I am still writing! Yay!

Chapter 16: Think of me – VS Gyarados

            Ash chewed his rice balls quietly as he tried to figure out how to get past the traps in Koga's gym.

            "Ash, you dropped this." Lance said, handing him a chopstick. "You seem tired. Maybe you should rest."

            'That might be good." Ash agreed.

            Lance nodded seriously. "Well, you have to take care of yourself."

            "Thank you, Lance."

            Ash finished his rice balls quickly, with a strange feeling in his gut. He wasn't quite sure what it was though.

            It wasn't fear.

            Star nibbled on the last rice ball.

            Lance had gotten up and was talking to the cashier, who was doing a very good job of pathetic flirting.

            The dragon master rolled his eyes, tossed the cash on the counter, and walked out the door.

            Red quickly ran to catch up.

            "Wait!"

            "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." Lance told him. "I just needed some fresh air."

            "Honto ni?"

            "Hai."

            Reassured, Red watched as Lance and his pokemon basked in the sunlight. It was so strange.

            Sometimes, he wondered if Lance had two personalities.

            No, that wasn't it. They were all the same pieces of one heart.

            Just, different.

            Lance, every time I look at you, I think I see who I could be. You know, it scares me…

            You're ice and fire at the same time, and I don't know what to do…

            I'm not even sure if we're friends. Is that wrong of me?

            We've only known each other for such a short time…

            A rock to the head soon cut him out of those musings.

            A short girl with pink hair in a ponytail glared. "Hey! I asked you for a pokemon battle!"
            "I didn't hear you." Ash replied coolly.

            "I'm Lacey! And I will defeat you!"

            Lance looked amused. "I'll referee."

            As Lacey dropped a poke ball and out emerged a Raticate, Ash's smile grew progressively wider.

            In an instant, Skarmory was beating it to a pulp.    

            "Raticate! Bite!"

            Skarmory just shook off the pathetic move and used Drill peck.

            Lacey screamed, recalling her Rat pokemon and switching for a Vulpix.

            "Skarmory… return." Ash said, half-dazed. "Poli?"

            Without another word, poliwrath jumped onstage and attacked with Doubleslap. Vulpix used Flamethrower, but little damage was done.

            Then, poliwrath seismic tossed vulpix to the ground.

            Vulpix staggered back up, getting ready to use Confuse Ray. However, a Water Gun hit it between the eyes and it gave up.

            "Last one." Lance said, smirking.

            Ash turned slightly towards the sound, brown eyes still partially unfocused. His mind was still spinning.

            "Go! Beedrill!"

            As Beedrill flew towards ash, Ash didn't move. Lance frowned, wondering what the trainer was trying to pull.

            But at the last minute, Beedrill's stingers hit empty air.

            Skarmory had once again reappeared, protecting his trainer as Swift flew at beedrill, the stars dealing considerable damage.

            "Steel Wing." Ash whispered.

            It was the end of that game too.

            Lacey continued to wail and tried to sob into Ash's shirt, unfortunately, the attempt failed as Ash was still in the air.

            "Shall we go?"

            "Yes, let's." Ash said, obediently following Lance after collecting his pokemon. "I don't want to waste any more time with an inferior trainer like that."

            Lance nodded in understanding, taking Ash's hand as they walked towards the gym together.

            I'm still so confused. Is it wrong for me to like him? Do I even know him well enough to make that claim? How do I know its not just lust?

            Strange, strange…

            What do I do? I can't keep phasing out to think like this, they'll notice something is wrong.

            What can I do?

            Gyarados and Lapras were soaking in a nearby pond together.

            Lapras blushed when she remembered how they had met on Cinnabar. She had just been swimming when she had seen a tentacruel picking on some baby Magikarp and intervened.

            Then, she had met the Gyarados.

            If there was a classic case of love at first sight, this was it. The father had been immensely grateful to the savior of his children.

            They needed a mother, she having been captured. Fortunately, by the time Ash left Cinnabar, the Magikarp could survive on their own, so Gyarados joined his team.

            Now, he and Lapras were inseparable.

            Gyarados did not hate his new master, who held the life of his mate.

            He is kinder than most, and that is enough for me. Also, he knows how to take care of hurt pokemon. So he is like one of the nice nurse humans. Plus, he knew of my children and did not attack me with the electric mouse as soon as he saw me.

            I do not hate him.

            Sometimes, though, he seems scared. It is strange. What?

            It is not power, he is strong. Very strong indeed…

            Were he a Gyarados, I think he would make a good one.

            Gyarados rested his head on Lapras's shell, falling asleep.

End Chapter

Completed 3/15/04