Chapter 4

“W-what?” Justin gaped. “Who are you?”

“I am…Lance Dragyn. Name sound familiar?”

The grandfather made a choked noise. “It can’t be!”

“It can be,” He smirked, golden eyes bright. “And I’m not too happy with what you’ve been doing, assessing magic that wasn’t meant to be unlocked… you do realize that I left instructions for the so-called dragon key to remain untouched until someone claimed it?”

“B-but we needed it!”

“Ah yes, you needed to use my magic against me!” Lance let off a burst of dark laughter, as the shadows dimmed further. “Wonderful. Come, my dear shadows… you must be hungry…”

There was a strangled scream mixed with a choked gasp before everything went still once again.

Lance turned to Clair and Justin, ignoring the fallen grandfather. “Well, Clair, take care of yourself. I’m annulling your marriage to Justin now, as the new Clan Head…”

“Hey, you can’t do that!” Justin protested.

“…You wish to fight me for this?” Lance tapped the staff against the ground.

Justin growled. “You-!”

“Good bye then.” He smiled, but not before he paused to whisper. “ Oh, and by the way…. You won’t see me coming, till I strike!” With that and another burst of laughter, the Dragon Master vanished.

Clair wisely took her chance while Justin was still stunned. “Dragonair, let’s go!”

She would leave Blackthorn behind… forge a new path…

Meanwhile, in another area of the world…

“They’re what?”

“I’m sorry, Ash.” Professor Oak sighed. “I argued that since you were under Hypnosis, it wasn’t your fault for capturing an entire forest of Exeggutor – they are endangered, you know – but they wouldn’t listen!”

“So-…”

“Yes, I’m afraid I’m required to confiscate your pokemon. You are no longer allowed to compete in the Indigo League or hold a pokedex here. However, all other leagues are still exempt…”

“But I!”

“No buts, Ash. I’m sorry, but this must be done. Hand over your pokemon.”

Ash choked back tears as Professor Oak took his poke balls. Pikachu sadly waved goodbye, along with the others…

It wasn’t fair!

However, there was nothing he could do…

Ash walked morosely through the town. No pokémon. Did they expect him to go home now? Without a pokemon, he couldn’t journey….

What was he supposed to do?

Without his pokédex, he couldn’t’ compete in the league…

Hot tears began to pool behind his eyelids. Damn, it wasn’t fair! He had only been trying to do what he thought was right, and he had saved those stupid Exeggutor from the bomb, but no!

Melvin the Magician… I swear to you that when our paths cross again, you will pay for what you have done!

He angrily scrubbed the tears from his face as he watched Professor Oak’s car drive off. Gary was so damnably lucky! He never had to deal with any of this.

Mist and Brock gave him uncomfortable looks as they watched him walk away.

“Do you think we should go after him?”

“I don’t think he’ll appreciate it right now….”

Three pairs of eyes watched the trainer. They could feel the emotion, pain, fear, betrayal, anger… radiating off of him.

It was time to do something about it, before he walked the wrong path.

< Excuse me. >

Ash blinked. “Who was that?”

< Look to your left. >

Ash blinked, and saw an Exeggutor. “Aw man! What do you want?”

< I want nothing from you, trainer. I am merely here to make an offer. >

“An offer?” Ash’s eyebrows rose skeptically. “Sorry, last time this happened, I got burned pretty badly.”

< Will you hear me out first? >

“Well, I’ve got nothing to lose, so why not?”

< You have done my kind a great service. We will repay you in due time. >

“… Thanks.’ Ash muttered. * So… what is the point? *

< You are currently in need of pokemon, are you not? >

“Did everyone see what happened?” He flushed in embarrassment. * I’ll never live this down! *

< Do not worry. We will not spread it around. > The talking tree assured him. < Here is the first part of our payment. >

Ash blinked as an Exeggutor walked over to him. “Wait, what?”

< I would be honored to have you as my new trainer. >

“So.” Well, an Exeggutor was better than no pokemon at all, right? Besides, they could hypnotize. That might come in useful.

“All right.” Ash gave a half-hearted smile as he tossed a poke ball. Exeggutor was caught! At least it was better than zero pokemon…

So, to recap – he could no longer compete in the Kanto League, but all the other leagues were open. He had to get a pokedex from some other professor soon. He had an Exeggutor but no other pokemon. Pikachu and the others were gone…

Yes, what a day! And not in a good way either!

Ash sighed. Well, I hope this situation will work out eventually…

He didn’t let himself cry until after he went to bed.

It wasn’t fair! He was only trying to help the pokemon, ad he’d been under hypnosis! Even Oak admitted it!

Melvin that bastard! After he and Charmander had helped him, he’d hightailed it off without even a thank you!

Stupid magician…

I promise you, for what you have done, I will make you pay!

I promise…

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Melvin the Magician suddenly felt a severe chill run down his spine…

Was someone ill-wishing him?

He was busy juggling pineapples, a simple act, but nonetheless effective enough for some dinner…

He had yet to strike it big, but he would do his best!

End Chapter

Completed 5/17/05

So! ^^

Lance: …

Ash: What, you're writing darkfic again?

Shoyko: Yes, that’s why there’s *shadow* and *phantom* in her name?

Kairo: Who knows?