Dances in

Lance: sweatdrops

Phantomness: What? I made you more naïve this time.

Lance: I can see that…

Timeline: 2 weeks

Chapter 23: Practice: VS Quagsire

            Ash proudly held his Earth Badge aloft. "I did it! Now on to Indigo!"

            "Yes, you did." Lance said. "There was never any doubt."

            "Honto ni?"

            "Of course, didn't I just tell you to believe in yourself?"

            "Hai."

            Lance smiled as the three baby birds flew around Ash's living room. They were playing aerial tag, but being careful not to knock anything over.

            Precious little lives, they were.

            All of Ash's pokemon protected them carefully, and they hid when other people came around. Most humans were not trustworthy and would probably try to steal them.

            Articuno tagged Moltres, who flew out the window.

            Careful! Skarmory said, following her.

            I know!

            Skarmory followed Moltres as they roamed the air for a good hour, before going back home.

            Zapdos and Articuno were sleeping, guarded by Pidgeot and Fearow. The pokémon took their own job of protection very seriously.

            "You have another three months." Lance said. "And then, Indigo awaits."

            "I think I'm ready."

            Lance beamed. I'm glad… and if anything happens, I'll be right there to protect him. Always.

            Ash smiled, as if he had caught that thought. Of course he couldn't read minds, but he wasn't empathic for nothing.

            Of course, everything came with a catch.

            He couldn't feel much from Lance, just affection. Red didn't think that was love, but only friendship.

            It saddened him somewhat.

            However, Ash decided to look on the bright side. Lance had promised to stay with him, and that was worth enough.

            He didn't want to gamble their friendship on the stakes of uncertain love.

            He wasn't even sure he was in love!

            That would be a very stupid thing to do.

            A roar sounded.

            Ash jumped up, releasing Aeroy, who caught the pokemon with a Hyper Beam to the chest.

            The strange blue pokemon growled.

            Ash took a look. It was quite strangely shaped, a little like a hippopotamus.

            "What is that?"

            "Looks like a water-type." Lance said. "But maybe it's only half water."

            "Aeroy's weak to ice. But we'll try and get first hit. Rock Slide!"

            A hail of rocks showered over the pokémon.

            Ash's eyes sparkled as Aeroy finished his attack. "Let's see if that did enough damage."

            The Quagsire dug itself out and charged, spitting Water Guns out.

            "Well, it is part water." Ash said. "Venus! Razor Leaf!"

            This time, the hail of leaves took their toll in cuts and bruises. Quagsire leaped up and slammed into the ground, starting an Earthquake.

            Lance and Ash both jumped onto their Aerodactyls, taking off. Venus stood her ground, a series of vine whips tying it up.

            Quagsire struggled, but could not break free. Satisfied, Venus extended another vine and sprayed the air full of Sleep Powder.

            Once it was safe, Ash threw a poke ball.

            Quagsire was caught!

            Ash clipped the poke ball onto his belt, praised Venus, and then walked on. Soon, he found another Quagsire.

            This one was guarding a nest of eggs.

            "Well, I'm not going to attack a mating female." Ash said, walking onwards.

            Quagsire watched until he was gone before she felt safe again. You couldn't trust humans, at least not most of them. And it was better to be safe than sorry. Infinitely better that way…

            Raichu yawned.

            She was sleeping next to a group of other pokemon inside Ash's house. A few acorns rested near her head.

            Yum…

            So what if she wasn't eloquent? She was a Raichu, not an Alakazam! She did not need to be insanely smart.

            Sometimes, intellect detracted from humanity.

            That was another reason she was glad Ash wasn't some super genius. They tended to be cold.

            And it was no fun having a cold trainer, no fun at all.

            "Thunder!"

            Lance jumped and twisted in midair, avoiding the attack. "Sorry, Ash." His wings glittered as he moved. "But I'm still faster."

            "I wasn't trying to hit you!" Ash protested.

            The target Noctowl charged, but another Thunder attack hit it first.

            Star looked extremely pleased with herself. Ash pulled out a Great Ball and added another pokemon to his collection.

            Lance landed behind Red. "Calm down...."

            Ash jumped. "How did you-."

            "I can teleport too."

            "Oh…"

            "I suppose you didn't notice me."

            "Actually, I did, but I was focusing on the Noctowl. I didn't expect such a dispersed electric attack."

            "Neither did I. Strange…"

            Lance cut his musings short. "Well, its getting dark. What say you that we return home?"
            'Sounds good."

            Lance nodded as he picked Ash up and flew them back to Pallet. Ash tried hard not to blush during the trip, but it was difficult.

            Lance was carrying him the whole way, after all.

End Chapter

Complete 3/22/04