And we have another chapter

Disclaimer: Shadow owns this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic. Nintendo owns pokemon. Understand? Don’t take my work!

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

Started 9/21/01

Chapter 5

Ash ate Motrin and that helped dull the pain, as Lance tucked him into bed and put Salonpas [1] on his ankle. He brought Ash yogurt and Jello, just in case his digestive system was shocked.

It was better not to aggravate pain.

“Lance?”

“What is it? Does somewhere still hurt?”

Maybe mountain climbing hadn’t been such a good idea, especially if Ash was already tired…

“Can you stay here? I’m scared.”

“Ash, you have Umbreon and Espeon and Pikachu in your room to protect you.” Lance said.

“Yes, but…”

Ash turned on the puppy-dog-eyes attack, hoping for success. It had a failure rate of only 0.07%.

Lance fell for it.

“Just tonight then.” He said, and he even sang Ash a lullaby to put him to sleep. After Ash was fast asleep, Lance tiptoed back to his room quietly.

The next morning, he made Ash French toast with fresh strawberries.

“Yummy.”

“Well, you need to build up your strength before you can recover fully.”

“All right.”

Lance really was a good cook!

I wish he would stay… but I can’t pull another trick like the one I pulled yesterday, he might get suspicious.

What to do?

Ash was busily reading through a copy of Bless me, Ultima when the bell rang, announcing a challenger.

Lance picked him up and carried him out.

Ash blushed.

“Being injured usually has no bearing on pokemon battles.” Lance said, as he set Ash down on the chair, which had been fluffed up with cushions.

“Arigato, Lance!”

“No problem.”

Ash was not expecting Gary to walk in the door though.

“So, Ashy-boy, you gave up on badges and decided to become a gym leader? Smart choice!”

Ash gulped. * Why did it have to be him? *

“Shut up. If you want a badge, just tell me. Otherwise, go away.” Ash said. He was wearing a dark purple cloak fastened with a clasp that depicted the Nova badge, now _his_ badge. It was standard gym leader’s outfit in the Aqua Islands, he had been told. At least, that’s what Arcanine had said. Underneath, he wore black slacks and a t-shirt depicting Articuno.

It was comfortable.

He didn’t bother to wear shoes though, he had been in bed until Lance had carried him out. Still, that had felt nice.

“Geez, you don’t need to be so touchy.” Gary snapped. “Yes, I’m here to challenge you. Got a problem with that?”

Ash was on the verge of saying yes, but he sighed. “All right. Mystic, go!”

Mysdreavus popped out of her poke ball and looked at Gary.

Gary smirked. “That’s okay. I’ve got- Umbreon!” Umbreon appeared opposite Mysdreavus and grinned in the same predatory fashion.

< Calm down, Mystic. I know it’s a dark type, so ghost and psychic moves won’t affect it. So why don’t you use Fire Blast? > Mystic’s eyes glowed purple, before Umbreon burst into flames and was flung into a wall. Gary gasped.

“No way! Arcanine, toast that ghost with your own fire blast!” Gary’s arcanine immediately began shooting flames at Mysdreavus, who just phased through them. Ghost-type did help…

“Mystic, use Psybeam and follow up with Shadow Ball!” Ash called. Mysdreavus nodded and immediately went into action. Arcanine managed to sink in a Crunch attack, though, so both pokemon were K.O.’d.

“Ha! Gyrados, go!”

Ash did not look very worried. “Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed.”

“Will that work? Gyarados, Flamethrower!”

How on earth did a water/flying type know fire moves? Ah well… in any case, Bulbasaur used Ice Spore.

He had only just remembered it from a snippet of memory, but he knew it had worked before.

And so it worked again.

The flames froze, and then Leech Seed tied Gyarados up. It had worked on Lance’s pokemon, so why not on Gary’s?

Besides, Lance was a _much_ better trainer.

Ash idly wondered if that carried to the bedroom as well, and then smacked his mind inwardly for not concentrating on the battle.

Yes, he did have a crush on Lance. It was only getting worse once he could feel and see him face to face instead of on T.V…

Still…

He ignored the feeling in his loins and watched as Bulbasaur’s Mega Drain finished off the battle.

Gary decided not to send out Rhyhorn and instead sent out Venusaur.

Of course, Bulbasaur would be at a severe disadvantage against her evolved form, but Ice Spore proved its worth again.

Frozen Venusaurs can’t attack either…

Feeling exceedingly angry and frustrated, Gary sent out Eevee. It was his secret weapon.

Quite a good secret weapon as well…

< Careful. >

Ash realized Lance was the one talking and jumped, he hadn’t really used his telepathy much. < Why? >

< I can’t tell you, but let’s just say Eevee has been powered up, and maybe not legally… >

End Chapter

Completed 6/9/04

[1] Salonpas – these are like bandages with herbal stuff in them that stick onto your skin, I use them whenever I sprains something and it helps.