Another chapter!

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanwork written by me and I own it… that’s it.

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

Chapter 13

They reported back to HQ, and Giovanni told them to take a day off. They did, they went to the beach by Vermillion.

It was a nice day.

They went swimming, sunbathed, played a little beach volleyball… it was a relaxing day.

Ash actually managed not to blush, which was a rare feat in itself. He just kept his eyes on Lance’s face and didn’t allow any wandering thoughts.

Only X number of days left until we grow up…

I have to keep trying!
I’ll _make_ him like me then! Without making it obvious, of course. Now how to do that?

“Lance?”

The Dragon trainer looked up from where he was studying the play of light on water. “What is it, Ash?”

“Could you rub some suntan lotion on my back? I can’t reach it.”

“Certainly.”

Lance smiled as he massaged the oil into Ash’s back. “There you go. You shouldn’t get sunburned now.”

“Thank you!”

“No problem at all…”

Ash smiled and then jumped into the water again with his pokemon as they splashed each other merrily.

He didn’t have that many, at least Team Rocket had increased his carrying capacity, which was good.

He liked having all his pokemon with him.

Besides, Team Rocket wasn’t that bad from what he saw. Little did he know that he only saw parts of the whole world... as it was.

But it was all an elaborate scheme.

He didn’t know. Giovanni did. Lance might know… but he didn’t care much.

It was safer for Ash here.

Being alone, and not part of Team Rocket while a successful trainer was quite a dangerous business.

Yes…

Why else would they have to kill?

It was that way; that was life.

Ash smiled as he bit into a caramel apple.

The other mystery was how he could consume sugar all the time without any ill effects, weight gain, or hyperactivity.

That could be because Ash was always hyper…

“Ash?”

“What is it?”

“You are brushing your teeth every night, right…”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Ash asked, confused.

“Never mind… all this sugar, isn’t it bad for you?”

“You eat a lot of sweet stuff too…”

“Point taken.”

But I like sugar, it’s sweet, and blood is sweet too…

Not that I usually taste that.

But it’s happened once or twice, and that was very, very nice…

He helped himself to a bite of Ash’s apple, and they watched the sun set together.

Then, the next day, they got another mission.

“What is it this time Lance?”

“We have to capture a Slowpoke…”

“A slowpoke?”

“Yes. They’re only found in Azalea’s Slowpoke well. Also, it’s guarded by a few townspeople.”

“All right.”

Lance nodded. “Be careful.” He handed Ash a pair of Blackglasses. That helped to disguise physiognomy wonderfully.

“Hmm?”

“Unless you want to lure the townspeople away while I get the slowpoke. It wouldn’t be good to be recognized.”

“Oh!”

Ash nodded. * Yes, I’m not ‘Red the Pallet town trainer extraordinaire’ anymore, am I… *

His whole life was now changed.

There was no turning back anymore. It was set in stone; he was bound to Team Rocket. Even if he didn’t want to be, how could he go back? The police would investigate and then everything would collapse…

He would never go back.

It would mean leaving Lance, and he was not going to do that… no, he wouldn’t! He wanted to stay with the other boy forever.

He wouldn’t leave.

Never.

They flew to Azalea quickly – luckily, the Blackglasses did help, as well as the temporary pink hair dye Lance used, while Ash streaked his hair with gold.

It looked cool. Also, people would remember him with that hair and not his normal, so they’d search for a burst of sunshine when there was really a shadow.

Nice.

He looked around, and then casually slipped and fell into the well with nary a splash.

< Be careful. >

“I will be.”

That was the way it was. He swam around, found a Slowpoke, and easily subdued it with some help from Bulbasaur. Into the rocket ball it went, and when he climbed out wet, the townspeople were relieved that he was not dead to check him.

So he escaped.

No left behind traces…

Perfect!

They quickly flew back, and got a second mission that day. Slowpoke had been easy, but the scientists needed to study it thoroughly.

“What’s next?”

“We need to find a Moon Stone.”

“To mount moon then!”

“Yes.”

End Chapter

Completed 6/24/04