I really like mirrors don’t I? Well, another fic, courtesy of Phantomness productions.

Disclaimer: I don’t’ own pokemon, okay?

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

Warnings: Shonen-ai, Championshipping (Ash x Lance), possible insanity, abusive relationships, one-sided AAMRN

I bumped their ages up, so in Johto Ash is 15 years old and Misty is 17. I also switched Ash’s pokemon team.

Title: Slivered Glass

Chapter 1: Silvering

“I cannot believe you got us lost again, Ash Ketchum!” A familiar girl’s shrill cry pierced the sky.

The recipient of her rebuke, a shamefaced boy of about fifteen years, winced imperceptibly, before he retorted.

“I did not! Brock has the map!”

“Quit lying to me! It’s always your fault! If you hadn’t destroyed my bike…”

Yes, there it was again. Ash sighed. * I still haven’t paid her back. But it’s so hard to save money… *

He looked down as he walked on. Misty huffed. “Yes, ignore me, why don’t you?!”

“Now, now.” Brock said, trying to placate the two before Pikachu let loose a Thunderbolt.

Misty glared. “It’s his fault! Tell him to apologize!”
“But it’s really mine, since I do have the map.” Brock coughed. “Anyway, we are not lost. Right across that river is Blackthorn City.”

“Let’s go!” Ash said, switching characters as he became bright-eyed and cheerful.

Misty followed leisurely along with Brock. That night, they stayed at the pokemon center before Ash went off to challenge Claire.

“It’s still my fault though,” Ash said, staring at the ceiling. “If only I hadn’t wrecked Misty’s bike, then…”

Pikachu yawned and fell asleep.

“She wouldn’t have to follow me around. I know her sisters tease her about it, and I wish I could make it up to her, but how?”

He fell into uneasy slumber.

The next morning, a bucket of cold water to the head was his wake-up call. Ash quickly wrung out his sopping clothes, vowing not to get into an argument with Misty, as she had enough on her plate already, and headed to the gym.

Pikachu was eating breakfast with Bulbasaur and Squirtle, while Pidgeot flew around the ceiling with Charizard.

Ash’s sixth slot was still empty, he just wasn’t comfortable with another other pokemon.

Yes…

That afternoon, he obediently went to the gym. The faster he competed in the Johto League, the faster he would attempt championship. How was he to know that Misty’s bike was so expensive? He had already paid all of his Orange Island winnings and that didn’t even cover half…

But he would keep trying. He knew it grated on her nerves to travel.

The gym doors slid open.

Lance looked up, golden eyes narrowing slightly. He remembered this trio from their encounter at Lake of Rage.

If his instincts were correct, there hadn’t exactly been mutual understanding firstly, but…

It was none of his business to pry in emotional affairs, unless it was… disruptive to their training.

“Welcome to Blackthorn City Gym. Claire is currently absent, so I will be accepting challenges for the Rising Badge.”

“Count me in!” Ash yelled. “Go… Pikachu!”

Misty scoffed. “You didn’t even see what he sent out first.”

The light cleared, revealing Tyranitar.

Lance shook his head. “Well, I’ve never seen your Pikachu in action myself, but Falkner and Bugsy’s reports were quite interesting, so let’s begin this match.”

Alas, even if Pikachu was hyper-evolved and all of that, electricity does _not_ affect ground-type pokemon.

Tyranitar finished Sandstorm, revealing a fainted Pikachu.

“Next?” Lance asked softly, waiting.

“Charizard, go!”

“Now, this might be a bit more interesting. Dragonbreath…”

Charizard froze, paralyzed, a look of shock on his face.

“And… Crunch, but don’t break anything.”

Charizard continued looking horrified right up until it went unconscious.

Now quite alarmed, Ash threw out Bulbasaur. But perhaps now the problem of not evolving one’s pokemon was seen, as Bulbasaur did not have the speed to contend with Tyranitar.

Lance recalled the pokemon with a flick of his wrist. “You lose.”

Ash was in shock when he walked out.

“See? I told you!” Misty yelled. “How could you be so careless?! And since you lost money, it’ll take you even longer to pay me back!”

“G-gomen…” Ash looked down, ashamed.

Brock ignored the two, counting it as another lover’s squabble, and decided to chase a blonde girl he saw.

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself! I’ll never get my bike back at this rate!” Misty yelled, this drawback causing her to see red.

A mallet slammed into Ash’s head, and he moaned before unconsciousness claimed him.

Misty huffed and stomped off. He would come to his senses soon enough, after all, he must have built up some resistance to her attacks.

Satisfied, Misty hit the local ice cream parlor and waited there, while another boy seeing her alone, bought her a free chocolate malt.

Yes, life was good…

Besides, it was her just reward for Ash’s carelessness.

What a dopey guy.

End Chapter