Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

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

Chapter 6

 

            “What’s going on?”

            “I don’t know!”

            “I’m scared Ash.” Jasmine whispered. The lighthouse beam was on, but it wasn’t much help against the macabre sight. Ash hugged her and continued to look.

            No, it wasn’t just a trick of the light, unless the sky was…

            With a surprised gasp, Ash looked up. The sea wasn’t red at all. The sky was, glowing with the colors of a new sunrise. That was all. He sighed in relief.

            He turned off the light and the strange shadows vanished.

            “It’s all right, Jasmine. We’re just overreacting. I think a nap would help. Amphy is keeping watch.”

            Jasmine took a shaky breath and poured herself a glass of water. “You’re right, Ash, I’m overreacting. It’s just… what if we’re stuck here forever?”

            “We won’t be.” Ash promised. Three months with only Jasmine for company had accustomed him to her odd quirks. “Everything will be all right.”

            They both went to bed. It had been a long night keeping watch…

 

            “They’ll go crazy, won’t they?”

            Lance raised an eyebrow as she looked at Red. “Who?”

            “Ash and Jasmine. I know we haven’t sealed up Olivine, but they’ve been together in that lighthouse… and there’s no way to leave.”

            “I know.” Lance did not sound very worried. “Are you concerned?”

            “I know they’re safe there, but… it’s just that I have a bad feeling. What if they go mad?”

            “Well, I never thought you would care, but I suppose you could let them out. They’ve locked themselves in, though…”

            “I’ll go.”

            “Take my Ptera then.” Lance said, worried. It was not like Red to be so persistent towards anyone…

            Red hugged Lance as he kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll be all right. I promise. And it won’t be a problem. Their Noctowl never found the resistance and had to return. Dewford and Cianwood are gone. We no longer need to worry, Lance. It’s all right…”

            “I can’t help it. Be careful.”

            He nodded and than soared off.

 

            “Jasmine, there’s someone coming!”

            “That can’t be! We locked the door!” Jasmine gripped her Steelix’s poke ball tightly in one hand. The pokemon had been too big to let out, but now…

            Ash and Pikachu watched. There had been a small supply of healing items, but how they missed the Center…

 

            Ash didn’t wait to see who it was before Pikachu took off with a Thunder attack. Red screamed, but as he was rather used to attacks from his own electric pokemon and Lt. Surge, it was not too much trouble for him to recover quickly. By then, Jasmine and Ash had found him at the foot of the stairs.

            “What are you doing here?” Ash asked suspiciously.

            Red shrugged. “To tell you two that it’s safe to go out.”

            “Safe?” Jasmine asked shrilly. “Safe? It’s not safe out there anymore! How would you know?”

            “I’m just delivering a message.” Red said, backing away and feeling very worried. They were acting strange. He was right!
            He didn’t have much time to duck before Jasmine released Steelix and Ash’s Pikachu charged up another attack. Keeping pokemon contained was one sure way to drive them feral…!

 

            Espeon enacted a light screen defense around him before the attacks hit and he hurriedly released his Gyarados. He would need something to take care of that Steelix, and with the battle going on inside the tower was starting to crack! Masonry began tumbling down from above and Jasmine and Ash ran around in circles like headless chickens, panicking.

            This was a very bad idea!

            He didn’t bother with finesse and had Vee freeze them with Mean Look before she teleported far, far away.

            Behind them, the Lighthouse Tower slid into the sea…

 

            Lance’s Dragonairs exploded into action, constraining the two trainers even as Red landed carefully. He looked around. The room was quiet enough, he supposed, though Lance looked half-asleep.

            “Are you all right?”

            Lance spared Red a glance as she flicked over the two struggling forms. “Well, that’s a pity. I never expected them to wall themselves in…”

            “Neither did I…” Red said a bit guiltily. It was Silver who had taken care of Olivine, leaving the Lighthouse to save water pokemon.
            “It’s not just the physical walls, either. You were right. They broke so easily.” Lance frowned, and than he called Agatha in. she took one look and sighed.

            “They’re fixable, but I’ll have to suppress their memories.”

            “It’s all right. Better wary opponents than deranged mental enemies! Did they hurt you? If they did…”

            “No, Vee protected me with her Reflect.”

            “Excellent…”

 

            Agatha returned a few hours later with a dazed-looking Ash and Jasmine, but they seemed happy enough, so they were shipped off to Blackthorn. They were married two years later.

 

            And so, everyone finally lived happily ever after.

 

Completed 12/23/05

FINISHED! END FIC! YAY!

Not really romance in the romance sense, but I liked writing it. ^^