Disclaimer/Notes: N/A

Thankies Link Masters and Takuya!

Chapter 6: The life of Freaky Photographers

Ash, Misty, and Gary yawned as they floated in a pool, lazily under the late summer sun.

“What a great day to get a tan.”

“Tell me.” Ash said, wriggling slightly as Lance applied suntan lotion to her back. “It’s nice.”

Lance nodded. “There we go. Now you won’t have to worry about getting burned.”

Ashline beamed. “Arigatou, Lance-chan!”

Misty frowned. “Why do you call him Lance-chan? Shouldn’t you use –kun?”

Garina shook her head. “I think she just likes it.”

“Hai!” Ash trilled.

A moment later, the door suddenly burst open, and several blinding flashes of light temporarily knocked out their sight.

“What the-!”

“Dragonair! Thunderwave!” Lance said, glad he had remembered his poke belt.

There was a startled shout, and then someone fell onto the ground limply.

Misty took one look and screamed. “Oh no! It’s Todd the tabloid photographer!”

Todd was famous (or infamous, from the celebrity’s POV) throughout Kanto and Johto for being able to get photographs no one else had done before.

They included embarrassing shots, mostly.

Lance sighed. “Last time, he tried to get me in the shower. I believe a large ring of female fans paid him to do it.”

Ashline glared. “And?”

“What can I say? I’m paranoid. I always have Aerodactyl scan the area first. Todd was not in any shape to be photographing for a month after that.”

“I thought the pool would be safe…” Garina sighed. “But since he’s here, I have a bone to pick with him.”

“You do?”

“He used some kind of digital editing to put a picture of me and Brock together and then claimed we were boyfriend and girlfriend!” Garina spat.

“Ahh…”

Garina transformed into Sailor Umbreon, and then successfully wiped Todd’s mind with her Silence Blast move, before leaving him by the roadside somewhere in far-off New York.

“There we go!”

Lance chuckled slightly, while Ashline and Misty both rushed over and gave Garina high-fives.

“You rule!”

“Yes! I’m so happy he’s gone!” Misty added.

Garina gave them both the ‘peace’ sign and beamed happily.

The next day…

“Jolteon! Thunderbolt!”

Kyle shrieked, as his Fearow was defeated. Ashline smiled as she recalled her Jolteon.
“They don’t’ call me League Champion for nothing, you know.”

“You-you!”

Ashline waved him out and beamed brightly.

Misty yawned from where she was eating fresh crepes. “So, enjoying your work?”

“Just because you’re on vacation…”

Misty giggled. “So? At least you have a built-in boyfriend.’

“Misty!” Ash said, turning crimson.

“What’s that you said?” Garina asked, coming into the arena with a diet coke.

“Garina! Do you know if Lance and Ashline here have ever done it before?”

Garina spluttered, spitting out her drink. “No! To both!”

“…” Misty blinked.

Ashline coughed and discreetly procured a glowing mallet out of midair. “Misty…”

“Huh?” Misty barely had time to blink before the mallet bounced off her head.

“I can’t believe you asked me that!”

Without further ado, Ashline ran off.

“Uh-oh.” Garina said worriedly.

“What?”

“I remember that Ashline and Lance have a large stash of embarrassing photographs themselves, from the last League Party. Remember how most of us drank the spiked punch?”

Misty paled.

Then, she ran after Ash. “Come back here!”

When she opened the door, she saw Ash braiding her hair while Lance sat at the nearby desk, reading a book.

“What is it?”

Misty looked around frantically for signs of the incriminating photos. “Where are they?!”

“What?”

“The photographs!”

“What photographs?”

Lance blinked. “Well, before you two continue discussing, you should take a look out the window.”

The two blinked. Then, they saw the insane youma in black that was snapping pictures of everything. As soon as the subjects were portrayed, they vanished.

“See?”

“The Dark Kingdom again?”

“I think they possessed Todd.” Lance said helpfully.

“It would make sense…”

“Transformation time then.” Misty sighed.

“Moon Prism Power!”

“Mercury Planet Power!”

Lance politely looked in another direction and closed his eyes while the two transformed and jumped out the window.

“More pictures!” Todd yelled, upon catching sight of them.

“Mermaid’s Enchantment!” Misty shouted, as the notes fogged up the camera lens, temporarily rendering it useless.

Ash’s tiara flashed as she took it off and it shifted shapes. “Moon Star Boomerang!”

The camera broke, and Todd slumped over to the ground, senseless. A pile of moondust lay around him.

Satisfied, the two girls returned to the Plateau, where Garina had been effectively distracting the rest of the gym leader crowd from wondering where they were.

End Chapter!

Created 2/4/04

Completed 3/12/04