Disclaimer: If it wasn’t evident before, I don’t own pokemon! It belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. CCS belongs to CLAMP and Kodansha. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me.

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

Ash = Red

Episode 3

Red woke up feeling refreshed the next day.

< Are you well now, Chosen? >

“H-hai!”

< That is very good. > Lance said, and that was when Red noticed that the boy was floating, cross-legged, in his room, wings beating to keep him aloft softly.

“So… is it going to be like this for the rest of my life?”

< It usually takes a year to capture all the cards. >

“Oh.”

< Do not worry… >

Ash smiled a bit wanly. “I’ll try not to.”

After he had fixed himself instant oatmeal – Lance declined, saying guardians didn’t need to eat – and gotten ready for another day, he and Lance set off.

Lance hid his wings, as they vanished. His clothes shifted into a white bodysuit, which although not as common, would not be noticed or draw attention.

“So, do we just go looking for cards now?”

< Hai. >

Lance frowned for a second. < Chosen? Is there something you normally do? >

“No, not really… Ralts and I go exploring, I’m not officially on a pokemon journey, but it’s summer now.”

< I see. >

Strangely enough, Ash felt as if Lance did.

< Oh, and Chosen? One word of warning, do not attempt to activate the legendary cards now. It will leech out all the magic I have placed inside of you, and that may not even be enough. If you try to use magic without magic energy left, it drains your lifeforce to compensate. >

Ash’s eyes widened and he hastily nodded.

Ralts floated behind them as they walked down the dusty road and into the tall grass to search.

A poochyna attacked!

“Is this a card?” Ash asked.

< Not all pokemon are cards, Chosen. This one is not. However, you may use cards to defeat it. >

“I think I’ll need to.” Ash said.

Ralts hid behind him.

“Um… let’s try…” * Carvanha? *

Would it listen to him?

Yes, it did, and attacked with Crunch. Higher level lost the Poochyna, and Poochyna fled, yelping.

“So do they become obedient once I seal them?”

< Hai, Chosen. >

A few hours passed, while Ash trained his Ralts, but no pokemon cards showed up. Lance told him not to be discouraged.

It took time, after all.

Afterwards, they went home. So life went on.

Perhaps once a week a card would show up… but Lance said it was handy, because it allowed his magic time to grow.

During the first week, Taillow appeared.

Ash used Spheal’s Ice Beam to win, and captured that card.

It was lucky Taillow was low energy cost though, because the next day, he had to face Roselia.

That was a bit harder.

Well… a lot harder.

He hid behind Lance as a clear shield deflected all the thrown leaves. “What to do?”

< You have to battle it and win. >

“I know that, Lance, but I’m trying to think of a strategy!”

< Fire… flying… ice… >

“Right!”

He summoned Spheal with a thought and called up Blizzard.

It didn’t quite turn out as well as he expected.

For one, Roselia could dodge _very_ well…

For another, it still took magic to keep Spheal solid… and alive… and he hadn’t quite recovered from Taillow the day before.

Plus, Spheal was getting beaten as well, it was part water.

He could _feel_ the magic slipping out of him as he strained to stay awake.

He felt cold for a second then, as he closed his eyes. When he opened them, to his shock, he saw Lance was bleeding.

“Lance!”

< It’s all right… >

“Spheal, Blizzard!”

That finally hit and froze Roselia in a block of ice.

Roselia was captured!

Ash sighed in relief as his circles glowed and she turned into a card.

“Lance, you all right?”

< I shall be fine, Chosen. After all, it is my duty to protect you. We were fortunate this time. >

“Huh?”

< Many of the cards are on a very high level, and my magic is not that high yet… I shall try my best though. >

“What?”

< You cannot activate Kyogre, can you? >

“No, I didn’t even try.”

< The more cards you capture, the higher my magic level, and the higher the level of the card… >

“Oh!”

That was that.

He didn’t notice the blood that stained white behind his eyes.

End Chapter

Completed 7/17/04