Whee! Another chapter!

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic. Please don’t take my hard work!

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

Chapter 2

You seem to be in much better spirits. Houndoom commented.

Ash flopped down on his bed. Dinner with dad had gone remarkably well, er, actually, they just hadn’t talked to each other but they hadn’t argued either!
“He’s so cute…”

Here we go again. Sneasal said in an aside note to Umbreon, who nodded. Master Ash was infatuated with others of his gender for some reason, not that his father knew. His pokemon knew, and they didn’t judge him, but…

Was this just another puppy-love crush?

So what happened? Sneasal urged his eyes alight with mischief. Did he save you from some wild pokemon attack?

“No, nothing like that. I accidentally ran him over.” Ash blushed.

How interesting! Umbreon wagged her tail. Then what?

“Well, he was cute, so I asked him out, and we went to this little café and talked. He said we could be pen pals.”

Nice! Umbreon said.

He seemed nice enough. Houndoom nodded. Powerful, too…

Ash blinked. “How can you tell?”

His scent is on your clothes. Houndoom said matter-of-factly. Are you sure you two didn’t do anything?

“Houndoom!” Ash colored. “I’m much too young for that!”

Yes, humans are so strange. Sneasal nodded, as he vaulted onto Ash’s ceiling and ran around for a few minutes.

Ash did not bother to dignify a reply.

“Lance? You’re home.” Matilda said worriedly. “Listen dear, I’m sorry for earlier, just jumping it on you like that…”

“Mom.” Lance said. “Surely there’s going to be an ‘adjustment period’? I mean, you can’t just marry him straight off the bat.”

“O-of course not! We’re planning to wait two months. I’ll bring him over and introduce him.”

Lance nodded. “All right.”

He went back to grooming his Dragonair.

The next day, Ash received a letter in the mail.

Dear Ash,

How are you? I hope you’re getting adjusted to the idea of your parent remarrying better than I am. My mom just announced that no matter what comes, I meet my stepfather in less than a week. She should have given me more warning. Sheesh. Why is she so flighty? Anyways, she describes him as ‘dashingly handsome’ but I doubt that’s really true. Anyways, I don’t want to move but she said we would be moving in with him out of our apartment. What a pain. Oh well, good luck to you, and I hope you are faring better than I…

I guess if it weren’t for pokemon training I really wouldn’t survive. There’s nothing like beating up a few Rattata to relieve stress.

Lance

Lance received a letter two days after.

Hi Lance!
I’m glad to receive your letter. My dad hasn’t announced any plans for me to meet my stepmother yet though. Isn’t it nice that we found each other so we have someone to talk to? He did say that I had to behave. Like I don’t! Anyways, we run a pretty successful breeding center in Celadon, so I know he won’t be marrying her for money. I’m actually quite worried that’s why she wants him. I mean, come on, high school sweethearts? Like there’s really substance in that… well, my dad’s coming upstairs and I have to hide this quick, so I’ll talk to you later!

Ash

P.S. You’re right. That’s why Houndoom and I were out touring Saffron after I heard the initial announcement.

And then, there was… the meeting.

Lance wasn’t too impressed by Jacques Ketchum. He seemed nice enough, and Lugia did scan at his Chosen’s request, but really, there was nothing worrisome there.

< Chosen? He’s clean. >

Lance nodded, feeling Lugia’s presence fade from his mind. < So, nothing wrong? >

< Yes. He’ll be a good husband for your mother. >

< She’s not my mother, Lugia-san, as you should know. >

< Point taken, child. > Lugia sent. < Keep practicing the Dragon’s Dance. How many themes do you know now? >

< Variations? I’m up to three hundred. >

< You’ll get there eventually… >

< I know. >

< Work hard, it might be a while before awakening, but… >

< I know. > Lance whispered, eyes lighting with hate. < I know. >

Dear Ash,

I think he could have been worse. Frankly, I found him kind of a braggart, but he didn’t seem too bad. Still, I don’t feel too happy about moving in with this guy. I didn’t get to see my new stepbrother though. Lugia knows what he’ll be like… well, on a lighter topic, would you like to travel with me during the summer? We could go on our pokemon journey together, as friends, you know? Hmm, sometimes it seems like you’re the only person I can talk to, my mom’s being such a flirty, scary woman right now…
Lance

Hi Lance!
I’d love to journey with you. I still haven’t met my stepmother. I hope she doesn’t turn out mean and ugly like Cinderella’s evil stepmother… no, that can’t happen in real life can it? Um… my dad’s been on the phone a lot lately, talking to her. She sounds healthy enough, but you never know. What if she’s secretly a crazy axe-murderer! That’d be terrible! Well, with this letter I’m sending you some of my homemade chocolate fudge brownies, since chocolate always cheers me up and I hope it works for you too. My pokemon say it’ll be all right, but I’m still worried. I’m glad I can talk to you.

Love, Ash

“At least I’m not alone.” Lance sighed. The brownies were pretty tasty as well. * Yes, that’s helpful… and Ash is so cute. He’s naïve, but it is very endearing… wait! What did I just say? Am I falling for him? No way, we just write letters to each other, but… *

It didn’t matter anyways. He wouldn’t fail his father.

End Chapter

Completed 6/16/04