Chapter 14
"To Be A Master"
"…I'm impressed…You've already gotten farther than the other three trainers who challenged us this year," Lorelei told me with a smile.
…That was really nice of her……but something else was quickly bursting into my mind…
I'm not gonna last much longer…I've gotta get outta here…
"I think…I'm gonna……go……heal my Pokémon now……" I said weakly, "Bye……"
I turned and ran. I felt feverish…It was hard to run straight and open the door that I needed to open so desperately…When I got it open, I staggered into the locker room and fell onto the ground.
I tried to get up. I needed to make sure that Lorelei didn't follow me……
"Ash!?"
"Pikapi!!"
'Ash!!'
No…
I turned around, still sitting on the floor. The door opened up and Lorelei and Pikachu both entered the room.
"…Pikachu…" I whispered.
"Pika…"
'Ash…'
"Ash! Are you alright?" Lorelei asked in concern.
I closed my eyes in an effort to block out the changing brightness of the room.
Yes, I'm fine… I said, not realizing that I hadn't said that out loud.
"What…?…You're psychic!?"
No…
"No…" I said weakly.
Lying, lying, lying…
"You need to get out of here…" I pleaded.
I opened my eyes and tried to crawl forward, trying to force her out of the room…I fell onto my hands and couldn't move at all…
You need to leave. You have to leave me alone……I'll be fine…
"I can't leave now, not if you're hurt."
I'm not! Leave me alone!
"Ash…"
"Pikachu…"
'…Ash…'
I no longer had the strength to hold myself up…I felt the cold floor hit me on the cheek as I crashed down on it……I didn't try to get up again…
Lorelei… I begged, as my final attempt to get her to leave.
"Tell me what's wrong, Ash, and I'll try to help…" she said.
No…You can't……
…The knives…
I cried out in pain as they came, swift and dangerous……There was nothing left that I could do to fight back……
"Ash…You're……You're glowing……"
I opened my eyes halfway…I could barely make anything out……but I think she was right…
Now she knows too…
* * *
…Something was bright……
I blinked my eyes open and was nearly blinded.
"Mew…" I whined.
"…Is there an off switch?"
"Yes…Right there."
There was a click, and the light dimmed down…I dared to open my eyes again…
"…Ash? Is that really you?"
………Gary…? I asked.
I heard him gasp, then swallow.
As my vision became clearer, I saw two people standing in front of me…but I couldn't see their faces…I blinked, then sat up. As I looked around, I saw everyone standing around me.
"…You okay, Ash?" Misty asked.
Uh…Yeah……
I looked up to see what looked like a set of stadium lights above me.
What the…?
"…That's a Pokémon Reviver that you're sitting in right now," Lorelei said.
I glanced quickly at her. She had a strange look on her face…I wasn't sure what to make of it…
She knows now……Is she going to disqualify me…? Or maybe even something worse……
I remembered what that voice had said in my dream…"Humans and Mews do not mix well"……
Maybe I should have listened………
…but that doesn't make sense……Why would…Mews…evolve from humans if we weren't supposed to get along…?
"……Are you sure that you're really Ash?" Gary asked.
Yes, Gary. I'm sure I'm me.
"……How long have you been like this?" he asked.
You're making it sound as if I have a disease… I sighed, ……It's been about a week or two now…
"…So…this is a new thing?"
I guess so.
Gary shook his head in disbelief.
"Ash……" Lorelei began.
I turned to her, afraid of what she might say next.
"I've…never heard…of a Pokémon becoming a Pokémon Master before……"
There. That was it. One of the Elite Four had just spoken the magic words. I was done for. My dream had just gone up in smoke.
"……but then again, I've never heard of a Pokémon that actually trains other Pokémon……I'm going to have to speak with the others so we can decide what to do with you……"
……Does that mean I'm disqualified?
She laughed gently. "I never said that, Ash…"
* * *
"I can't believe you, Ash!" Gary exclaimed for the hundredth time.
So you've said… I sighed.
"I can't believe you would go and, and…evolve…without telling me!"
Well, for one thing, you weren't around to tell, and for another, why would you care? Since when did you start caring?
"I…!"
I think he realized that I had a point…Ever since we had become rivals, he just stopped caring about me…
"…Do you think they're gonna let you compete…?" Mayo asked.
I…hope so……
We were hanging around the lobby of the stadium, waiting for the Elite Four to come up with some decision……They'd been in there for a while now, and I was getting even more worried than I had been before.
"Ash……You knew you were going to faint, didn't you…" Brock said. It wasn't a question…He knew the answer.
There's no point in lying…I've already lied enough already.
……How could you tell?
"Well…It was the way you were acting before you did……You just panicked all of a sudden, and then you ran off to hide…Then you tried to get Prima to leave before you Transformed…It didn't work though, did it?"
No, it didn't, I said blandly.
"…I told you to be more careful, Ash…" Mom said, "…Why didn't you tell us about this?"
I couldn't think of a good answer…I decided not to say anything.
"Well, it's too late now," Misty said, "…At least you didn't get badly hurt."
Yeah, but I might……I might……not be able to compete anymore……
"…I don't know about you guys, but for all I know, we could all be hallucinating right now, and Ash never even evolved in the first place!" Gary said.
……This is real, Gary……
"Eh…urrrghh…"
There was the sound of footsteps approaching, and we all looked up to see Prima entering the lobby. She had a small smile on her face.
"Well, Ash…It looks like we're going to let you compete after all…"
Really!!?
"Mm-hm," she nodded, "but you just have to remember that we're not going to go easy on you…"
…YEESSSS!!!! I cheered.
I jumped for joy but forgot just how high Mews can jump, and I almost ended up smashing into the ceiling.
Lorelei laughed softly. "Good luck on your next match, Ash…"
"……You're gonna need it," Gary added.