Another chapter…

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. Angelic Layer belongs to CLAMP and Kodansha. I don’t own either, just this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic.

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

Satoshi is the version from AL, Ash from pokemon anime

Chapter 4

They kept to the path and soon hit Pallet Town.

Professor Oak was very surprised when his visitor walked inside. “Ash? No, you can’t be, you’re too old…”

“Are you the leading pokemon authority?”

“Why yes I am!” Oak said proudly. “Why do you ask?”

Lance sighed. “We’re from a completely different world, Professor Oak.”

Oak blinked. “I see?”

“I’ll explain…”

After a few minutes, Oak nodded, and gave Satoshi the basic rundown on pokemon. He also advised him to start a pokemon journey and become a trainer.

It was what everyone in this world did.

So it was kind of like Angelic Layer… only it was a full-time occupation.

“Say, are you a Ditto?”

Lance frowned. “No. I am a human-type model angel.”

Satoshi grinned. “Hai!”

“Fascinating.” Oak said. “It would be an interesting game if it were real. Well, Satoshi, you seem to be Ash in the other world, only you’re older. I wish you good luck, and here is your pokédex.”

Satoshi thanked the kind old man and set off.

“So they use badges, not cords, to control pokemon…”

“Hai.”

“Easy enough.” Lance said. “Since you ‘caught’ all of the ones you currently have…”

Satoshi nodded. He was busy checking the pokédex to see what his angels would learn. Interesting…

Soon, they hit Viridian City. They had barely gotten settled in the Pokemon Center when Ash burst in with a barely-conscious Pikachu on a... police cruiser? Interesting.

Lance tensed, but sensing no danger, kicked off the ‘attack’ alert and went back to the magazine he was browsing.

Soon, Pikachu was off to the operating room while Ash moped.

“Hold it right there!”

Satoshi looked confused as a scrawny redhead girl burst in and slapped him across the face. “How dare you destroy my bike!”

“… What?”
Lance was about to tear her throat out from hurting his Deus when she took a closer look at him.

“Wait a minute… you’re not Ash Ketchum.”

“No. Why in the world did you just slap me?” Satoshi demanded.

Ash noticed and quickly hid in the male restroom.

“I’m sorry! I thought you were Ash Ketchum. He just destroyed my bike.” She pointed to a heap of charred junk outside the door.

“… Oh.”

Still, that didn’t make him feel any better.

< Deus? Do you want me to kill her? >

< No, if she’s really sorry I suppose it is all right. >

< Hai, Deus. >

“I’m Misty Waterflower.” The girl said, as her whole body posture shifted. Lance narrowed his eyes, recognizing it.

Now she was trying to hook his Deus up?

< Deus… >

< Don’t worry, Lance. I have absolutely no interest in children. >

That was true.

Lance felt better and went back to the news magazine while Misty batted her eyelashes.

Satoshi was completely oblivious, or at least pretended to be.

She was nearly in his lap before he shot her an irritated look. “Would you stop that? I don’t bed kids.”

Misty gasped in shocked surprise. * How did he? *

“Not to mention, you still haven’t apologized for slapping me.” Satoshi shot at her, getting up. “Come on, Lance. We can go to bed early today.”

Lance nodded and followed him upstairs.

He was in the middle of a nice, comfy dream when there was a loud explosion that woke him up.

Lance snapped awake and shifted. His wings appeared in a flash of steel.

“Shh…” Satoshi whispered as they snuck downstairs.

“Prepare for Trouble!”

“And make it Double!”

“To protect the world from devastation!”

“To unite all peoples within our nation!”

‘To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

“To extend our reach to the stars above!”

“Jessie/James!”

“Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!”

“Surrender now or prepare to fight!”

“Meowth, that’s right!”

“We’re here to take all the pokemon!” Jessie called, before Koffing broke the main generator.

There went all the power…

Lance smiled. < It’s dark, so can I attack? >

Satoshi smiled. < Hai. >

A minute later, there was a scream.

“Jessie! Is that you?”

“No! Ack! Don’t touch me!”

“Ow! Ow!”

When the Pikachus got the backup lights working a few minutes later, Team Rocket was… gone.

Completely gone.

Nurse Joy sighed in relief and thanked Ash profusely. Ash himself was rather confused.

He was sure he hadn’t done anything… all he had was Fearow and Pikachu…

Satoshi and Lance were both sleeping, so it couldn’t have been them… was it Misty?

But no…

It was so confusing. What had happened?

He could dwell on it later.

End Chapter

Completed 8/5/04