And… chapter 2!

Disclaimer: If you think I own pokemon, your next stop after reading this fanfic ought to be a Pokemon Center… where they can check you up! ^^

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

Haven’t decided on fic pairing yet…

I did get a request for an Ash x Flannery but this seems leaning towards something else… maybe I’ll multiship… *thinks*

Chapter 2

< Hi guys. >

“Ack!” Misty grabbed her head.

Ash blinked. < Huh? >

You’re not talking! Your mouth isn’t moving! Pikachu cried.

< I’m not? > Ash blinked. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. < I… I… >

“Talk with your mouth, Ash!” Brock said. The telepathic words were… understood, but they came out like jagged bits of glass, and his head was throbbing!

Ash opened his mouth, took a deep breath. “Hi.”

Misty removed her hands from her ears, as ineffectual as that endeavor had been. “Oh. When were you a psychic?”

“I don’t know. It just kind of happened.” He said truthfully.

“Really?” Misty sounded incredulous. “It just kind of happened?”

“Well, yes.” He said. He yawned. < So, I still haven’t caught a ghost pokemon. Agatha said to get a bug, and that would probably work better… >

“Huh?”

He noticed they were clutching their heads again. < Oops. >

“Just quit talking in telepathy! You remind us of that freaky bitch!”

Freaky… what?

Ash sorted through those words and his expression slid to one of anger. < Don’t say that! >

“What? You’re defending her? She turned us into little dolls!”

< You don’t know anything! Just because she hurts doesn’t mean you can attack her! You’re the bloody hypocrite! > Ash shrieked, and then Misty became aware of an excruciating agony throbbing within her cranium and she tipped over and fell in a nice little heap.

Ash growled.

Brock decided that backing away slowly might be a good idea. Perhaps his friend was possessed?

He didn’t want to deal with Ash if he were!

But Ash’s eyes weren’t glowing red or blue, so what was up?

Ash’s eyes focused again. “Brock? Did you want something?”

“Uh, that was scary…”

< Oh dear. > Another voice spoke up. < This could be a problem… >

Ash looked up and met the eyes of a blonde girl with amethyst eyes in a short black dress. By her side was a black pokemon that looked kind of like an Eevee. Next to her was Agatha.

“Hi?” He squeaked, wondering if he’d done something wrong again. * Am I in trouble? Oh no! *

< Ash. We have a problem. > Agatha said. < It seems that you have been combined with a ghost pokemon. >

“Huh? Wait, what?”

< You remember Gastly and Gengar from Pokemon Tower? They’re gone… and Haunter here seems pretty convinced that they came with you. But since you haven’t captured any more pokemon, we’re assuming that they’re inside of you now. >

Ash blanched “Oh no…”

< Oh yes… >

“Great. Just great.” Ash sighed. < How do I get them out there? >

“I think they’re there to stay.” Agatha said. “Karen?”

The girl nodded. “Umbreon, Mean Look!”

The black eevelution’s eyes glowed bright scarlet and began to scan over Ash, inch by inch… several long moments passed, but then Umbreon shook his head.

They’re not there, not really… they really have vanished into him, so…

“I suppose it was only to be expected…” Ash sighed. * Why can’t life ever be normal? It’s not fair! *

A strange tingling sensation began to register in his body.

Karen recalled Umbreon sadly. “Well, there’s nothing we can do.”

Brock finally worked up his courage and rushed to Karen’s side. “Young lady, is there anything I could do to help a beautiful woman like yourself?’

Karen blinked and looked at Agatha helplessly.

< He’s… a problem, my dear granddaughter. >

< Ah… >

Karen looked at Brock. “Actually, there is.”

“Really?” Hearts began to spin around Brock’s head. Oh, lucky day!

“Sure.” Karen grinned. “Here. Take this pokemon to the Big P Pokemon Ranch for me.” She pressed a poke ball into his hands.

Brock swooned as their hands met for a minute. “I’ll guard this with my life!” He vowed. He then resolved to get a good look at what pokemon was in the poke ball. Maybe it was rare! As a breeder, it was his duty to study all pokemon!

“Yes, whatever…” Karen looked at Ash. Then she looked back at her Grandmother. < Grandmother, is he…? >

< Do you think you should? >

< I’ll do it. > Karen smiled. < Ash? >

< Yes? > Ash blinked. Oh. She was kind of pretty. But…

< How would you like to take lessons from me? >

< Lessons? Like what? > His eyes slid towards red again, but then shifted blue a second later.

< Well, interesting things, like how to utilize your ghost powers… Grandmother’s too old and too busy to do it, but… >

“Cool!” Ash said.

Karen laughed. < I guess we both understand then. > She offered him her hand, he took it, and away they vanished…

Brock sighed. * Ash, you lucky dog! *

Agatha watched for a second longer before she also faded away. It wasn’t quite precisely teleportation – it was a little different, perhaps it was closer to…. How should it be said? Mist? Fading into mist or shadows and reappearing at a later location. Yes, that would do well…

Ash looked around as they landed on their feet. He felt light and airy. It must be a side effect of being a ghost. But he was still solid, wasn’t he?

He was getting confused…

Karen tossed him something – a fruit? It was an interesting pinkish color. He ate it and felt much better afterwards.

“Confusion cure.” Karen said. “You are part-pokemon now so things will be disorienting until your body sorts itself out again.”

“I see…”

No, he did not quite see, but he wasn’t that stupid either. Whatever was going to happen now would be difficult, and the better condition he was in, the better his lessons would go, right? He hoped so.

“Well,” Karen said, as he finished, “I suppose we’ll start now…”

End Chapter

Completed 8/26/05, Started 8/23/05