremony, and even though he had not been explicitly told, he got the hint that she wanted it to be alone.

So he did not attend.

She did thank him afterward with tearful apologies, but he didn’t mind much.

After all, weddings were boring.

Lance was meditating, floating somewhere near the ceiling. Luckily, he had cleaned that first.

Her blonde hair glinted in the light coming from the moon.

The moon?

It was that late already? Ash checked his watch, and then resolved to finish the next morning.

He climbed onto the couch, pulled a blanket over himself after rolling it out, and closed his eyes.

The dream realm opened its gates and welcomed the guardian in.

Ash spent his days playing with his pokemon, and training. There was so much to re-learn, and new knowledge to absorb.

He liked using magic!

Maybe it was ‘cheap’, but equivalent trade prevailed here too.

Ash saw Lance grooming her dragons, so he decided not to bother her.

“I think I like her.”

So, you like her as a friend? It’s perfectly normal, to like someone.

“No, Ninetails.”

The fox pokemon raised an eyebrow. Ah…

“But I’m still a child…so I’m not sure I know what love is.”

That is quite complicated!

Nonsense! Sunny broke in, the female Jolteon looking indignant. I do not think age matters truly.

B-but…

Hmm?

< In one of my lives that I remember, Lance-chan wouldn’t believe I loved him because I was a child. >

< I think she understands your feelings. And she wants to return them. I mean… well, I’m not the romance expert, but it’s pretty obvious to me. >

< Honto Ni? >
< Look carefully and you can see for yourself. >

<O-okay… >

Ninetails yawned. Personally, I still don’t see the fuss.

You are naive.

No, Jolteon, I simply like simple ways. Ours are the best.

Maybe…

But I don’t want to see either of them hurt…

Oh yes, life was tangled the more one tried to control it. But he was sick of being lonely.

And he didn’t want her to be lonely either.

So there!

What was wrong with making life more pleasant for both of them?

That was Ash’s initial thought as he left the realm of dreams.

Lance was making pancakes. Yum.

Fluffy and brown and sweet with maple syrup and butter spread over them… delicious!
Ash’s instinct to find food took over and he went into the kitchen.

First things first, after all.

Lance took off the white apron, tying it neatly and hanging it on a hook.

“Ne, Lance?”

“You have a question.”
“If you’re here, what’s happening at Indigo?”

“Oh that’s easy. I gave Agatha a rather cheap magical item.”

‘Hmm?”

“It’s called a Ghost Bead.”

“I’m confused…”

“It makes ghost pokemon invulnerable. They cannot be defeated.”

“That’s too powerful, what’s the drawback?”

‘Only a ghost master can use it, and it drains the HP bar very quickly.”

“Still…”

“Yes, she’s fast enough to win every time. So I don’t have to go. I also gave Lorelei an Ice star to power up her ice-types. After all, I wouldn’t leave my cousin helpless.”

“I see.”

Ash was glad Lance thought ahead, someone had to do it and he usually couldn’t himself.

It made up for their weaknesses.

But if he were weak, he would get better. No use stewing in the past, that was simply an extravagant waste of time he didn’t have.

It was easy to change, now.

As long as you weren’t carved in rock, you could. And he liked changing, because he was becoming the person she wanted.

So what if it was manipulation? She loved him, didn’t she?

Yes…

End Chapter