Don’t die please Plotbunny! I’ll have to cross two of them then to keep this going!
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me! Don’t take my work!

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

Chapter 8

Two days had passed without much change.

Ash didn’t know quite what to do. He hadn’t found Sabrina, so he couldn’t go after that badge. He was considering Fuchsia though.

But whom could he tell about the mermaid?

Not Professor Oak. He was a scientist and wouldn’t understand. His fanatical actions in the name of science were… scary, to put it mildly.

His mom? Maybe. But could she keep the secret?

Ash felt depressed as he realized there was no one else he could tell… how… sad. No friends… he didn’t have any friends, except his pokemon.

Maybe… maybe Catelyn had been sent here for a reason. He truly needed a friend. Why not? If magic _were_ real, who knew?

Did he like her?

Well, they hadn’t really talked, to tell the truth. But Catelyn was nice enough to him, she smiled and didn’t say much, and she hadn’t ever hit him or anything like that unlike Misty.

On the other hand, he hadn’t wrecked her bike. He had also possibly saved her life. Still… it seemed kind of different, the way things were between them. Did he *need* having someone around? Well, it was better than being alone, even if Catelyn wasn’t human either.

Repressing a shudder, Ash tossed the poke ball forwards.

Catelyn materialized in the customary flash of red, no different from any ordinary pokemon, odd as it may be. Ash made a mental note to buy her a sweater or something. That white nightgown looked cold! She wore it when she went swimming though, for modesty’s sake – for his sake, actually.

“Hi.” She said softly.

Ash smiled. “How have you been?” He felt a bit bad, since he hadn’t let her out, but he had been training his pokemon in a mountainous terrain and there wasn’t any running water nearby. He didn’t want to dehydrate her.

I *really* am looking out for her…

Is this supposed to teach me responsibility then?

How odd.

“I’m fine, Ash.”
“Aren’t you hungry? I mean – er, do mermaids need to eat?” Ash felt really stupid asking the question, but he had to know.

He didn’t want to starve her!

“Arigato for your concern, Ash, but I’m fine.”

“Truly and really?”

“I have no reason to lie to you.” Catelyn looked down as she mentioned this fact, but it was true! Why would she?

“Then what do you eat?”

“Water.”

“Huh?” You can eat water? He seemed as though he’d been mightily smacked in the forehead with a rotten halibut.

“No, not exactly. But I need water to live. I am… I suppose, you could call mermaids water spirits. We only need water and fresh air.”

“I see!”

Catelyn half-smiled. This boy wasn’t too bad… he had saved her life, back in the Tower. She would have to repay him when her magic restored itself.

After all, no one knew mermaids could grant one wish. He deserved a wish.

She splashed around in the water for a bit with his pokemon, who were all interested in her, as mermaids could be considered human pokemon. Still… it was *odd* the way things were.

What should he do?

Well… hmm…

So why are you here?

“Ash promised to take me home.” Catelyn said, although to the untrained ear it sounded like water whistling in the wind.

So you trust him. Gyarados intoned.

She nodded.

Do you remember me?

Catelyn frowned. “No. I didn’t have any pokemon…”

Really?

“Really.”

Gyarados looked sad. I see…

Why was Gyarados so moody? Unless… “Were you once my pokemon?”

I think so. I feel… connected to you. I don’t know how that could happen, except if… well, you know. That’s why I’m confused. Ash is a nice master, I won’t deny it, but it’s just not the same.

Catelyn nodded. “But I’m not a trainer.”

Therein lies the problem…

Ash’s other pokemon were floating around or frolicking on the grass. Ash himself was fixing lunch. He really did like eating, didn’t he?

It was kind of cute.

Why did she wind up with him though? * I know it could have been worse, but I do want to go home. But I’ve lost the way… *

The real problem was that aside from knowing that she lived in an undersea cavern *somewhere*, there was no other information.

She knew it hadn’t been any of the seas/rivers Ash had already taken her to.

But where am I from? Why am I here?
Why did he find me?

I’m so confused…

It was raining when they walked into Fuchsia.

“Where’s the gym?” Ash asked, looking around.

“Oh? You’re looking for the gym leader?” A cute girl in light purple ninja garb landed next to him quietly. Ash blinked.

“Yes?”

“No problem! I’ll take you to father if you can beat me!”

“Your father’s the gym leader?!”

“Yes, my name’s Janine.”
“I’m Ash from Pallet Town.” For some reason, he didn’t say Ketchum. His mom still hadn’t explained about Team Aqua yet.

He’d try not to push her.

“Interesting. Well, let’s get started. Zubat, I choose you!”

“Pikachu.”

ZAP!

“Well, that’s that.” Ash said.

Janine smiled. “Yes, poison/flying types are rather prone to electric weakness. How about… Grimer! You’re up!”

Ash winced at the smell of the poisonous blob of sludge. * What to use? Pikachu won’t have any advantage, and her defense is horrible… I guess I’ll have to use… *

“Dugtrio! Earthquake!”

Yes! He remembered now! Poison was weak to ground!
Janine eeked. “Grimer, Poison Gas!”

Poison Gas was an inaccurate attack. Plus, Dugtrio had ignored Ash’s orders, opting to hide underground and prepare for a Dig attack. Ah well, as long as he won, he didn’t care of his pokemon had their own ideas.

Sometimes they were better than his.

Dugtrio shot out of the earth, three heads tittering madly as Grimer went flying and splattered against a wall.

Janine sighed. True, it wasn’t damaging, but that was Grimer’s HP bar emptied. “I guess you win. Follow me.”

End Chapter

Completed 12/13/04

Lance: So…

Phantomness: *hides*