Another chapter is here.

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

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

Chapter 12

Three days passed before Marina was finally spotted. Ash fought quite a few junior trainers in that time, but he was still bored.

They spent six hours in the public library. It was free entertainment after all… and that was good. Ash had fun studying the pokemon pictures in the encyclopedia, and he did find a romance novel that wasn’t too girly to read.

It wasn’t a bad afternoon they spent curled up in fluffy armchairs in the library, surrounded by stacks of books. Pretty nice, all in all… yes, it was nice…

He flipped another page in the encyclopedia and smiled at the illustration of a Gyarados. How pretty!
Yes, it was very pretty… he liked being with Lance. It was just something he liked. That was why he had followed him and joined Team Rocket.

Quitting – or leaving – was not an option.

He would follow Lance to the end. Was it friendship? Maybe, but it seemed stronger…

Love?

More like lust, he was only eleven! But he thought he loved Lance, and wasn’t that what really mattered, in his heart? It wasn’t an illusion; he could feel it. It had to be real! Yes, love was real.

If only Lance felt the same way…

He sighed.

“Ash? There she is. Do you mind challenging her?”

“No problem!” Ash beamed.

“Who are you?” Marina asked, when he walked up to her. “I don’t recognize you.” He was just a kid…

“I’m a fan of yours! I’ve heard you’re the best water trainer in Johto. Is that true?” Ash asked, turning on the shimmery eyes.

Marina grinned. “Oh cool! Wow, I’m glad I met you then!”

“May I have your autograph?”

“Of course!”

She signed the notebook he offered with a broad flourish. “So, do you train water pokemon too?”

“Just a little.”

“How about a friendly match then?” She offered.

“Really?”

How adorable! He was blushing! Marina grinned and they paced off twenty steps to begin a battle.

“Go, Tentacruel!” She smiled.

Ash sent out Poliwrath with an order for Seismic toss. Marina ordered Tentacruel to wrap, so that countered it out.

“Poliwrath, Dynamicpunch!”

“Hmm?”

Poliwrath’s fist glowed brightly as he slammed it into Tentacruel, since Tentacruel was holding on to him tightly it was very accurate.

Tentacruel became confused! It hurt itself in its confusion!
“What kind of move is that?”

‘Fighting.” Ash said, as Marina swapped for Golduck with an order for psychic, guaranteed to hurt Poliwrath quite a lot.

Yes… that would work.

Poliwrath barely escaped, and then used Thunderpunch. There went Golduck as well.

“This must be your strongest pokemon then.” Marina said. “Starmie, let’s do it! Psychic again!”

Ash recalled Poliwrath, but decided against using Plusle. It would be better if she underestimated him.

“Um… now what should I use?” He pondered. “I know!”

“Hmm?”

Marina looked surprised, quite surprised, when he sent out a Seel.

“Oh? Starmie, use Hyper Beam!”

Ash winced. “Seel, Rest!”

Hyper Beam hit, Seel rested while Starmie recharged, this happened twice more… and then Seel used Headbutt.

Not much damage was done.

Marina ordered a Thunderbolt attack.

Ash winced. “Seel, now!”

“Huh?”

Apparently, Bide had been in progress during all that time. Now, the unleashed energy successfully destroyed the Starmie’s defense.

Seel looked exhausted, so Ash quickly recalled her.

“Not yet… I still have one more pokemon up my sleeve.” Marina said triumphantly. “Dragonair, go!”

Lance grinned. He liked her pokemon choice.

I’m more powerful!

< I know, Hakuryuu. >

Me too!

< That would be obvious, Kairyuu dear. >

< Of course I am. >

< Ptera… >

Ash eeped.

“Scared now? I won’t lose to anyone. After all, I’m the Pearl of the South Seas, the fantastic water trainer Marina!”

“Not yet…” Ash said.

“Oh? You still want to battle?”

“No.”

“Then what do you want?” She said pleasantly.

Ash smiled. “Well…”

That was when a dark shadow knocked her unconscious.

“Hakuryuu, Amnesia…”

“So, what do you think?”

“She’s not that good.” Lance said, busy writing in a notebook. “You did well.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem, it’s true. Well, let’s head back to HQ.”

“Do we have to?”

Lance raised an eyebrow as Ash ran to the roadside snack stand. “I want a bag of extra-crispy pork rinds and two blueberry Icees…”
Poliwrath and Seel split the pork rinds, but Ash took one Icee and handed the second one to Lance. “We need sugar to get us through the day.”

“Ah…”

End Chapter

Completed 6/24/04