I am working hard, really hard…

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me under international copyright laws.

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

Chapter 3

 

            Ash woke from peaceful slumber as a loud crash sounded throughout the Plateau. At his side, Jolteon stirred and growled low in his throat, as did Ninetails.

            “Shh… let’s go see what it is…”

            They snuck through the darkness, and with amazing precision, Jolteon let off Pin Missle, and…

            “OWW!”

            The target had been hit.

            The next moment, the lights flickered on.

            Lance stood there with Dragonite behind him, on the floor was a cowering trainer – well, at any rate a teenager, with pins embedded in select parts of his body.

            “What are you doing here?” Lance asked without preamble.

            “How the ___ ___ ____ ___ do I know!” The trainer cursed.

            “Well, you are trespassing on private property….” Lance said, managing to look threatening even in blue silk pajamas.

            Dragonite growled.

 

            The trainer went off into another cursing spiel. Lance did not look impressed as he walked over to Ash.

            “All right, Red?”

            “Hai!”

            “That’s good, it would be a shame to lose our champion to a grandiosely useless and shameful assassination attempt.”

            “…”

            “Just kidding.” Lance grinned. “Do you know him?”

            Ash was about to say he didn’t, how _could_ he, when this was just a dream, but then again, in dreams strange things happened, and…

            “Bruce?!”

            Bruce scowled. “You, Ash! I should have known you’d be behind this!”

            “What?”

            “Don’t play dumb! I always knew you weren’t normal!”

            “…?”

 

            Lance backhanded Bruce quite casually. “Leave the Champion alone.”

            Bruce glared, jumped up, and tried to attack Lance.

            Ash winced. Bruce was not only a braggart, he was on the school wrestling team as well… this did not look good.

            He closed his eyes to hear a scream.

            Bruce was grabbing his shoulder from which a bloody wound had sprouted.

            Lance held what looked like a letter opener in his hand casually. “I warned you…”

 

            “Curse you! Teme!”

            Lance closed his eyes. “Kairyuu, could you?”

            A twister attack sent Bruce blast far away.

            “… Kakkoii…” Ash breathed. Besides, Bruce deserved it. He liked beating up kids for fun.

            It was time for him to learn what it was like.

 

            “You know him?”

            “School.” Ash said, not elaborating.

            Lance nodded. “Was he your rival?”

            ‘No, he just liked beating me up.”

            Lance raised his eyebrows, but shrugged. * Whatever you say, Champion… whatever you say. *

            Ash blushed as Lance cast a pointed look at him. “Maybe you should wear protective gear when you sleep then.”

            Well, he _was_ only in his boxer shorts.

            Ash gulped, nodded, and quickly escaped back to his room.

 

            I think he likes you! Jolteon teased.

            “Really?”

            Really, really! Gyarados yawned. He’s trying his best to hide it though.

            “Well, I was kind of obvious.”

            Yes, asking him to protect you? Ninetails asked. She smiled. Well, he said yes, didn’t he?

            “Yes.”

            That’s good!

            “I hope so.” Ash blushed.

 

            Why are you so scared?

            “I don’t know…”

            Do you think he’ll reject you?

            Ash nodded, feeling a bit miserable.

            Don’t worry one bit! He’s just waiting for you to grow up. Gyarados said wisely.

            “What? How do you know?”

            I asked his Gyarados. She’s cute!

           

 

            Jolteon shrugged his shoulders. Just go with your instincts.

            I’m sure you’ll succeed. Hypno said quietly.

            We have faith in you!

            “I’m really touched, but this is a delicate relationship deal…”

            You’re just making it more complicated for yourself…

            “You want me to just ask him?”

            No, give him a few more weeks of time and it should be fine…

 

            “All right.”

            What did he have to lose?

            … Although it seemed to be less and less of a dream now…

            He tried to focus on something ‘real’, but that was hard.

            English literature? No… Geometry? Yuck!

            But what if this was real and his old life was the dream? Well, then he sure had a lot of nightmares…

            He liked Lance though, and in the other world, Lance wasn’t there, so…

            I guess I choose the dream.

            That’s my choice I make and I’ll stick by it.

            Because I do love him…

 

Completed 7/7/04