Whee! New fic! Plotbunnies, come to me! ^-^ Started 6/24/04
I’ve only read 1 or 2 fruits basket manga, so I’m just borrowing a few of the ideas…

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is a non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic that belongs to me.

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

Title: Original Right

Chapter 1

A tent gleamed bluely in the morning light.

Yawning, Misty Waterflower peered out of the flap blearily. Armed with a gigantic bottle of bug spray, all mosquitoes hovering near the tent were quickly exterminated.

“Why oh why did I have to be so…”

She should never have agreed to Erika’s bet!
They had agreed to each spend two weeks camping out, and whoever had the better tan at the end of the allotted time won a hundred dollars.

Now that she thought of it, she should have just stayed at home and battled junior trainers.

Ugh…

“This place looks pretty nice.” Ash said, as he looked around.

“Hai.” Lance agreed, putting down their suitcases. “I believe it was Morty who lived here…”

Ash knocked on the door of the two-story white house with brown trim. A blonde man in violet robes opened the door.

“Ah, you’re here… Giovanni said you’d be staying here, right?”

Ash nodded, while Lance remained silent.

“Very well.” He showed them to their rooms and then left silently.

They both sat there quietly, before Lance finally asked Ash if he was all right. The boy’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

“You’re still upset over Linda, right?”

He nodded meekly.

“That’s why we moved… you can forget about her.” Lance said soothingly.

Ash smiled a little as he hugged his cousin. “Hai.”

Lance smiled. “Come on, we have school tomorrow, so we have to get ready.”

Ash nodded quietly, as they unpacked in the bedroom allotted them, a bunk bed stood in one corner, a dresser and closet as well, with a desk con computer.

Lance shook his head inwardly. * I wish… no, that’s selfish. Besides, we’re both cursed… *

“We must be careful though.”

Ash nodded.

No touching… if a member of the opposite gender kissed them, or tried to, then they would transform.

Ash made a very pretty little Vulpix.

There were seven of them in all. Fire, Water, Electric, Grass, Earth, Darkness, and Normal.

There were seven members of the family under the ancestral curse.

Perhaps Curse was not the right word. True, the spell granted the owners powers normal humans did not possess, but the drawback…

Not being able to touch…

That was a terrible trade… wasn’t it?

Ash certainly thought so.

He hadn’t been able to explain to Linda _why_ he wouldn’t kiss her, and she had taken it to mean he had another girlfriend.

She had dumped him.

He was still trying to get over it.

That was why Lance had made the decision for him, and taken him elsewhere. Hopefully, a change in atmosphere would heal his wounded heart.

One can hope?

The next day, class started.

The class boasted several attractive looking girls, that was very true but Ash wasn’t really paying attention.

He didn’t want to dive straight into another relationship.

It would probably turn out the same way. People just couldn’t understand the unknown. They would attack with violence.

That was the way it had always been.

Two days passed.

“Aniki?”

“What is it, Ash?” Lance was busy reading through ‘The Hundred Secret Senses’ by Amy Tan for his literature class.

“Um… I don’t get this problem.”

“I’ll help you.”

‘H-hai.”

“Why are you so timid?” Lance asked. “Linda’s still on your mind?”

“H-hai…”

“Ash…” Lance said truthfully. “I’m only here for you, you know that.”

And so it is, for the heir of the family is born the Protector, to serve and protect and keep him alive.

That was the way it had always been.

It was unlikely ever to change.

Lance helped Ash through his geometry homework and then put him to bed with hot chocolate.

Poor little one…

Alas, I cannot protect you from attacks of the heart…

On his wrists shimmered the golden seals that proclaimed his place.

He would not fail.

Ash smiled faintly. “Arigato, Lance.”

Lance shrugged his shoulders. < I will do my best for you. >

< Hai. >

Still…

He _would_ make himself forget Linda! She wasn’t worthy, right?

Right?

He stared at the wall morosely.

Lance shook his head as he used Hypnosis, sending Ash into dreamland. The boy would tire himself out if he weren’t stopped.

Poor child…

I wish I could help, but I can’t.

I can only protect you. That’s my place, my role, and the reason for my life. I was born for you; you know that. We both.

His eyes glowed golden as he shifted.

A sinuous black dragon appeared, scales glinting in the afternoon sun as he curled himself around Ash’s body protectively.

I might as well sleep also…

End Chapter

Completed 6/29/04