Another fic

Title: What you see

Disclaimer: If I owned pokemon, I would not be reduced to writing fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me. So, do not steal it.

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

Pairings: Implied Championshipping (Ash x Lance) And Almostchampionshipping (Ash x Karen)

Chapter 1

 

            “Lance?”

            The Champion looked up from his desk as his videophone came on screen. “Champion speaking. Who is it?”

            Agatha’s face looked flushed. “We have a problem.”

            Lance closed his eyes, repressing a sigh. “All right. What sort of a problem.”

            “You know how pokedexes have tracking signals?”

            “Yes…”

            “Well, Pallet Trainer number Seventy-two has lost contact.”

            “His pokédex is malfunctioning?”

            “No. It’s not picking up his vital signs. Pokédexes can function at a distance of ten miles, so we’re worried…”

            “I understand.” Lance said. “Where was his last known location?”

            “Lavender Town.”

            The Champion groaned. Idiot trainers… “Are you going to take a look then?”

            “Yes. If you don’t hear back in a week, send Lorelei. Or Karen.”

            “Understood.”

            Lance sighed. Trainers, trainers, they were always being brave and stupid. When will they ever learn that life isn’t all roses and fun?

            He turned back to his report.

           

            Ash was frightened. He didn’t know how to go back into his body anymore. But he wasn’t dead! He wasn’t! He looked at the ghost pokemon around him helplessly and they shrugged.

            Oh no…

            This could not be good under any circumstances. He really didn’t want to be dead! What if he turned into a ghost pokemon or something? That would be horrible!

            Ash tried not to cry, but the tears came anyway…

 

            < Hush, child you’re fine. >

            He jumped and saw a transparent old woman there. < Who are you? >

            < I’m Agatha, the Ghost Master of the Elite. You must be Ash Ketchum. >

            <Yes. > He sniffled.

            < Oh dear me…. You’ve left your physical body completely. This could be a problem… > Agatha closed her eyes as she focused on Ash. * He’s still ‘alive’, but his body is in a coma and unless his spirit returns soon, his body will die…. Ah, the mind and body difference is here again… *

            Ash looked scared.

            Agatha tried to reassure him. < Child, just try to get back into your body and everything should be fine. >          

“But I can’t! There’s a wall blocking me!” Ash wailed.

            < A wall? > Agatha peered closely. Yes, there was a barrier – quite a powerful one too… oh dear.

            < Lance…. >

 

            The Dragon Master looked up from his paperwork. < Agatha? >

            < We have a problem. >

            < Do tell. >

            < Well…. > Agatha paused, < There’s a barrier preventing Ash Ketchum’s spirit from returning to his body. No one knows how it got there. The resident ghosts certainly didn’t put it up, so…. >

            There was a few seconds of silence. Then, Lance came back online. < Agatha? Do you think that Brick Break would work? >

            < That new move that’s supposed to be able to shatter barriers? I’m not sure Lance, but it’s worth a try… >

            < All right. Kairyuu and I will be over in a second. >

 

            A few minutes later, a Champion on a Dragonite swooped into the Tower. Ash blinked and watched as Dragonite performed a complex-looking move on the air space above his body.

            A few cracks developed in the astral barrier, but that was all.

            < Hmm… > Agatha said thoughtfully. < That’s odd. >

            < Tell me about it. > Lance replied. < Ash? >

            Ash jumped.

            < It’s me. What color is the barrier? >

            < Color? Um… blue. > He said, after a pause. Lance nodded.

            < Blue it is. > Lance narrowed his eyes and nodded to Kairyuu. < Use Ice Beam. >

            A solid block of ice froze Ash’s body. A minute later, a Fire Blast melted it all to water. And joyfully, the barrier was gone!

            Lance smirked. < Done. >

            < Impressive. > Agatha said dryly.

            Ash cheerfully slipped back into his body and thanked the two Elite. He then noticed that he was under a chandelier still.

            “HELP!”

            Dragonite easily lifted it off him. Ash took a few deep breaths, satisfied that he could once again breathe.

            Yay!

            “Thank you very much!”

            < Tis no problem, Ash. >

            < We’ll be seeing you around… >

            Lance and Dragonite took off after that.           

           

            Pikachu was eternally grateful to be back in the land of the living again. He hugged Ash tightly.

            < Ash? What were you doing here in Lavender Town? I thought this area was off-limits to trainers. >

            Ash blushed under Agatha’s scrutinizing glare. “Er… well… I wanted to catch a ghost pokemon so I could beat Sabrina!”

            Agatha laughed. < A noble goal, but psychic pokemon are also weak to bug and dark pokemon, Ash… >

            “Bug?”

            < Yes. I advise that… perhaps a bug pokemon would be more fitting. >

            “Okay! Thank you!”

            Ash collected his pokemon and rushed off to find a bug pokemon…

            Pity he had released Butterfree…

            Oh, he was tired first… maybe he should take a nap…

            Ash yawned as he fell asleep, and that was how Misty and Brock found him hours later.

 

End Chapter

Completed 8/23/05

Heh. NOOBS – annoying. Just because you keep saying I’m hot doesn’t mean I’ll give you free stuff.

*Yawns*

Phantomness runs off to do dancing…