*Waves hi to readers*

Lance: …

Phantomness: What? I felt like writing more het.

Emerald: It doesn’t seem to be a serious fic.

Ash: White hair and lavender eyes; that would look nice. *Sigh*

Phantomness: ^_^

Disclaimer/Notes: See previous chapter

Warnings: Violence, blood, insanity, but not much in this chapter

Chapter 5

 

            “You’re doing very well, Ash.”

            “You think so?” Ash asked, as they lay side by side in sleeping bags staring up at the stars. “It’s only been two weeks…”

            “But look at how much your pokédex has improved!”

            Ash cracked a grin. That was true…

            From beside him, slightly snuffling snores drifted from the sleeping Pikachu. It snoozed contentedly, worn out after fighting off a pack of wild Doduo.

            Ash had caught one of course. For the good of the pokédex!

            Hopefully he’d catch up to Gary eventually.

 

            “PREPARE FOR TROUBLE!”

            “Do they stalk you?”

            “Close enough.” Ash muttered, as Charizard sent them flying. “At least now I’m fast enough to blast them off before they try to steal my pokemon.”

            “But why?”

            “Well…” Ash frowned. “It all has to do with Pikachu.”

            Crystal looked at the electric mouse in confusion.

            “Pikachu is supposedly very powerful…”

            “I know, but that’s crazy. When did they start following you?”

            “About two years ago.”

            Crystal’s eyes widened. “That is crazy.”

            Ash sighed. “Well, I shouldn’t be bothering you with my problems. Let’s go to sleep.”

            “We already took a nap this afternoon, Ash, remember?”

            “Oh yes.” Ash balked, that stupid Jigglypuff had somehow found him again, and sang him to sleep.

            Weren’t you supposed to develop resistance after a while?

 

            Crystal had dragged him out of the stream before she fell asleep to the continued singing. That was a good thing; he might have drowned otherwise.

            Well, in either case…. He still hadn’t caught the Jigglypuff. Might as well, then Professor Oak could deal with it.

            He would stay awake next time!

            But still…

            He had woken up first and wondered why she was asleep practically on top of him, nearly panicked at what might have happened.

            Memory had never been so welcome.

 

            He had woken her up afterwards, and they had dried each other off with towels, despite his blushing.

            She was so naïve! Or maybe it was just his stupid hormones.

            Grr…

            But she was very cute.

            He sighed a little. * I wonder if she still likes me? I mean, if she likes _me_, not the Orange League Champion. But she’s coming along with me on my journey, and… *

            Well, she didn’t yell or hit him. She just smiled.

            A cheerful presence was nice.

            In any case, he liked her a lot better than Misty.

 

            Crystal shifted, as she unzipped her sleeping bag and walked over to her backpack. Ash watched in interest as she took out a box.

            “What’s that?”

            “This? It’s a hot-water thermos.”

            “Cool.”

            She filled it with milk and added chocolate syrup, and they looked at the stars and drank hot chocolate together.

 

            “See, that over there, it’s a dragonair.”

            “Sugoi, so it is… is there a story?”

            “Actually, there is. There once was a prince who fell in love with the enemy princess, so he sent his dragonair to bring messages to her daily. However, one day the prince’s father found out, and killed the pokemon.”

            “How cruel!”

            Crystal nodded. “Yes, it was. The gods took pity on the boy and put the image of the dragonair in the heavens to remind him of its loyalty. As for the princess, when she heard this she hastened to comfort her beloved.”

            “Really?”

            “She dressed in peasant garb and stole her father’s magic sword, which granted victory to the holder, and went to the prince. He used the sword to defeat his own father, as well as hers, and they were married.”

            “I think that’s unfair.” Ash said finally.

 

            Lance arched an eyebrow. “Unfair?”

            “Yes! Why did the dragonair have to die! It didn’t do anything wrong!”

            “Well, in the eyes of the king, it was wrong.”

            “But it was his son’s fault for using a dragonair to send messages!”

            “… That’s true.” Lance agreed. “However, it is much easier to take out anger on creatures. And he wouldn’t kill his son.”

            “It’s still horrible…” Ash sighed.

            “You were the one who wanted to hear the story.”

            “I’m sorry, Crystal.”

 

            Crystal looked shaken herself, although he didn’t know why.

            “Crystal?”

            “Let’s just go to sleep.”

            Sighing, and not sure what else he could do, Ash obeyed.

 

            < Chosen? >

            < I’m all right, Lugia-san. >

            < Don’t lie to me. >

            Lance sat up. < Fine. I want to kill her, instead of waiting for her to find me and then lose. I want to see her blood staining the floor. I want to tear out her heart and shred it to pieces for what she has done. I want to slice her apart, ­slowly, millimeter by millimeter, with my bladed weapons… I want to hear her scream for mercy. Does that satisfy you? >

            Her lips curved up in a smile.

            Lugia did not answer.

 

End Chapter

Completed 6/9/04