Whee! Another chapter! ^-^ Started 4/5/04
Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit fanwork, no copyright infringement is intended, and since I wrote it, the fic belongs to me under international copyright laws.
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks
Yes, there will be shonen-ai championshipping (Ash x Lance)
Ash = Red
Chapter 2
Now… what was the best way to proceed. He would have to find Red first though. But it could be done.
It was perfect.
He smoothed out the invisible wrinkles in his catsuit, and began applying kohl around his eyes for the subtle touch.
It couldn’t be that hard, could it? The only problem would be if he fell in love with the boy.
That might happen, but he wasn’t particularly averse to the idea. They had similar ideals, only they used different methods to achieve them.
Why not?
Turning his head, he happened to see Red fleeing from a horde of hormone-crazed girls. Well, opportunity had presented itself.
“Ptera…”
A supersonic attack got rid of all the girls.
Red sighed in relief as Pikachu grinned, and fried them all. It would take a few hours before they woke.
“Thank you for your assistance.”
“Not at all.” Lance said smoothly, noticing that Red was checking him out, although quietly.
Perfect!
Pikachu looked between the two of them and grinned again. * So Master Ash has decided to find a mate… how nice! *
“You have an Aerodactyl?”
“So do you, I believe.”
“Hai!” Ash smiled. “I cloned mine from Old Amber on Cinnabar Island, did you?”
“Oh no.” Lance ran his fingers under his pokemon’s chin, as Aerodactyl purred or did the dinosaur equivalent. “I caught her in the wild.”
“Sugoi…”
“They are exceedingly rare though, sadly. But then, many pokemon species are going extinct.”
Ash nodded miserably.
Although Grimer, Muk, Koffing and Wheezing were increasing in population, the Horsea and Seadra had almost been wiped out, along with the elusive Dratini.
Even common Magikarp were suffering from water pollution.
Rainforest burning contributed to a decrease in Mankey, but also in almost all bug pokemon…
It was sad.
He truthfully wanted to help with everything he had, but what could one person – even the Champion – do? It seemed hopeless.
Sure, the Preservation Foundation was making good use of the money to reconstruct some destroyed habitats, but that took time.
What if they ran out of time and the pokemon did vanish?
What would life be without them?
“I know.”
Two words conveyed all his misery.
“Red, you do know that it isn’t your fault.”
“But it is!” He didn’t know why he was confessing to a stranger, but the cry burst out from his chest and could not be stopped. “I can’t stop the companies! My position means nothing! I can only raise money in increasingly unorthodox ways!”
“Do you regret it?”
“No! I’d give my life to save them, I really would…” His voice dropped to a whisper as Pika licked his cheek comfortingly.
I just feel so damned helpless.
He could say no more.
“You have done more than most people.” Lance said.
“I know…” Ash looked at Lance critically. “You’re not some rabid fan are you?”
“Am I acting like one?”
“No, but I
don’t know anything nowadays…”
He wanted to be known for his
skill and for his goal, not for pretty looks. Still, this boy wasn’t swooning
over him.
Red blushed discreetly, looked down at his hands to provide a distraction. * I actually think he’s kind of cute… *
“I’m Lance. I train Dragon-type pokemon and I’m from Blackthorn in Johto.”
That was all he needed to know.
“Oh, you’re a trainer too. Well, I knew that, but you only train dragons?”
“Hai.”
“That’s interesting! I once only wanted to train water since I had a Poliwag, but then I got Bulbasaur and the rest is history.”
“Your pokemon are very loyal to you, an admirable trait.”
“We’re friends.”
“Being friends with pokemon… that is a rare attitude to find.”
“I know! Most people don’t care!”
That’s why they don’t care that wild pokemon are dying by the hundreds.
That’s why they don’t care that the new power plant in Celadon is killing all the plant pokemon.
That’s why they don’t care that an oil spill off the coast of Pallet just wiped out a herd of migrating Seel…
Why don’t they care?
Am I the only sane person left in this world?
It was a scary thought.
“Red?”
He came back to earth with a bump and a fall. “Gomen ne, Lance. What were you saying?” Too much thinking…
It made him depressed.
“I was asking you if you wanted to get ice cream together.”
“Oh, that would be nice.”
Pika grinned. See? He likes you too.
Red whacked the little rat lightly.
Pikachu just grinned brightly as they went into the ice cream parlor.
End Chapter
Completed 4/5/04