Whee! Sugar, sugar, sugar!

Anyways, slightly hyper…

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon! *Laughs* I don’t think I ever will, either, it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics! This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing, my copyrighted fanwork, so don’t steal or sue.

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

Chapter 3: Starfish

< I am Solaris, but Red always called me Solar for some peculiar reason. I guess it is shortening the name to make it easier, though. You will have to adopt that as well. Also, I’m your only elemental partner. You can summon more, but they are not bound by blood-contract like me. If you die, I might die. Keep that in mind and try not to do anything dangerous. >

< Okay. >

Solaris quickly ran down Red’s likes and dislikes as well. < Peanut butter – he can’t stand it, so don’t eat any! And he really likes Ketchup? >

Ash blanched a bit. * That’s like Pikachu…. *

< What else… oh! You’re allergic to bell peppers and cilantro. >

< What’s cilantro? >

< Some herb, but nobody really cooks with it. So that shouldn’t be a problem… >

Ash nodded. * Can’t eat bell peppers… *

< He wore this attire all the time, so please don’t change the closet. You’re stuck with it. >

< Is this magic clothing? >

< In a way. I’m sure you noticed how powerful it was? >

Ash nodded.

< It won’t tear or rip, and is self-cleaning. You can’t really change the colors much though, but in battle it will change into armor. >

< Wow! >

< And on the magic issue… if you have to do magic before the rest of his memories surface, just close your eyes and feel… the potential is locked in you, don’t force it out. It will come on its own, in its own time. >

< Okay. >

< Try something. >

Ash looked at a piece of paper and imagined changing it into an apple. Beneath his palms, a yellow circle of magic with red symbols on it formed. The paper glowed and the next thing he knew, a juicy red apple sat there on the table.

< Well, at least alchemy stayed. >

< Is that good? >

< Yes. It would be very suspicious if you suddenly lost your transmuting skills. Spells can be forgotten, but not that. It’s a talent. >

< I see… >

Solaris tried to remember if he had forgotten anything, but couldn’t really. < Oh! And I have to stay like this most of the time. >

< I understand. Is pikachu okay? >

< She just sleeps while I’m in control. >

< All right then. >

Solaris watched as Ash walked around looking at everything, ingraining in his memory the placement of all things so he wouldn’t be lost in his own room.

A few hours later Jasmine knocked on his door and inquired if he would like anything to eat.

Ash agreed, and he had sandwiches with her in the kitchen.

“Where are Lance and Leonard?”

Jasmine chuckled. “Boys will be boys, they’re having another Circle battle.”

Ash nodded.

In circle battles, it was only alchemy. No magic was allowed inside, plus the two elemental partners sealed the area, respectively. They would go on until one surrendered.

Ash didn’t think Lance would lose.

From what ‘he’ remembered, Leonard was powerful, but tended to get careless when he was in a hurry.

And he was always in a hurry.

Why?

Surely there was nothing important for the man to rush to.

A few minutes later, Lance walked back in, looking perfectly composed.

Leonard was still spluttering with indignation.

“What happened this time?”

“Well…” Lance said theatrically, “He tried to use what is affectionately termed ‘non-violent human transmutation’ on me.”

Leonard glared, shaking bits of dirt off of his clothing. His gray hair was one violent mess.

“Really!”

“Yes…” Lance smirked. “Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work and since it was quite taxing, I won by forfeit.”

“He ran out of energy?”

Lance nodded in response to Ash’s question. “It doesn’t happen that often, but that’s it.”

Leonard frowned. “Well! It seemed like a good idea!”

“And what part of turning yourself into a ravishingly blonde beauty in a bikini was supposed to be a battle plan?”

Jasmine giggled at the thought of the mental image. Leonard sulked.

“It should have worked.”

“Not interested.” Lance replied. “You shouldn’t have tried it.”

Ash petted Solaris as he watched.

Well, life seemed kind of exuberant and carefree to say the most… he should enjoy it while he was still here, right?

Right.

There had to be some way to get home! They had magic, right? And he had proved he could do alchemy easily enough. Magic couldn’t be that hard, it was just words… Well, he’d find a spell then, as soon as he remembered.

That would work well.

Lance gave Ash a brief hug, not wanting to take chances. He wasn’t sure how much Red remembered…

It wasn’t as if there had really been anything, but hope was hope. And Red had come back…wasn’t that a good sign? * I hope so… *

Hope was always burning in the heart to go onwards.

Solaris licked Ash’s face. < Do not worry. >

< I’m not, really… >

It was true, though. In a few weeks, he’d have Red’s memories and then he could figure out a spell to take him home. He’d bring Solaris of course, as he was Pikachu.

The other alchemist-mages wouldn’t care if he disappeared again, right?

Of course!

Created 4/3/04, completed 4/13/04