Disclaimer: No own pokemon. Destiny, Hope, new pokemon, Triple Guardianship and everything else that doesn’t belong to Nintendo or Shogakukan are mine.

 

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

 

Timeline: 6 months later, Ash is 17

Akiko Koishii – I have no idea, really

Greatearthmage – as said before, have no idea why I dislike Serebii. Probably thought it was ugly when I first saw it, so…

 

Chapter 13: Wishes don’t come true

 

            *CRASH*

 

            Ash looked up as he saw Charlotte fall down the stairs. “You okay?”

            “Sure. Just slipped on some water.” Charlotte said, shivering and brushing herself off. “Where did that puddle come from?”

            Squirtle, Vaporeon, and Lapras all managed to look sheepish.

            We were having a snowball fight indoors!

            Yep, and I guess some of the ice melted.

            We didn’t think there was any on the stairs.

            Sorry!

            Yeah, we’re really sorry!

 

            Charlotte grinned as she surrounded herself with her flaming wings, drying herself off completely. “No lasting harm done, so it’s ok.”

            The three pokemon nodded and continued hurling the balls of ice at each other.

            *SPLAT*

            No fair!

            Hahaha, I got you, Squirtle!

            Oh yeah? Squirtle smirked and let loose Icy wind, freezing Vaporeon to the floor, before he tucked himself into his shell.

           

            Ash grinned and turned his attention back to the grimoire he was perusing. The thick, leather-bound book contained many more magic spells and recipes.

            “Studying hard, little one?”

            “You don’t have to call me that, Lance-chan.” Ash said, not looking up.

            “I brought you iced cookies and lemonade.”

            “You did?” Ash’s eyes lit up and he grinned. “Thanks!”

            “Not a problem.”

 

            Ash munched cookies as he flickered through the lists of shadow and dark magic, his eyes glittering happily.

            “The more I learn, the more power I have and the more I can control my own fate.”

            “Good strategy.’ Charlotte commented.

            “You’re teaching me light magic too, to balance it.”

            “Isn’t that good?”

            Ash nodded and cast a shadow net spell on a random shadow creature. Satisfied, he dispersed it a few minutes later and banished the creature with his lightning wand.

            “They just keep coming.”

 

            “I know.” Charlotte said as she used Flamethrower to dispose of a few more shadow beings that had fallen into their dimension seconds ago.

            “Sheesh.”

            “Baka Serebii… she’s allowing this to happen.”

            “It’s her fault for creating the prophecy in the first place.”

            “You know, it’s a paradox. She hates it and yet she has to leave it be or else this dimension will be destroyed.”

            “Well, Serebii does have the Staff of Paradox.” The ice guardian mused. “Maybe she likes confusion.”

            “Or she just wants to torment us.”

            “That too.”

 

            “It’s just not fair.”

            “I know it isn’t.”

            “We just have to deal with it.” Charlotte said, before the other two guardians got into a spiel, or possibly worse, an argument. That would really wreck things.

            They both looked sheepish slightly and nodded. Charlotte discretely flooded the area with Sweet Scent to calm them both down.

 

            “I’m sorry, Lance-chan.’ Ash said softly.

            “It’s okay.” She replied, kissing him on top of the head. “Just take care of yourself.”

            “Hai…” Ash whispered as he felt her wrap him in a soothing blanket of chi. Even if he was older now, he still felt at a kid at times who had grown up too fast.

            At least they took care of him.

            They cared about him. Not like the lying ones who were only leeches in reality. If only he had been able to see through their false masks earlier.

            He couldn’t have everything, so he’d just have to be content with what he had.

            Forever…

 

            Lance flew back up towards Ash’s room, carrying the slumbering thunder guardian. “He’s still pretty innocent…”

            "You mean how you feel about him?"

            “He doesn’t see it? Impossible.”

            “I doubt he’s faking it though. Well, I’m off.” Charlotte said, spreading her flaming wings. “Think I’ll take a short flight to calm down.”

            “Fine by me. Call me if anything of interest happens.”

            “I will.”

 

           

            A few days later, Ash had just finished dealing with a group of bounty hunters who were after Articuno when something crash-landed in front of him.

            It was a girl.

            Quite a pretty-looking girl, with sparkly pink hair and green eyes, dressed in a sleeveless magenta top and white jean shorts.

            But what caught Ash’s attention was the strange green symbol glowing on her forehead. That did not click right…

            Not a tattoo?

 

            “Who are you?” Ash asked.

            “I’m May! The guardian of Houen!” She cheered.

            “… What?!”

            May winked. “You’re cute!” Ash didn’t have time to say anything else before she jumped him.

            < HELP! >

 

            Lance looked up from where she had been cataloging the library, quite an arduous task in itself, not to mention attention draining. “That does not sound good.”

            “Let’s go.” Charlotte said, activating her Fire Blade as her wings appeared. Lance nodded and followed her.

            The sight that met their eyes was unexpected, to say the least.

 

            “Get off him!” Lance said, yanking the girl off. * How dare she! He’s _mine_! By will and by right! *

            “Who says?” May asked in a simpering tone. “I’m a guardian too! Guardian of the Houen region!”

            Charlotte paused, as she had been about to stab the girl through the chest. “I knew something like this would happen… the legendaries of Houen do not split like the ones in Kanto and Johto. And there’s nothing in the prophecy about them.”

            “A convenient excuse for Serebii, don’t you think?” Lance rejoined, as Ash hid behind her.

            “Oh yes. What better way to destroy love than to introduce a new player? Especially one such as this, to tip the scales…”

 

            “Hey! Quit ignoring me! I’m a guardian too! Just because you came first-!” May said. She had her own pair of wings, they looked like they were made out of freshly plucked green leaves.

            “Grass-type. Interesting.” Lance said. “Weak to two, strong to one.”

            Charlotte nodded. “Well whoever you are, you don’t belong here.”

            “I resent that!” May said, as she batted her eyelashes. “Ash, you want me here, don’t you?”

            Ash looked ready to faint as he kept a death-grip on Lance’s cloak. “Lance-chan… make her go away… I don’t want to deal with this…”

            “Neither do we.” Lance said, as she used Teleport Ring to send May elsewhere. “Guess she’s Chosen for all the Houen legendaries.”

            ‘Seems like it.”

 

           

            < My Chosen. >

            Lance looked up as Lugia’s psychic voice sounded in her head. < Yes. >

            < I see you have met Serebii’s new puppet. >

            < Yes. > Lance could not completely keep the disgust out of her voice, it seemed to drip venom even through her icy tone. < We have… much in difference. >

            Lance felt more than heard the smile in Lugia’s voice. < She is nothing more than a temporary toy, Ice Guardian. >

            Lance’s eyes flared silver for a second.

            < Do not worry. When the cycle rebuilds itself, she shall be eliminated. Be calm, my Chosen, like your namesake and the blood that flows through your veins. >

            Lance nodded as Lugia withdrew from her mind. < I will. >

 

           

            < My Chosen. >
            < Shut up! > Ash snapped, cutting off his communication with Serebii. < I don’t care what you say, but May is not my soul mate! And I resent you setting this trap up to break the ice guardian and myself up! >

            Faint laughter sounded in his head. < Brave of you, my Chosen. To defy the time sprite. I’m proud of you. >

            < Zapdos, why? >

            < I cannot foretell the future, or why Serebii is so stubborn. > Zapdos replied. < But I will try to help you through her trials. >
            < I wish, sometimes I wish I had never become a guardian. I know its selfish, but-. Oh, you know what I can’t say. >

            < You are not the only one, my Chosen. We all know well what burden you all carry. > Zapdos replied.

            < Hai… >

 

           

End Chapter!

Hehehehe, on to the next one!

10/11/03 to 10/21/03