And… another chapter!
Disclaimer: I wish I owned pokemon. If I did, I wouldn’t have to worry about monetary difficulties right now. Anyways, pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me!

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

Timeline: The next day. So far Ash has gotten 5 badges – Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Rainbow, and Soul

Chapter 10

An e-mail message appeared on his pokedex. Ash grinned. “Oh good! Sabrina returned to her gym!”

“Is that good?”

“Yes.” Ash said. “All right, Catelyn, back in the ball.” The mermaid nodded as she vanished. Ash had stuck to his word, and gotten her a light pink with white swirly designs sweatshirt that looked nice enough.

Still… so much was left unresolved. Should he try to fix the problem though, he’d probably only make it worse, right? Right.

That thought in mind, Ash headed for the gym.

The door swung open on noiseless hinges, revealing the dark interior of the gym. Wine red carpet glistened on the floor.

Ash smiled. * Well, she’s got nice taste. *

You sure about this? Pikachu inquired.

“Why not? I know I can win!”

That’s what I’m afraid of…

Sabrina was waiting when he entered.

< Foolish boy. Just try to defeat me. >

Ash jumped, hearing the voice inside his head.

< Well? Shall we begin? >

“Yes! I choose Pikachu!”

< Abra… >

A small psychic pokemon appeared.

“Pikachu, use Thunder!”

< Abra. Mirror Coat. >

Before Ash’s stunned eyes, the Abra reflected Pikachu’s attack back, dealing twice damage. Pikachu easily fainted. True, Abra was nearly out of HP also, but still… Ash winced.

< Give up now while you still can. >

“Never! I choose you, Carvanha! Use Crunch!” Dark did beat psychic after all. Sabrina smiled at his naïve battling technique.

< Type advantage is not enough to win. I shall show you… for example, I could do this. Kadabra, go! >

“Carvanha, Crunch again!”

< Shockwave! >

Great was Ash’s shock when his Carvanha was fried before it could attack.

< You see? >

Ash scowled. “All right. I see.”

< Unless you can defeat my Kadabra *and* my Alakazam, I doubt you will earn this soul badge. >

Pikachu… Carvanha… what should he use now?

Dugtrio would be good, except for its exceedingly low defense. Ash chose a poke ball, tossing it forwards. * Here goes… *

Poochyna appeared!
Sabrina blinked. * Some eevee evolution? * < Kadabra, use Psychic! >

“Poochyna, Howl and Crunch!”

That worked. She finished off the psychic and sat back, waiting for Ash’s orders.

< So… another dark-type. No matter. It will still be defeated. >

Alakazam appeared.

Ash grinned to himself as Alakazam used Psychic. Sure enough, it still didn’t work. “Okay, Poochyna, Swagger!”

Alakazam’s Attack shot through the roof, but it became confused!

It hurt itself in its confusion!
“Now! Crunch!”

There we go…

Ash grinned, seeing Sabrina’s starstruck expression. “I win.”

< So you do. Here. >

Pinning the Soul Badge to his chest, Ash grinned broadly. * Only 2 badges left! *

After leaving Saffron, he looked around for any bodies of water, but didn’t quite see any. Oh well.

Catelyn could be let out later.

Still, it was unnerving. She wasn’t some kind of pet! He couldn’t help keeping her in a poke ball…

It’s not right though. But I’m trying to be nice, really!

He continued pondering.

Maybe he could understand Catelyn because he kept water pokemon? Mermaids were water spirits. It would make sense.

Do I want to say goodbye? She is kind of nice. Nicer than Misty…

I know she blames herself for getting stuck with me, but I don’t really mind. How do I tell her?

This is so hard.

Catelyn quietly studied the individual threads on the sweater she was wearing. It really was a nice investment. She had to thank Ash for everything he was doing.

“I wonder what he’ll wish for?”

Who knew? She didn’t know him well enough to predict his mind.

But… maybe…

Do you care for me as more than a mermaid you found?

That would be nice, she thought wistfully.

No, mustn’t get my hopes up. They’ll get dashed again.

Catelyn paused. Again?

Had something happened in the past to break her heart once? What was it? Honestly, though, all she could remember of home was that glittering cavern beneath the sea. She couldn’t even remember her parent’s faces.

So… odd…

No… something flashed along the edge of a memory. White. Long, white hair… dark blue eyes… her mother?

No. I don’t have a mother.

Wait a minute. Where did that thought come from?

It didn’t make any sense.

Maybe my mother’s dead? That might explain why I can’t remember her… she didn’t remember any siblings. How odd.

Mermaids usually lived in groups of thirty or forty…

Were father and I exiled?

Even if the memories had been unpleasant, she still wanted them back! Otherwise, she would just be an empty shell…

I want to know…

End Chapter

Completed 12/14/04

Pika-chan: Well, what do you know? Lance actually acts kind of vulnerable in this one!

Phantomness: Yep! Character development is so hard!

Rildur the Freemenik!