Disclaimer/Notes: See an earlier chapter, the most important deal is that I don’t own pokemon

Ash: There’s no championshipping yet!
Phantomness: These things take time! I don’t only write PWP!

Lance: *huggles Ash*

Ash: *Blush* Er, never mind…

Kairo: *eats a lollipop and giggles*

Chapter 12

“I challenge you!”

“Why?”

“Because!” Misty said, putting her hands on her hips and thrusting out her chest. “You never won my Cascade Badge! Thus, your championship is worth nothing!”

“Hmm?”

“Chicken, chicken!” Misty taunted.

“Misty, I beat the _Elite Four_.” Ash enunciated. “And you think I don’t deserve your badge?”

“Yes! You still owe me a bike!”

“I mailed you a check for three hundred dollars, a week or so after I left you.” Ash said. “I know you got it.”

“Well, it wasn’t enough!” Misty spat. “That bike cost a thousand dollars!”

Ash rolled his eyes. * It sure was cheap and dinky when I saw it. *

Pika-chan and Pikachu both peered out of Ash’s backpack where they had been eating his snacks.

Pikachu was blushing.

Well, maybe they’d be a cute couple. Pika-chan had wings, but other than that looked normal.

But both of them immediately zapped Misty into unconsciousness.

“Well, that was direct.” Pryce said dryly.

“I wish she wouldn’t act so stupid.” Ash said.

Lance coughed. < That’s true, but you didn’t have to be so blunt. >

< I don’t beat around the bush with her. >

< Obviously, I doubt she’s worth it. >

The group split and scattered, and when Misty woke up she was the only one left besides Ash, Lance, and Bruno.

Bruno was lifting weights for an advertisement he’d be well paid for. That was his way to cash.

Lance was grooming his Larvitar.

Ash was reading a manga, while floating two feet off the ground. Wait a second…

“You’re a psychic?!” The harpy screeched.

“Not really.” Ash said, landing on his feet again. “Let’s battle.”

Misty glared. “Go! Togepi!”

“… What?”

Did Misty think he wouldn’t attack just because they had traveled together? If so, she was sadly mistaken.

A flick of his wrist released Aron, and the little pokemon quickly attacked.

Togepi teleported away, but a Mud-Slap hit it in the eyes.

Ash waited, as Togepi next used Growl.

Aron sweatdropped and used Metal Claw. The shell around the pokemon developed cracks.

“STOP!” Misty yelled.

“You challenged me.” Ash pointed out. “So why are you complaining?”

“How dare you hurt a baby pokemon?” Misty screamed, head turning into a huge balloon… an enormous, gargantuan ugly balloon.

“I think the real question is, why are you using a baby pokemon.” Ash retorted.

“Grr…”

‘Let’s finish, Aron! Use Headbutt!”

Togepi hit a rock and fainted.

“Grr!” Misty began to spit fire from her mouth, much to the amusement of the watchers. “Go! Seadra!”

“I guess you did train.” Ash said.

Pikachu jumped down, replacing Aron, and fried Seadra…. And Staryu… and Starmie…

He had no compunctions against fighting her now that he had seen what a royal queen bitch she was.

Masks were torn away.

And of course, true identities were revealed, no matter how ugly the nature. For truth cannot be hidden forever…

That was why Lance didn’t’ hide things forever.

He only placed mental blocks so Ash could deal with more difficult topics when he had more experience.

That was only fair according to an unwritten code.

Forcing power on a child was never good… well, not always, but Ash and Charlotte tended to break.

Lance himself was more adaptable to the siren song of the elements.

Still, it was hard… in a way. Yes, life was often strange and unpredictable indeed, more so if you were Chosen.

Chosen went through the blender of the world after all.

“Seaking, Waterfall!”

“Why does she think this will work?” Ash said, as Pikachu created a surfboard of electricity and avoided the attack.

“I have no idea.” Lance said honestly.

Then, a Thunder surrounded Seaking, and it fainted as well.

“Well, Misty?”

“Golduck, Psychic!”

“You’re faster, Pikachu, Shockwave.”

Shockwave doesn’t miss, and so two more were down. Ash waited to see if Misty had any more pokemon.

She did.

A Quagsire emerged.

“How…not nice.” Ash remarked. “Well, Pikachu, let’s not tempt fate, you look a little winded.”

Shouldn’t have eaten all of those apple candies first.

“So that’s where they went.”

But Pika-chan ate more than me!

“Hey!” Pika-chan said.

Misty jumped. “It can talk!”

“Yes, the trait’s not that rare.” Ash said feeling irritated. “Bulbasaur?”

The plant pokemon’s Razor Leaf cut Nuoo to shreds.

Misty glared, and than Omastar and Kingler took the field. However, by her look Ash saw these were her last pokemon.

Pity, Bulbasaur’s moves would be exceptionally good against Omastar. Sure, she took damage from Kingler’s Crabhammer, but using mega drain on Omastar healed her back up, and then she used Stun Spore.

Paralyzed pokemon are slower.

Of course, that’s the way things work. She tied up Kingler in her vine whips and then took careful aim with Solarbeam. At two yards she didn’t’ miss.

“Done.” Ash proclaimed.

Misty glared angrily and stomped off, but at least she did not mention the bike again.

End Chapter

5/14/04