Knife Saleswoman, that’s me!
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*
Notes: I use <> for telepathy, ** for the few thoughts that may come, and italics if pokemon speak, but that doesn’t seem to be happening a lot yet.
This will be het championshipping (Ash x Lance)
Chapter 4
They made it to a small village just as the sun was setting. The innkeeper requested seven coppers for a night’s lodging, so they both paid. Dinner was served, watery turnip soup and coarse bread and milk…
It wasn’t the best service, but it as better than no food at all. In any case the farmers around here did not look prosperous. The soil was dusty and dry.
Drought season, it seemed…
Ash was a bit hesitant about sharing a room, but at least they weren’t sharing a bed! The inn had limited space, and getting a bed was quite enough to demand…
He watched as the minstrel unpacked her pack, revealing some dried food, her instruments, a few bottles of water, and a spare set of clothing. She took a small knife out of her belt and began carving a strand of bamboo.
“What are you doing?”
“Making clarinet reeds.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t bother me.”
He looked hurt, but kept quiet. After all, she wasn’t being overly cruel to him, and if he interrupted her concentration she might cut herself, right?
He was tired, so he fell asleep moments later.
Lance finished making fifteen reeds before she turned in for the night. She needed slightly less sleep – it was a perk of her class, and besides, she wasn’t walking around in armor so she used up less energy.
They both slept a few hours past cock’s crow. Breakfast was more milk and bread, but there was porridge too, not bad porridge, made of pounded wheat and millet with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top.
Ash and Lance both filled themselves up and then left the town, heading northwards again.
“I don’t know how long it will take to reach the Temple Mount,” Lance warned again. “It could take anywhere from a day to a month.”
“That doesn’t matter. Steven’s got three months at least before I have to return. He’s strong, so he’s fighting off the Black Flu pretty well.”
“Well, that’s good…”
They reached the next village half a day’s walk later. After a quick chat with the storekeeper, they found that the next village was almost a week away, and after that, there weren’t any others.
Interesting…
“We’ll have to stock up…”
“Um, Lance?”
“What is it?”
“I have a beast that can fly…”
“Oh? Then why weren’t you using it?”
Ash colored. “I didn’t think of it.”
“Well, in that case, you could send it to scout ahead, right?”
“Right!”
He released Skarmory and sent him off to spy. Skarmory flew off and returned moments later, telling of a goblin horde advancing in their direction.
Ash and Lance looked at each other and decided that no, fighting off a horde – about fifty goblins – was a lot different than fighting one or two. They hid in a hollow log and waited.
Soon, the soft thump-thump of feet pounding on the ground came nearer. Ash’s heartbeat sped up as he huddled against Lance – well, it wasn’t an exceptionally large hollow log, and so it was a bit of a tight fit.
“Quit wriggling.” Lance muttered. “We’re trying not to attract their attention.”
“Sorry…”
“Shh!”
They held still until the last of the steps faded away. After that, they discovered that they were stuck.
Lance groaned inwardly. * I’m trapped in a fallen tree with a man. This has got to be a nightmare… *
“Watch it!”
“Oops!” Ash colored. “I didn’t mean anything!”
“I know you didn’t, but… oh, close your eyes.”
Ash blinked, but obediently did so. Lance blinked. “Oops.” Then, a shrill note blasted through the log, turning it into splintered pieces of bark.
Ash winced; his eardrums were ringing like a church bell on crack. “What – Wait, What was that?”
“My attack.” Lance said matter-of-factly. “It can paralyze the opponent for a few minutes. It can also shatter objects like glass and wood, as you can see…”
“Oh…”
Suddenly, Ash frowned. “Glass?”
“Yes.”
“Oh no!” He quickly ransacked his backpack, but found to his relief that only one of his monster spheres was cracked. Unfortunately, it was Pika-chan’s…
“Your monster spheres are glass?”
“Yes. I know, usually people make them out of wood or metal, but…. Glass is supposed to work better.”
“I see…”
Ash sighed. He wouldn’t be able to call Pika-chan out again until it was repaired. Otherwise, he could risk damaging the monster inside.
Pika-chan was cute though… so… she wasn’t really a monster, right?
“Um… Lance?”
“What is it?”
“I think we miscounted.”
Several goblins had heard the call and hurried back. Lance growled. “I’ll deal with this.”
“No! I’ll help! Charizard, Skarmory, go!”
Flames and a metal bird began attacking the goblins. Lance smiled, before she pulled out her clarinet.
A keening, high-pitched noise began to fill the air… and Ash covered his ears, feeling that if he continued to listen, he would go mad…
The goblins finally fled, leaving several fallen on the ground, so they collected their booty and walked on.
It was… odd.
Ash decided not to try and make conversation. He was still embarrassed about the log incident…
End Chapter
Completed 7/9/05
Lance: You trapped us in a log?
Phantomness: It seemed like a good idea at the time!
Ash: …