Don’t die plotbunny! Since Night’s not working I’ll work on you!

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokémon, as it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanwork written by me and me alone so its mine under international copyright laws.

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

Chapter 8

Ash groomed Charizard, who stretched his wings. Strange, but the pokemon had quit disobeying him.

Lance simply said one had to prove thier worth to dragons.

Well, he would know, he trained dragon pokemon.

Well, Ash, how’s life?

Ash blinked. Charizard was talking to him? Well, it had been a few months since he started training…

Maybe he was worthy now?

“I’m still working on improving.’

That’s very important. The fire lizard nodded, shaking his head up and down. Ash brushed carefully, removing dirt and traces of battle from the scales. Charizard’s didn’t bother with water normally, so he had to be very careful.

Fleas… ugh… that would just not be right.

Charizard fell asleep under the grooming, and Ash finished up in twenty minutes, before he went to find Lance again.

“Lance-kun?”

“You called.’ The trainer stated, materializing a few minutes later. “I am sorry for my delay, I had to take care of a challenger.”

“Really?”

“Hai. His name was Gary Oak.” Lance said. “Pity he didn’t train evenly…”

“You beat Gary?!”

“What’s so strange about that?” Lance mock affected a pout. “I’m not that weak…”

Ash frantically waved his hands in the air. “No, it’s not that! Did he beat any of your pokemon?”

“No, I used Gyarados and he took care of all of them.” Lance said, stroking the water dragon’s head fondly.

Gyarados purred, showing sharp teeth.

“Nice!” Ash said, grinning.

“Well, he only had five pokemon on his team, much like yourself.” Lance said. “Pidgeot, Arcanine, Exeggutor, Vaporeon, and Cloyster…”

“But no electrics?”

“Strangely not.”

Ash nodded, thinking hard. Pidgeotto had evolved into Pidgeot, and with a few TM moves sprinkled on was rapidly improving, his other pokemon still didn’t evolve but now their cute exteriors hid warriors.

Well, at least warriors-in-training.

He wasn’t ready to catch more pokemon yet, for some reason, and Muk and Primeape and Kingler stayed with the Professor.

Why?

“Of course you don’t feel connected.” Lance said.

Ash jumped, remembering that Lance could read minds and feel emotions. < But why? >

< Well, it’s not that hard. You didn’t spend the same amount of time with them. How were they supposed to develop? >

< So it’s my fault? >

< Sadly enough, it plagues a lot of trainers. Having large numbers of pokemon can prove unwieldy, and thus you tend to play favorites. >

< How do you do it? >

< I spend every night in the dream realm of course. Then time runs on my whim and I can spend years in a blink. No one feels left out. >

< Sugoi… >

< You can’t do dream realm yet, can you? >

Ash shook his head. < I’m still working on it. >

< Don’t force yourself or the cards won’t come to your call… >

< Okay! > Ash promised. He shuffled the deck, they felt warm in his hands and pride welled up, knowing he had created them.

Somehow, some life ago, but they were his forever and ever. And it was warm just the same.

Plus, without the cards there was no Pika-chan. However, Ash doubted the peace would remain for long.

He picked up his brushes and combed out Pikachu’s fur next, shimmery clean and pretty. Pikachu was happy, of course. He was even happier when he consumed all the ketchup in the cafeteria.

Lorelei looked amused. “Well, Lance, I see he’s settling in at last.”

“I don’t get it.” Bruno muttered.

< Then you are very dense. > Agatha clarified. < Hello, Ash. >

“Hi.”

< How is life treating you? >

“Great! I really like it here.”

“I’m glad.” Lorelei said. “Well, if you have some free time, you can train with me.”

“Can I?”

< Of course you can. > Lance sent, as Ash beamed.

Lorelei was nice!
He faintly remembered something from a memory blur, but she had been his teacher at one time.

It would be fine.

The next morning, Ash and Lorelei went by the ocean, swam, practiced breathing underwater, and swam some more.

They wound up spending a week and a half there, while Lorelei brushed up his ice and water skills.

Still, he missed Lance. A little.

Lorelei was nice and patient, but it just wasn’t quite the same. Was it different magic types?

No, it couldn’t be that simple.

Shrugging, Ash focused and performed Water Gun, as Lorelei clapped. “Excellent. They are coming back.”

“Hai!”

“Oh, drop the formality.” She chided. “We’re both trainers, and even though I’m a master you’re on your way.”

Ash nodded, that was true.

“Don’t worry about a thing. Everything always works out in the end…”

Ash promised not to fret, and so he kept it.

End Chapter

Completed 5/13/04