Plotbunny fic! I finally caught one! *Holds up Anime Authoress Capture Net TM*

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fan fiction written by me and it’s mine under international copyright laws since I wrote it.

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

Pairings: Championshipping (Ash x Lance)

Started 6/30/04

Chapter 1

 

            She hadn’t looked like a buxom blonde even before the deal with cancer. All the surgery – and cure – did was to enhance her boyish appearance. She didn’t particularly care, either. Who wanted to be a fat cow?

            But _why_ did she have to be stuck in the hospital thanks to that stupid ruptured appendix and subsequent infection during the summer vacation?

            Without a word, Lance smoothed downs the wrinkled hospital gown she was wearing (was puke green a color even?) in disgust.

            At least I can go home soon…

           

            An overly cheerful nurse walked in. “How are you doing?”

            “Peachy.” Lance lied.

            “Well, you’ll be getting company soon.” Veronica told her. “There’s a new patient next door. Pity he’s blind.”

            “…?”

            “That’s why he’s here.”

            “Well, at least I’ll have someone to talk to…” Lance murmured in an undertone. She waited as the rest of the medicines were dispensed, swallowed the cup of antibiotics wordlessly, and waited.

            After the nausea had mostly worn off a few hours later, she decided to go and see what he was like.

 

            “Who’s there?”

            Black hair fell in front of his face, but it didn’t hide the bandages covering his eyes, thick pads of gauze tightly wrapped around the optics.

            “Shh, don’t worry.” Lance said. “I’m your next door neighbor.”

            “… Oh.”

            He turned a little towards her voice. “So, I’d say happy to meet you but I can’t see a thing.”

            “It’s fine.” She sat down on the bed next to him quietly. “How did you hurt your eyes?”

            He winced. “Pokemon battling.”

            “Wild or trainer?”

            “Um… trainer. His oddish got stun spore right in my eyes.”

            “Oh, I see.”

            “My Plusle ran to get help, it was lucky she got Officer Jenny’s attention fast. In any case, off I went to the hospital.”

            “I see.” Lance turned to leave, but Ash caught her sleeve with one hand.

 

            “Don’t go. You haven’t even told me your name yet.”

            “I’m Lance.”

            “I see.” Ash grinned. “Well, I’m Ash, in case that nosy nurse hasn’t already told you my name.”

            “Veronica? She is a bit unbearably friendly.”

            Ash nodded. “Talk to me. I’m bored, and there’s nothing to do.”

            Lance felt a twinge of sympathy. At least she could still see… even if T.V. was very boring.

            But then, she didn’t watch it. Meditating was very relaxing and helped soothe the pain, still, Ash was a kid…

            “Well, what do you want to know about me?”

            Ash shrugged. “Something at least.”

            “Well, I’m a pokemon trainer too.” That topic was safe enough. “I’m stuck here because I had appendicitis.”

            Ash winced. “That sounds like it hurts a lot.”

            “Oh, it does.” She did not bother to clarify. “I train dragon-type pokemon, what about you?”

            “Um… my goal was to be a pokemon master, using only electric-types… I had a Plusle and a Minun and an Ampharos…”

            “That’s cool.”

            “Is it?” Ash looked wistful. “People laugh at me all the time.”

            “Why?”

            “They think I’m too weak. This was just the icing on the cake.” Ash sighed. “It’s… complicated.”

            “How?”

            Ash hesitated, and then launched into his story. Partway through though, the nurse came to change the bandages on his eyes, so Lance left.

 

            The next day, she kept him company again.

            And the next…

            In fact, almost two weeks passed before they had to part ways.

            Pity, was it?

            Lance didn’t want to be stuck in the hospital forever…

 

            “I’ll be getting the bandages off my eyes in a few days.” Ash said. “I want to meet you again once I leave.”

            Lance hesitated. * I… well, it doesn’t matter, I don’t mind. *

            “Would you like my phone number?”

            “Hai!”

            Lance told him, left it inked on his notebook, and then waved goodbye to him.

            Would he really?

            Who did he think she was?

 

 

*********************Flashback I should have included earlier*****************

 

            “How are you doing today, Ash?”

            “Well, better… but it’s still annoying. I can’t see _anything_.”

            “That is a problem.” Lance agreed. “Like me?”

            She was only teasing him, but was taken aback by the serious look that entered his face. “Lance?”

            “What is it?”

            “Well, the therapist told me blind people can figure out images by touch, so could I touch your face?”

            That was a simple request she wouldn’t deny. The poor kid…

            “Of course.”

            She was silent as he ran fingertips over her jaw line, nose, and cheeks, but when his hands began to wander to her neck, she stopped him.

            “Please… don’t.”
            Ash’s face showed confusion. “All right. Did I hurt you?”

            “No, it’s not like that.” But how could he know?

            For all intents and purposes, he thought she was a boy. Her voice was just naturally that way, sharp and brittle.

            It was dangerous… in certain situations.

            Like a weapon!

            Her name.

            She even _had_ a boy’s name!

            So Ash’s conclusion was perfectly reasonable.

            It didn’t matter, it wasn’t as if she wore dresses, and in her black trainer’s outfit her gender was up for grabs.

            After all…

            Well, it was a sacrifice she had never cared about before, Lugia knows she _hated_ them, but now…

            Even if he touched her chest, he wouldn’t have felt anything. How could he?

            Breast cancer was sometimes treated in very radical ways after all…

 

**************************End*****************************************

 

            “I really will miss you though.”

            “We could get together sometimes, maybe go camping.”

            “Hai!”

           

 

End Chapter

Do you not get what I’m implying?

Oh well.

Completed 6/30/04

 

Lance: Wait a second…

Phantomness: Well, why not?

Kairo: Ah! Well, I shall explain! For those of you who have no idea what Phantomness is hinting at, there’s a surgical procedure called mastectomy.

Emerald: *nods*

Ash: But why would I think she’s a male?

Phantomness: You’ve done it several times before, haven’t you? ^-^

Ash: …

Grammar Check serious annoys me… what’s wrong with passive voice?