Okay! Hopefully short series but might be long…

Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, only this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic that belongs to me! Do not take my work. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics.

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

Lance is a girl…

Chapter 5

“I…”

“What’s wrong, Champion?”

Ash looked out the window where the Moltres flame was flickering against the night sky. He had only been Champion for about an hour, but wow…

“Lance! The moltres flame just went out!”

“What? It’s supposed to burn all night! Let’s go look!”

The two grabbed their pokemon and ran out.

“Now!” The terrorist leader yelled, shooting the flame out of the tank straight at Ash, who yelled as the flames covered him. He tried stop drop and roll, but it just didn’t seem to work.

“Tempest! Darkstar!”

Dragonair called up a furious storm, which put Ash out, and incidentally, the Moltres flame as well.

Lance picked up the boy, wrapped him in his cloak, had Aerodactyl hunt down the insurgents – echolocation needed no sight and his wings were still blades – and took Ash back to HQ.

“Ow…”

“Shh, don’t move.” Lance said as Ash lay on the bed in his boxer shorts while Lance put burn heal on all the burns. “Luckily, they aren’t that bad…”

Ash blushed slightly.

Well, all right… Lance was… hot! Yes, that was it, and even kids had hormones… but…

Well, there was nothing going on now.

He just needed to get patched up ASAP.

< Master Ash? Are you all right? >

Ash closed his eyes. * All right for now, Starmew, just hurting… *

< What happened? >

A moltres flame gone awry.

< Oh! Are you sure you are well? >

I got burned but Lance is healing me right now.

< That’s good… he has nice powers. >

?

< I’ll tell you later. >

Starmew quieted down, but Ash felt a little bit of… cold, trickling down the psychic link.

It helped with the pain, to dull it.

Lance focused his healing power and concentrated. That took care of the worst…

“Ash, change bandages every night for about two weeks. Here, take this ointment too, and put it on when you change the bandages.”
“I will.”

“And be careful when showering, applying water directly to the wounds may cause infection or tearing, so…”

“Sponge baths?”

“Yup.”

Lance checked him over one final time, before tucking Ash into bed despite his protests. Then, he left.

Ash sighed.

Maybe he does like me…

That would be nice, he thought wistfully.

Starmew popped out of his poke ball a few minutes later.

< So, how are things? >

“I like him.”

< Lance? Yes, he is Dragon Master and quite worthy of your admiration. >

“Um… that’s not quite how I meant it.”

< You want him as your mate? >

“Not that explicit!”

< Try being friends first then! >

“I will, try…” Ash sighed. “But it seems like I’m just a nuisance.”

< Nonsense, Master Ash. You couldn’t have predicted that insane people with moltres flames would attack, would you? >

“No.”

< See? >

“I think I do.”

< Oh, and I have a present for you… congratulations on becoming a Champion. >

Ash smiled as he hugged Starmew, who hugged him back.

< Now, for my present… >

< Magic Gift! >

Ash blinked, then blinked again. “What the-?”

On his bare chest had suddenly appeared a symbol, traced in black lines, a complex circular design…

< Aha! So you are shadow like I suspected? >

< What? >

< Shadow is a rare magic-type, but as Shadow you can freely use just about every other element. >

< Wow… >

< Yes. >

< Hey! I’m talking in telepathy! >

< Cool, that’s one manifestation. >

< Can I heal myself then? >

< Unfortunately, I am afraid that magic takes practice like everything else. You can ask Lance to teach you, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. >

< Huh? >

<… Tell you later. Sleep now, and sweet dreams. >

Ash smiled, and did as he was ordered.

It was warm…

< So it has begun. >

< Hai, Chosen. > Starmew said respectfully.

< Excellent. > Lance told the little cat. < So, his feelings? >

< They are just waiting for some positive feedback. >

< Very well, we’ll take it one step at a time then. >

Starmew saluted before flying back to Ash’s room quietly, where he hadn’t been missed.

What a game.

End Chapter

Completed 7/26/04