True friends VS untrue friends…

Disclaimer: Wished I own pokemon, really do, mate.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks. Ash = Red

Started 2/18/05

Chapter 9

The symptoms struck a week later.

Lance woke up in excruciating agony. As he blearily opened his eyes, he saw to his horror that he was bleeding.

But there were no wounds anywhere!

Still… this torment was unfounded, right? He hadn’t stolen the blades!

“Lance?”

So far away… whose voice was that?

“Lance! Quick, someone get a doctor!”

“It’s odd,” the doctor said, glancing at his notes after some X-rays had been taken. “It seems like his body is dissolving… for lack of a better word.”

“What?”

“That’s horrible!”

“We’ll say that he caught some strange virus. We’ll keep this from the public for now.” Agatha said firmly.

“Yes, we can’t let them know that our Champion might be dying…”

< Shimatta! >

Mewtwo cocked an eyebrow at Mew, surprised to hear the pokemon curse.

< I didn’t think the Dragon Master would wake this soon! He’s dying! >

< Why? >

< The Dragon Blades were forged from the Dragon Master’s own blood and bone… so to be apart from them… >

< Ah… >

< What do I do now? > The pink pokemon wailed.

< Give them back? >

< Guess I don’t have a choice… >

Red blinked as Mew handed him the dragon blades and told him to go to Blackthorn General hospital. It was weird, but he obeyed.

As soon as he was inside, the blades vanished…

Up in his room, Lance fell into quiet, healing sleep as the rest of the dragon blades entered his body… and the bleeding stopped…

Back downstairs, Ash wondered what was going on but shrugged and exited…

< Well, you have really screwed up this time Mew. > Lugia said.

Mew sniffled. < I didn’t mean to! I didn’t know! >

Lugia bit back an angry retort. < Fine… but what are we going to do now? The world has to be destroyed before it can be healed… >

< We could use Red to fulfill the Shamouti Island prophecy. > Zapdos suggested.

< Yes, but then we need some power-hungry maniac to catch the legendary birds and disrupt the balance first, don’t we? > Suicune queried.

< We’ll set it up then. >

< Fine. Let’s… >

Lawrence III found a prophecy about an immensely powerful pokemon in his mailbox the next morning, and immediately began construction of an airship to capture it… as the plan demanded…

“You’re going where?”

“I was wondering if I could go to the Orange Islands for a week.” Red replied.

Cynthia sighed. It was lonely back in Saffron, all by herself. Sabrina wouldn’t be back from Johto for a few more days…

Oh well… she could deal with loneliness…. Somehow… it wouldn’t do to deprive her children of adventure…

It was bright and sunny in the Orange Islands. Red ad his pokemon relaxed on a sandy beach. Blue sky, white clouds, and a clear sea to swim in. what could be better?

Having a girlfriend?

Nah… sure, Sabrina was nice, but he wasn’t sure he could deal with other girls. Besides, he was only fourteen! Just because he was mature sometimes didn’t mean he liked girls!

For example, there was a gray-haired girl in a white bikini, and she was making eyes at him from several feet away. He could hear her surface thoughts, and they were sickening.

Yuck! She wanted to kiss him? Eew!

Ash was still a kid at heart after all…

He liked pokemon. Pokemon were cool. He wouldn’t mind having a few girls as friends, but as girlfriends? No way!

Unfortunately, said gray-haired girl, named Katie, had decided to come over and sit next to him.

“Hi cutie. What’s your name?”

“Red.”

“Awww! Your Pikachu is so cute! Can I pet it?’

Much to Ash’s surprise, Pikachu did not shock Katie. * I guess she still has a weakness for pretty girls, even though I don’t think she’s that pretty *

While Katie fussed over Pikachu, Ash closed his eyes, feeling the warm sun on his face. Aah… this was heaven…

Wait… if Pikachu liked girls?

EEW! I did not just think that! Ash sighed. Maybe he’d better quit thinking about that….

Abra laughed.

< You don’t think? >

< I don’t know, Master Red. >

< How… well, I guess it’s okay, but… it’s kind of weird. >

< I agree… >

After several torturous moments, Katie gave Ash his Pikachu back.

“So are you a trainer?” Ash asked, trying to make polite conversation even though it galled him to the core.

Katie shook her head. “Not really, I have a Shellder and Cloyster, but that’s it. “

“Cool, so you like water-types.”

“No, it’s because they make pearls! And then I can use the pearls to make jewelry!”

“You sell jewelry?” Now that was kind of interesting… not all jewelry was girly… and he could get an early birthday present for Oneesan.

“Sure!! I’ll show you my shop!”

“Cool.” Ash got up and followed her back into the small town of Sunburst. Maybe she wasn’t too bad…

At least she hadn’t made any moves on him yet. That was good.

End Chapter

Completed 2/19/05

Lance: So you made me Dragon Master again.

Phantomness: You practically say it in the games, so why not?

Ash: I’d feel sorry for the two Drakes, Claire, and… who else?

Phantomness: *shrugs*