Another chapter!

Disclaimer: I do own this non-profit non-copyright infringing fanfic that I wrote, and all new characters/pokemon/items mentioned within. However, pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, and Shogakukan Comics.

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

Chapter 5

“Lance?”
“What is it, little one?”

“I’m scared.”
“Why?”

“Because.” Fingers clutched at reality, held. “This is all we’ll ever have.”

“So?” Whispered breath, it didn’t matter, did it. “This is better than nothing, isn’t it, little one?”

“… Hai. It is, and I shouldn’t wish for more, should I?”

“Nien.” [1]

Time froze.

Wataru woke up, feeling oddly disjointed. “What…” He’d been having the dream for months now, but this was the first time… with a glare, he checked his watch.

Four twenty-seven A.M.

That was no time to wake up, but it was so strange, as if his dream had just suddenly stopped, already having run its course.

That made no sense.

Still, it was only a dream.

He checked his calendar, but there was nothing special there… only a week of school left, thank Lugia…

And then…

Well, why not? He deserved a break. The graduation dance – it couldn’t hurt to go, right? Plus, it was free.

He couldn’t work _all_ the time. He had gotten 780 on the Biology SAT II, better than the 700 on Chemistry, so it was biology that he would use for his UC Applications.

Wait…

With a half-smile, he got up and fixed himself instant oatmeal with milk for breakfast, after washing his face with Neutrogena’s gentle cleanser.

Stupid pimples…

Were they caused by stress? That would make sense.

He could tide out until then, though. School was almost over and he could pull through and survive. He could!

Maybe this dream was trying to tell him something?

Relax?

That wasn’t an option unfortunately – well, he was getting a little more sleep now that Spanish class was finally over…

He needed sleep. He’d fallen asleep in Calculus last week during the last chapter test. Ouch.

It had nearly toppled his grade…

But he would survive!

I can’t fail and I won’t!
Possibly nothing on earth could induce him to change his mind.

“What?”

“Why not, Satoshi, it’s a good idea.”

“Well…”

“Besides, they have free snacks.” Sofia whispered.

The boy’s eyes lit up brightly. “Ok!”

Now he needed a costume…

What to wear?

Hmm…

He stopped by the very cheap costume store next to Longs Drugs and decided to take a look, after he bought some more Motrin.

He had sprained his foot, the school nurse said, but it would heal in a few days. That was good.

There was no way his father would be able to pay medical bills. Until then, he took painkillers and got out of doing P.E. class, which was actually kind of nice.

P.E. was so annoying… he hated running for time.

Running without time was fun, but getting dust in your lungs and grit in your shoes and tears in your eyes was no way to go.

Yuck.

However, one costume seemed to beckon. With a smile, he purchased it. It was white – but it wasn’t girly!

The night of the dance, he combed out his hair, before taking a risk and spiking it with the gel. He looked… well, if you didn’t look too carefully, like Ash. But he was Ash in the dreams anyways.

It was fine.

He left the house, as the gold on his wrists glittered and sparkled. Those cheap bracelets sure looked real enough, and that was good.

Flower of Egypt…

He lightened his eyes with gold shadow, before taking out his contacts, letting his eyes stay the way they were naturally. No one would recognize him either way.

School was past for this year.

He had to work on refining his personal statement essay during the summer, but he could do that.

And then… right, he had to take that college course, wait for the AP test results…

But at least it was somewhat of a break.

He had to catch up on sleep too.

He brushed out his red hair, letting some of it fall in front of his eyes. His mother always said it was messy, but she was out of town tonight. Probably sleeping at her boyfriend’s apartment.

It was nothing to him. He pulled on his outfit, smiling slightly. Really, it was lucky how he had managed to find it.

But he _did_ look good in it, even though not perfectly like Ed from Full Metal Alchemist. Black clung to him, prettily.

At least he was recognizable. He decided against braiding his hair and smiled. It reminded him of Lance, red and black and silver.

So pretty… well, why not.

He took a risk, pulled the hair wands he had asked Mikan to buy for him out of his backpack, and began streaking.

Gold and silver glitter shimmered between flames, and it did look good.

With a smile, he left the house.

“Ah, Gomen nasai!” Satoshi cried as he accidentally bumped into someone.

“It is fine… Ash?”

Incredulous eyes met others.

“L-Lance… But this can’t be! It was just a dream!”

“I know, it’s just a dream, this can’t be happening.” Wataru said to himself in an undertone as he helped the boy up. “I’m sorry.”

“A-a, I am too.”

But… how…

“Wait!”

He stopped. Really, the boy looked remarkably like Ash…

“What’s your name?”

“Wataru.”

“Wataru… I’m Satoshi.”

“I am pleased to meet you, but I’m afraid I took you for someone else.”

“So did I… Lance.”

“Nani? What did you call me?”

“This is just a dream extension isn’t it?” Satoshi asked, before he walked closer… Wataru’s mind snapped as Satoshi kissed him.

No! It couldn’t be! It was only a dream!
Only a dream…

Dreams can’t come true!

But….

This can’t be real, people this perfect do not exist in real life so I must be hallucinating…

However, if that’s the case, then let me dream one last time…

Satoshi – Ash – mewled, as the kiss deepened and together, they stepped once more into the world where dreams reigned supreme.

“Yatta!”

“You’re so happy, Ash.” Lance smiled.

“I know, Lance-chan, but… birthdays don’t happen every day! It’s so pretty!”

“It’s just a painting. It’s not even that good…”

“I don’t care.” He held the watercolor to his chest protectively. “I love it.”

Two boys stood, separated by a thin line of pink, a glass wall… opposite sides of the world, almost. But they touched palms in the center.

It was meaning that mattered.

Reality.

Loud screams rent the morning air when the paperboy tripped, sending newspapers scattering over the dusty pavement.

There was no life left.

It seemed that all goals had come to naught.

“Demo… why?” Sofia asked, as she stared bleakly. “Why?”

Natsume did not answer, closing her eyes. * He should never have tried to reach the goal. Never. It was beyond him. *

And now he has paid the price.

End Fic

Completed 7/16/04

Hahaha…. I love vagueness…

Lance and Ash: >.<

Shoyko: But it’s so realistic!
Kairo: Yes, phantomness, I can see you drew from your own horrible high school experiences…

Phantomness: Well, now that this is done, what next? *Ponders a plotbunny* *Runs offstage chasing plotbunnies with laser* Come back here!

[1] Nien is German for No, I have no idea why I used it, really. This fic also has references to Atlas Shrugged…

A song… to the tune of ‘Tradition’ from fiddler on the roof, what my junior/senior year was like

Admissions... admissions! Admissions... x2

Who day and night must apply for financial aid, get reference letters, cram for the AP’s, I only got a fourteen thirty on my SATs, and I'm not a registered minority!