Title: One Voice
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red/Ash)
Fandom: Pokémon
Rating: R
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: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics
if a pokemon talks
Warnings: Fanon, shonen-ai, shota, angst, partner betrayal, rape
Ash yawned
as he watched the news reports blaring. It seemed that Team Rocket had attacked
the
Skittle wagged her tail as she snoozed on his lap, half-asleep. The Skitty was a present from his father, who was off in Houen, working for Devon Corporation, trying to design an anti-theft poke ball that would be keyed to the trainer’s fingerprint. Unfortunately, such a device would also prevent pokemon trading between trainers, so it was still in the experimental stages. Team Rocket had already taken over Silph, and if not for a few brave scientists who had escaped with the blueprints for the Master Ball, wiping the data from the lab computers in the process, the Kanto-Johto region would be in worst straits.
The Indigo League had not put an official ban on pokemon training yet, but such an advent did not seem to be long in coming. Already, the larger cities were imposing curfews and beefing up their police forces, trying to stop the Rocket threat. Trainers who did dare venture out usually went in groups of five or six, but often, one or two trainers were Team Rocket agents in disguise who would take the opportunity to loot while the other trainers slept.
Some enterprising trainers had taken the S. S. Anne to Shinou, or Houen, or Cosmos, or one of the other leagues, but Ash wasn’t sure he wanted to do that. Besides, he still had a semester of junior high to finish, and he had to earn some spending money so he could afford a trainer’s accoutrements. So far he had a sleeping bag, whimsically patterned with various pokemon, clothing, and his father’s old camping kit, but as for poke balls and potions, he would have to buy all of those.
He yawned. He had earned some money mowing lawns and gardening, and if he helped with the chores his mom would chip in a bit, but the price of pokemon items had skyrocketed, and now, only Team Rocket had easy access to them. If not for Pokemon Centers, pokemon training might be a thing of the past…
There was a knock at the door.
“Ash, I’m home!” His mom called. Ash got up and opened the door. Delia smiled as she entered, carrying several bags of groceries. He helped her unload the rest from their car, smiling as he saw a box of chocolate-dipped cookies.
“Your father called today,” Delia said, as she wiped the kitchen table. Ash blinked, busy putting vegetables in the fridge.
“Dad called? What did he say?”
“He said that it might be safer if you went to join him in Houen. You could start your journey there, and when things have settled down here, you can come back.”
“But what about you, mom? Will it be safe if you’re here alone?”
“I’m not sure.” Delia admitted. “But it’s getting very dangerous. Did you hear? Both the Cerulean and Cinnabar gyms were attacked today. If Team Rocket is attacking gym leaders…”
Ash winced. “I heard about Cerulean, but Cinnabar too?”
“Yes, and it doesn’t look like it will stop any time soon. Oh Ash, I’m very worried about you. I think you should go live with Dad for a while.”
“But why can’t you come with me? We’ll both go to Houen…”
Delia shook her head. “I’m sorry,
Ash. But I can’t leave
Ash nodded. Three months ago,
Professor Oak had suffered a debilitating stroke, and now, with his daughter
Daisy married to Bill in Cerulean and
“We’ll make arrangements, but you’ll have to leave soon, Ash. You can catch up on your schoolwork later – I’ve heard that Rustboro has an excellent trainer’s school.”
“Okay, mom.” Ash said. “Should I start packing?”
“That would be a good idea. I’ll try to order a S. S. Anne ticket as soon as possible.”
No more was said as they put away the groceries, and afterwards, they both had T.V. dinners.
Ash went upstairs to pack, and Delia called the cruise line. The next departing cruise was a week away, so until then, they would wait.
Six days later, Ash and Skitty waved goodbye to Delia as they walked up the gangplank. A man dressed in crisp white clipped their tickets, directed them to a small cabin, informed them that dinner would be served at six P.M. tonight, and left.
Ash flopped down on the bed with a yawn. His mom had had sewn half of his money into the jean jacket he was wearing. The other half was in a small bag at the bottom of his suitcase. The rest of his luggage had been shipped to his father’s apartment in Rustboro.
Skitty yawned.
“It’s okay Skittle. We’re safe now.” Ash said, giving her a hug. She wagged her tail, and they napped until the bell rang, signaling dinner.
It would take them five days to sail to Houen. Ash dug into the salmon du salad with a good appetite, occasionally sneaking Skitty bits of fish, which she enjoyed. Afterwards, he watched as two trainers, a gentleman and a bug catcher; had a battle, Beedrill versus Growlithe. Surprisingly, the Beedrill managed to win, although the gentleman was quite gracious in defeat.
There was open mike karaoke later, but Ash didn’t know any one and did not feel up to embarrassing himself in front of strangers, so he went back to his room and read for a while, before going to bed.
The next day, he had breakfast, and went to the pool, where he swam for several hours. Afterwards, he and Skitty went to the pokemon playroom, where he chatted with a girl for a while. She looked like a Lass, wearing the pleated miniskirt typical of the breed. He was listening to her description of Pokemon Contests when an ear-piercing alarm sounded.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t know.” Naomi frowned, as her Starly and Bidoof ran over to her. “Maybe we’d better ask someone else.”
Ash collected Skittle, and together, the two of them ran up on deck. In retrospect, staying downstairs would have been safer, for waiting for them was none other than a Team Rocket army.
End Chapter
Completed 6/11/07
Ash: This is not good!
Phantomness: *Cackles*
Ash: *Sob*
Kairo: Looks like you have work again, Shoyko
Shoyko: *Sniffles* I am an overworked darkfic muse
Phantomness: Well, someone has to do it! If this
fanfic sounds strange, I just returned from a camping trip from hell…
チャンピオンシッピング is the best! ^^