Yes, I know I am working on a whole lot of projects at once.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Pokemon or Yu-gi-Oh! They belong respectively to Nintendo. And Kazuki Takahashi and Satoshi Tajiri. This is fanwork, and I am making no profit. Okay?

Plot/story/new characters/new pokemon are mine though.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics for pokemon chatter.

Timeline: Post-Egypt, 1 week

Chapter 6: Run like the Wind

Houen, compared to Egypt, was very green. Very verdant and flowering, the land was. Full of life and bursting with produce, but Ash still preferred his home.

His real home, of course.

At the moment, he was enjoying some strawberry lemonade while watching two trainers battle their Rattatas against each other.

How boring…

Pidgeot was perched on his table. She had always been one of his favorites, and now was no exception.

“It is, isn’t it?” Ash asked, as she preened her gaudy plumes.

I mean, two Rattata? Same level, same stats. Only skill or luck can determine the outcome. And the trainers don’t seem to have the former, only the latter.

True. Ash mused. But it is laughable.

Charlotte was arguing with the waitress, who refused to bring two-dozen coffees.

Ash chuckled. * She is so dependant on that drink… ah well, we all have our weaknesses. *

He rubbed the shining gold of his puzzle. Dragonair had still not returned.

< Lance, where are you? >

The millennium ring flared against her chest as her ka spread its steel wings and attacked.

Lance’s lips curved up in a smirk as she watched the pathetic beings that the men of Kush had managed to summon. Even now, a few lived on.

“You think you can take on one of Pharaoh’s six elected priests?” She taunted, as her Ka, the Dragon Master, slashed their own pitiful creations to pieces.

The men collapsed one by one, their Ba gauges depleted.

Satisfied, Lance recalled her spirit guardian and summoned Dragonite to take her home.

< Do not worry, Ashura. I will come find you as soon as my work here is done. >

Charlotte’s Millennium Eye pulsed, and the next thing the waitress knew, her soul was confined in a card.

“Serves you right. I offered double the price for the coffee, but no… you had to do it the hard way.” Charlotte said as she sat down with her tray of caffeinated beverages. Ash chuckled.

“She deserved it?”

“I think so.”

Pidgeot cooed as she ate Ash’s berries. Ash didn’t mind, he had ordered a strong quantity of fruit for a reason.

The spirits loved it.

There were many of them, of course, but they hid invisibly and munched quietly, hidden in the shadows.

Still, twelve fruit platters were quite a bit. It was a good thing being a trainer paid well. Plus, Ash still had access to the treasure vaults. They were buried under the desert sands, but he had gotten one out and into the realm so in case he ran out of cash, he would be all right.

Foresight is always better than hindsight.

The card Charlotte was holding seemed to glare. Charlotte glared back. “Don’t worry, a Punishment Game only lasts a few days. But next time, don’t shirk people’s coffee.”

Ash shook his head. * Ah well… that’s life. *

“Ready to go?”

“Yep.”

The two walked out of the café and once again on the road.

“Ash.”

“Hmm?” Ash asked, looking at his sister curiously.

“Be careful. If Bob has gotten the Millennium Rod, there is a very good possibility that he will revolt.”

“I know.”

Charlotte’s expression didn’t change as her Millennium Eye glowed with gold again. “All right.”

Pikachu jumped onto Ash’s head, shaking her fur.

Ash giggled as he scooped up the little pokemon. “Don’t worry, I won’t forget you.”

That’s good!

Ash fed her a few acorns from a pouch and then walked on.

Pikachu was singing in pikachu language happily. Cute little thing…

But these things couldn’t last, unfortunately.

Everything would eventually be stripped away. That was the sad fact of life. The only difference was temporal space…

Some things lasted longer than others.

Love, was one good example.

Ash had no doubt that Lance loved him back.

Would it be enough to see them through the uncertain future though?

He hoped so.

Some things, like flings, are only temporary dandelion seeds.

Others are more important and actually last.

He watched as a girl walked up to him.

She had blueish purple hair and wore green shorts and a matching shirt. A picnicker, it seemed.

Ash grinned.

“Let’s play a game.”

End Chapter!

Started 2/28/04, completed 2/29/04