I really need a subplot…

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, as it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan comics! This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic written by me and I own it under international copyright laws.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics for pokemon talking

I would have updated sooner but I had something known as FINALS. >.< And then if you didn’t read my livejournal, know that my Microsoft word got reset and my desktop got wiped so I lost a lot of my stuff and had to fix things…

Falconzord – thanks!

Firehedgehog – ah, I see…

Pichu Star – kk!

Chapter 10

“No.”

Ash scowled. “Why not?”

“Because.” The junior trainer said. “If you don’t like perfume you’re not allowed inside! So there!” She slammed the door.

“Well, isn’t that stupid…” Ash muttered as he walked away. “Just because I’m allergic to it…”

That’s stupid. Pichu sniffed. What does perfume have to do with battling?

Ankylosaur nodded.

I can help, no problem. Ditto said. After all, I can transform into anything…

Ash caught the hint, and the group went behind a building. A minute later, a boy with long purple hair and glasses walked out.

He knocked on the gym door.

The girls looked at him, swooned, and then were promptly knocked unconscious as hard objects collided with their heads.

Cloyster and Ankylosaur would have high-fived had either of them possessed hands. As it were, they settled for beaming at each other.

Let’s go!

Ash grinned, and went through the open door as Ditto turned into a beetle and perched on his hat brim.

There.

Without wasting time, and since Erika wasn’t telling a story – what a waste of time – he challenged her.

Erika looked amused, but accepted.

“Tangela, go!”

Good defense and special attack, but it didn’t’ have that much HP… so he couldn’t use Kabutops yet…

“Fearow! Drill Peck!”

That was fast, even Tangela’s multitude of vines couldn’t keep the speedy bird away.

It fell. Limp seaweed, almost.

He waited for her next pokémon.

It was a surprising Oddish. Oh well. Ankylosaur was more than happy to dispose with Flamethrower.

And the last pokemon?

What was it?

Ash took a sip of lemonade and waited, along with his pokemon, to see what would be revealed from the innocuous red and white ball.

It had to be a grass-type; that was the rule, correct?

Yes.

Out popped a Victreebel.

“Very impressive.” Ash said, acknowledging that Erika had at least put effort into training her pokemon. * But not very special… *

Fearow dived in, and knocked it out immediately.

It seemed so easy now, and he’d only been on his journey for about two months. Strange…

But maybe it was the benefit of having a team of six and not changing it. Seriously, whenever he thought of Jack, who only had four pokemon, he wondered why Misty even thought of confusing him with the bumbling idiot.

Ever.

He was about to say more when Jack actually walked straight into the gym followed by Misty.

Ash jumped.

“Ash?” Erika asked kindly. “Are you all right?”

“Can I just have the badge and leave now?” He almost pleaded. She looked confused but nodded and handed him the small, round token.

“Thank you.”

Ash kissed Erika’s hand thus causing a surprised gasp from said gym leader, and then told Ditto to teleport them outside.

Lucky.

Ditto had lived for about six years before Ash had caught him. He had traveled to just about every land that carried pokemon, and even a few that hadn’t in that time.

Dittos didn’t age.

They didn’t choose to.

Well, it was kind of nice, Ash decided. And ditto were so useful…

Unfortunately, Jack spotted him.

“YOU!”

“Oh no you don’t. I am not battling you.’ Ash said firmly. “I already got attacked by your stupid girlfriend.”

“Misty’s not stupid!”

Angry at that remark, the water trainer sent a mallet flying… only to pop out her eyes when Fearow caught it in midair and Pichu shocked her from the umpteenth time.

“Excuse me, but please leave my gym.” Erika said politely but firmly.

Ditto’s teleport warp sent Ash and Jack to the pokemon Center in Celadon.

“Let’s battle now!” Jake yelled. “Go Bulbasaur!”

Ash looked mildly amused as Ankylosaur waddled forwards, and spat out Flamethrower.

“Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!”

The stream of fire that continued onwards to smack into the pokemon and KO it consumed the leaves.

Bulbasaur was charcoal and fainted. Not dead, just out.

A trip to the Center would fix it up just fine… wait, they were already in one. Ah well…

“Grr! Go Pikachu!”

“Now that’s interesting.” Ash said, smiling. “I’ll use… Cloyster.”

“Hah! You idiot, electric beats water! Pikachu, use Thundershock!” The pikachu ran forwards, cheeks spitting sparks.

Ash raised an eyebrow. * Fool. *

Only to slip on a patch of handy ice that had resulted when Cloyster used Water Gun before the match began and froze the water.

Cloyster flipped the Pikachu into the air with her shell and then used Spike Cannon. Pikachu went flying, but it was better than being embedded with spikes.

“Loser.” Ash commented. * Pathetic… *

“Oh no! Pikachu! Grr, go Charmander!”

“You could at least make this worth my time.” Ash mentioned, as Cloyster used Bubblebeam.

No more Charmander…

The last pokemon was Squirtle.

“How on earth did you manage to catch all these pokemon with your skill?” Ash mused.

Squirtle used Bite!

It only hit Cloyster’s shell.

Cloyster used Clamp! Stuck, Squirtle withdrew into its shell, but that was when it was tossed into the air and landed heavily on the ground.

Ash took half of Jack’s money, healed his pokemon at the Center, and then calmly walked to Saffron.

He ignored the vile obscenities screamed after him.

Let them rot in their pathetic anger.

End Chapter

Completed 6/3/04