Hi! *Waves to nice readers*

Created 5/21/04

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic written by me and for myself, so don’t take my work since that will be plagiarism…

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

Chapter 6

 

            “The power is inside of you, just focus.”

            Ash closed his eyes and nodded, feeling the familiar tingle as the little sparks, almost like fireflies, traveled down his arms from the warm place in his chest. It made him think of Lance-chan.

            He liked the feeling.

            “Good…” Lance’s voice filtered through his veins, almost like a drowsy narcotic. “Now… think of what you want to accomplish…”

            The flames flickered on his fingertips, before melting into water, then sparks of electricity, as his base element…

            They hardened into ice, and then into wisps of purple and black for the ghosts and psychics… the dark types…

            A shimmery dark green for poison, melting into a brownish green for bugs and then into a rainbow for grass…

            Ash came back to reality with a bump, the last element vanishing; the barest touch of feathers.

 

            “Very good.” Lance said. “You’re at eleven types right now…”

            Ash glowed under the praise. < Arigato, Lance-chan. >

            “It is nothing, I enjoy teaching you.” That was completely unvarnished truth, and Ash could hear the sincerity. He liked that too.

            Lance-chan always made him feel warm…

            He practiced a few more times, just touching the magic and channeling it, simple spells, really, he was nowhere close to Lance’s level but he would get better.

            His pokemon snoozed.

 

            His newest capture, a dual ground/water type known as Marshtomp, also slept well… and how useful…

            Ash liked multiple types, but he didn’t discriminate against singles like Vulpix and pikachu.

            Vulpix puffed out some smoke proudly, she and Pidgeotto had soundly whipped Erika at the Celadon gym just that morning, and now she was high on adrenaline and praise and the sugar treats she had eaten.

            Pidgeotto had even evolved into a Pidgeot.

 

            Pidgeot was also sleeping, after having gorged herself on the shiny blackberries that grew in the thorny bushes near the current river.

            Ash climbed into Lance’s lap as the trainer put his arms around here. * Might as well sleep too… *

            He dozed off, his body taking the time to rejuvenate him. Lance checked the magic level, added a little bit more dragon magic; it wouldn’t hurt Ash, and then dozed off himself.

            He awoke about two hours later, and placed a gentle kiss on the child’s lips, not enough to wake him, before wrapping Ash in a blanket and then starting the preparations for dinner.

            The smell of soup bubbling and bread baking woke Ash up as the sun began its descent down the plains.

            “You made dinner?”

            Lance inclined his head, and passed Ash a plate after tasting the soup and ascertaining there was nothing wrong with it.

            “Arigato, Lance-chan.” Ash said cheerily, and they both ate, the pokemon along with them.

            As night fell, the two set up camp, pitched their tent, and climbed into their own sleeping bags, before sleep overtook them.

            Unfortunately, reverie was broken sometime around four A.M. when a Houndoom ran into the campsite, followed by a squad of team rocket members trying to capture it.

            Lance’s eyes glowed bluely as a shield superimposed itself over the two of them, the tent getting trampled in the process.

            “What’s going on?” Ash whispered.

            “Shh…” Lance placed a finger on the boy’s lips, and then his eyes went blue again as he scanned.

            < Team Rocket… >

            < They ruined our campsite! >

            < Yes, but they might prove dangerous. Stay here. >

            Ash obediently clutched his backpack and poke balls tightly as Lance teleported outside.

            < Be safe, Lance-chan… >

            < Don’t worry about me. >

 

            The members were still chasing the fleeing Houndoom, which occasionally sent one up in flames.

            “We can’t do this!” One yelled.

            “Silence!” The leader cried. “We won’t fail! Weezing, Sludge!”

            Houndoom jumped up, avoiding the attack, and the Flamethrower that met Weezing’s move exploded the pokemon.

            Many rockets went flying as debris rained down.

            Lance watched impassively as the rest fled.

            Houndoom quickly escaped.

 

            A blue magic circle winked into being for a minute, as the Return card was applied, and then everything was back to normal.

            “It’s safe to come out now, Ash.”

            Ash rubbed sleep from his eyes, trying hard not to yawn. “Oh…”

            “We should get some more rest, I think.”

            Not wanting to argue, and still feeling tired, the child stumbled back still wearing his pichu-print pajamas.

            He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

            Smiling, Lance tucked him into bed and then grabbed his shimmering blades, flew to a secluded location, and practiced the Dragon Dance until the sun was midway up to the sky and it was time for Ash to wake up.

            Another day began.

 

            Ash watched as Marshtomp knocked out two Rattata with one blow of Mud-Slap. “Nice!” Another Rattata was also caught in the move and KO’d.

            Marshtomp winked and gave a partial ‘V’ for victory, ears bobbing up and down in happiness.

            He was so glad Lance could teleport. It saved time, and they could explore other regions for fun without limitations.

            Butterfree’s antennae glowed, knocking out Hiker Erin’s Gloom and her Nidorina. “NOOOO!”

            “Pay up.”

            Erin glared. “I won’t!”

            “Not again…” Ash resisted the urge to sigh. * Why are people so stubborn… * He jumped instinctively as Erin threw a rock at him.

            His anger flared.

            The next thing Erin knew was darkness, as the circles on Ash’s palms faded away. < Those… >

            Lance comforted him later, and as Ash began drifting down the path to darkness, he mused that he didn’t really care at all, as long as Lance-chan was with him. Of course, he couldn’t really tell, but even if he could, it was doubtful he would have cared much.

            Lance flew for him, of course.

            My angel.

 

End Chapter

Completed 5/21/04

CURSE MY SPANISH TEACHER! She gave us 2 PowerPoint projects and 1 book report due in the same week! >.<