Midsummer Nights

By Trish.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, nor the title of the song that the chapter titles come from. Lucius is co-owned by Mia. Callie, Flory and Poppy are mine. Poptart belongs to my 'twin' Jenn.

Dedicated in loving memory of all those who died in the bomb explosions in Bali.

~*~

Chapter Five: Oops!…I did it again

The morning dawned brightly to find a chestnut-haired figure sprawled behind some bushes in the local park. Puck had crashed there after leaving the bar, not caring where he ended up.

For as far as he was concerned, the world had ended that afternoon. Mia had forsaken him, despite her promise to him two years before. Humans were such fickle creatures, he was a fool to have ever trusted one with his heart.

Just then a voice whispered in his head. "Heeeeeeey Dude."

Puck sat up with a start and winced as his world seemed to spin. He was so dizzy!! "Who? What? Where?" he spluttered.

"Heavy night on the tiles, duude." a small cat-like Pokémon floated before his startled eyes. Only thing was, this one was blue. Blue with pink flowers all over, plus a headband and a peace sign pendant around its neck.

"Dude?"

"Peace Man," the Mew gave a peace sign. "I'm a Flower Mew..."

Puck just blinked. He was positive that the bartender had only given him just straight whiskey... "You are Weird."

The Mew sighed. "Now why does everyone say that?"

Puck just shook his head. "Now if you'll just excuse me, I have some mischief to do to some humans."

"OOOOOH!" the Pokémon squealed making Puck wince. "I just looooooooove mischief!!! Can I join in? Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh?"

"Only if you stop squealing," Puck grumbled. "Some of us have a splitting headache."

"I'll be good!"

"That's better." Puck frowned. "Now what to do..."

"Turn someone into a Pokémon?"

"Ah why not," Puck agreed. "But what?"

The Mew tumbled in mid-air. "Something cute and adorable like meeeee?"

Puck snapped his fingers. "Got it!" He grinned and began the incantation. "Select a random two. Turn them into Pikachus."

~*~

At two different places things happened. On a nearby footpath, a small female Pikachu blinked to find a pair of oversized spectacles on its face.

While in a hotel room, two female Pikachus were staring at the male Pikachu who had suddenly taken the place of their master.

~*~

"Oh dear".

"Now what?" Puck asked.

"Er....you just turned the Grand Master and Chosen One into a Pikachu," the Mew babbled. "His disappearance would spark a massive search! Turn him back! Turn him back!"

"I can't!" Puck wailed. "I never was any good at learning spells that undo things!"

"Well then make a double and quickly!"

"Roses are red, Violets are blue. Please ensure that Ash Ketchum has a double too!"

~*~

Back in the hotel room, three Pikachus blinked to see another 'Pikapi' suddenly appear.

The male Pikachu toppled over in a faint.

~*~

"Is he exactly like him?"

"Exactly," Puck grinned. "Down to every thought, word and deed."

"How are you going to tell them apart?"

"The copy has lighter brown eyes." Puck stated. "Now what else can we do?"

~*~

The female Pikachu had managed to scamper up to the doorway of a well-kept villa. But there was no way she could reach the doorknob. She jabbered away angrily, kicking up such a fuss that finally the door was opened to see what all the fuss was about.

Jenn looked out the door to see what all the racket was about. She saw....no one.

'PIKA!"

Except a small fuzzy electric ball of fluff on the doormat.

~*~

The blonde stared at the Pokémon who stared back at her. What was a Pikachu doing on their front doorstep? Certainly they were known to be sociable little creatures, but they usually didn't pay home visits.

And the only Pikachu that Jenn knew, or that any of the girls knew for that matter was the Grand Master's Pikachu. And why would Ash's Pikachu come here?

"Are you Ash's Pikachu?" she questioned the Pokémon.

"Pi" the tiny mouse shook its head.

"Um...kay." Jenn was at a loss as to what to do next. However it is rude to leave a visitor standing on your doorstep so.... "Um, would you like to come in?"

The Pokémon scampered into the house and Jenn closed the door behind it. She saw Trish come out of the bathroom, where she had rushed to before being physically sick. Jenn was becoming quite worried about her. It had been two weeks now and her friend still had not shaken that 'stomach bug.' Maybe Jenn should drag her to the doctor...

Jenn was interrupted in her thoughts by the Pokémon launching itself with a squeal of delight at her dark-haired friend. And so a startled Trish found her arms full of Pikachu.

Jenn stared. "Um...Trish, since when did you get a Pikachu?"

"This Pikachu isn't mine!" Trish spluttered. "I mean I've never seen this Pikachu before in my life!"

The Pikachu pouted and its ears drooped. "Piiiii"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Trish said hurriedly and gave the little mouse a gentle hug. "But I don't know who you are."

In answer the Pokémon started chattering rapidly. "Pikachu Pika cha Pika!"

The two girls looked at each other and shrugged. "Did you understand that?" Trish asked her friend.

The blonde shook her head. "I never learned Pikachuese..."

The pint sized mouse sighed, then suddenly leapt down from Trish's arms and scampered into Dana's room before either girl could say a word. A few minutes later it was back, carrying a small photo of Richie and a felt tip marker. The Pikachu leapt up onto the dining room table and then turned to Trish with the pen and chirped.

"You want me to take the lid of the marker off?" the dark-haired girl asked.

"Pi."

Trish did so and handed the pen back to the Pokémon. The two girls watched as the tiny creature then bent over the photo for a few minutes.

A few seconds later it turned back and held up the photo. A dress and a curly wig had been drawn over Richie's body.

The friends gasped. There was only one person that they knew who would do something like that....

"D..Dana?" Trish asked in disbelief.

The Pokémon cheered and glomped first Trish and then Jenn.

"Yup," Jenn declared after catching the small creature in mid-air as it tried to do a fair imitation of a coiled spring. "It sure is Dana."

"But what happened to her?"

"I have no idea... and how are we going to tell her apart from any other Pikachu?"

Trish left the room and returned a minute later with a pink ribbon which she tied in a bow around the mouse's neck. "There you go, Dana".

"Chu," the Pokémon cooed.

~*~

Meanwhile...

"I'm a little teapot, short and stout.. "

Puck stared as the Mew changed itself into a flowered teapot. "You. Are. Insane."

"Aww...", the teapot pouted and cried. "Why does everyone say that?"

~*~

Joanne grumbled to herself as she turned her hotel room upside down in a so far futile effort to find her errant Pokémon.

Ashura, her Mew had been missing for an hour, and she had no idea where he had gone. Though, she sighed, its not as if its the first time he's done this. Sometimes she wondered whether she should put a radio tracking collar around the little imp's neck.

~*~

"Ash"

The Grand Master blinked open his eyes to see Pikachu and her daughter Poppy looking at him with concern. He sat up and nearly keeled over at the revelation that he had little yellow paws and a jagged tail like a lightning bolt. Oh my God! I'm a Pikachu!!

"What happened?" he asked weakly.

Pikachu shrugged. "We don't know. All of a sudden, you turned into a Pikachu and then a minute later, your clone appeared."

Ash stared at his human double, which was rather freaky. But...and he sighed inwardly, it wasn't as if strange things hadn't happened to him before. In fact it seemed to be a regular part of his life. "So what do we do?" he wanted to know.

Pikachu frowned, then turned to her daughter. "Poppy dear, could you go and fetch your Uncle Meowth?"

"Yes, Mum." Poppy obediently scampered out of the room.

A few minutes later she returned with the Scratch Cat Pokémon.

"Hey Pik. What's up?"

Pikachu grinned and indicated Ash. "Meowth, this is Ash."

The cat's eyes grew as large as saucers. "Meeeeeeeeowth!!! Is dat really you Twerp?"

Ash sighed. "Yes it is."

"Den who's dat?" Meowth's eyes darted between Ash and the other Ash.

"My double?"

"What happened?"

"Your guess is as good as ours."

"Meowth, we need to get Pikapi to a safe place," Pikachu spoke up. "Can you explain to the double that he has to cover for Pikapi?"

"Sure! Which is basically being all Grand Master Dude and gettin bopped on the head by Mrs Twerp!"

~*~

Fifteen minutes later...

Jenn rose to answer the door with a sigh. The doorbell had rung whilst she and Trish were trying to think of a good alibi for Danachu, their private nickname for their friend-turned-Pokémon.

Her eyes widened as she saw three Pikachu and a Meowth lined up on the doorstep. Is there some sort of Pokémon Convention being held here? the blonde wondered.

"Hey, Jenn," the cat greeted.

"Meowth!" Jenn exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" She also noticed that one of the Pikachu was rather big around the stomach area. She must be pregnant. The only pregnant Pikachu I know of is Ash's. "And that must be Pikachu."

Pikachu chirped and Meowth smirked. "Dat's right! If ya let us all in, I can explain tha situation."

Jenn stepped forward and scooped up the pregnant Pikachu in her arms. "Can't have you walking too much, Sweetie." She carried her inside and the three other Pokémon followed.

Trish looked up from where she was ensconced on the couch with Danachu beside her. "Who was that, Jenn?" her voice trailed off as she noticed the Pokémon. "Oh.."

"Hi, Trish," Meowth greeted. "How ya doing?"

"I'm fine," the dark-haired girl answered.

"Fibber," Jenn quipped to which Trish stuck out her tongue.

"Say, " Meowth spoke up. "Who's da Pikachu next to you?"

"Oh...," Trish glanced at Dana then at Jenn. "Er...this is my new Pokémon."

Poppy hopped up to Danachu and sniffed her. "Pika!!!" she chirped in greeting and Dana chirped back.

Jenn handed Pikachu to Trish, and the small ball of fluff settled comfortably on the girl's lap. Jenn then sat down in the chair opposite. "So what brings you here?"

Pikachu started to chatter away and Meowth translated. "See, Pikachu has a family friend who's come ta visit. But tings are dicey when hot-headed Misty is wid da bun in da oven. So Pik here, wants Jenn ta look after her friend."

Jenn was shocked. "Really?"

"Really."

"But...why me?"

"Pikachu Pipika." Pikachu winked at the blonde.

"'Cuz she knows dat you will take good care of her friend."

"I'm honoured," Jenn smiled. And she was.

The blonde leaned over and picked up the Pikachu that was shoved forward by Poppy. She held the tiny mouse up to eye level and studied it. This little one had the most gorgeous mahogany brown eyes she had ever seen..

"You think I should put a pink bow on it?" she asked Trish, but her friend didn't answer as she put Pikachu carefully off her lap before rushing off to the bathroom.

"Pika." the Pikachu's cheeks sparked in warning.

"It's a he," Meowth smirked.

"Oh," Jenn looked at the Pokémon and then gave him a gentle hug. "He's sooooo cute!!!" She failed to see a faint blush steal across the mouse's cheeks. "What's his name?"

"His name is Sato."

"I've caught a Satochu!" Jenn stood up with the Pikachu in one arm and struck an Ash Victory pose.

The rest of the room just sweatdropped.

Trish walked back into the room, and sat down on the couch wearily.

Jenn fixed her 'sister' with a frown. "Sick again?"

The dark-haired girl just nodded.

Meowth looked at the Aussie. "You still sick?"

Trish leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes. "It's been two weeks, and I'm still not over this damn stomach bug."

"That's it, Sis," Jenn said firmly. "You and I are going to pay a visit to the doctors tomorrow!"

The other girl sat up with a start. "The doctors? No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Y'know," Meowth interrupted the two girls. "Ya could be in da family way, like Pik here.."

Trish went pale, but shook her head vehemently. "No way!"

"It could be..."

"Well... I'm not!" But there was a note of uncertainty in her voice.

"Which is even more reason why I'm taking you to see the doctors," Jenn insisted. "That way we can be completely certain as to whether you are, or are not with bun in oven."

"But I don't want to go!"

"And why not?"

"Because..because people will talk and..."

"You're going."

"No! I mean I'll get over it by myself.." she broke off as Dana turned to her, cheeks sparking. "Okay, I'll go," she said quickly.

"Good girl," Jenn smirked.

~*~

A few minutes later the girls were making their way towards Starmiebucks where they were to meet Drake, Christine, Richie and Jaime. Both of them carried the two new Pokémon, Danachu and Satochu...

When they arrived, they were greeted by their friends. "Say, Trish, where's Dana?" Richie questioned, not seeing his girlfriend anywhere.

"Uh, Dana was called away on a top secret ITEO mission," Trish said smoothly. "She had to leave immediately."

Jenn marvelled at the way her friend handled it. See, sometimes working in politics helped - like in the lying department.

"Where did she go? Can you tell me?"

Trish grinned. "Richie, Richie. Of course I can't."

"Why not?" he pouted.

"Because it's a top secret mission and therefore classified. "Need to Know" basis. And you don't need to know."

The two girls sat down next to Drake and they placed the two Pikachu on their laps.

Jaime's eyes gleamed. "Where did those two Pikachu come from?"

"Uh, she followed me home?"

"And I caught mine!" Jenn grinned.

"You did not," Trish retorted.

"Meanie" the blonde pouted

"What's her name?" Drake asked. Dana just batted her eyes at the Orange Crew Leader and attempted her cutest look.

"Dana."

"Uh, why did you name your Pokémon after Dana?" Richie asked.

"Er...because she's small, cute and cuddly, just like Dana?" Trish said weakly.

"And she glomps," Jenn added.

"And what's your one's name?" Jaime begged.

"Sato"

"Ooooh can I cuddle him, pwease???"

Jenn reluctantly handed over her new pet, and Jaime immediately hugged him tight. "Oooh what a cute widdle mousey wousey!!

Jaime held out the mouse and looked at him. "You know I could dress you two up in matching baby outfits."

Satochu began to spark, and Jenn hastily rescued him from Jaime's hands.

~*~

Once safely back on Jenn's lap, Ash saw the other Pikachu look at him. "Close call"

"Yeah." Ash peered closer at the female Pikachu. "Dana is that really you?"

"Uh-huh," the female Pikachu replied. "And....Ash???"

"Oooh look!!!" Jaime cooed. "Your Pikachus are chatting!!!"

"What happened to you?"

"Same thing that happened to me, I guess," Ash shrugged. "All of a sudden, bam I was a Pikachu"

"Yeah me too..." Dana grinned slyly. "And Jenn is looking after you too..."

"Yeah, Pik insisted. She said that Jenn would treat me right"

"She sure would!!!" Dana chuckled. "If only she knew..."

"Oh Ashy!" Dana suddenly cheered and glomped the unsuspecting Pikachu

The two tumbled off the girls' laps and under the table.

"Say," Drake grinned. "Your two Pokémon are getting rather frisky..."

"Jenn, maybe you should get yours neutered," Richie suggested. "I had Sparky fixed…"

A horrified squeak came from under the table.

Satochu scrambled up Jenn's legs and burrowed into the crook of her arms.

Jenn looked down with a smile. "Somehow I don't think he likes that, Richie."

"But Sparky…."

"That's your Pokémon, Richie. Besides Sparky's rather effeminate…"

"Touche, Jenn," Trish grinned as Danachu (who was now back on her lap) started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Richie scowled at the little electric ball of fluff.

Jenn looked down at her Pokémon who was now sound asleep in her arms. "No neutering for you, Sweetie. You want to stay a real man, don't you?"

Dana grinned at Jenn. Ah, if only she knew….But I'm not going to tell her…

~*~


Later that night….

Jenn was getting ready for bed, and Satochu was sitting there, looking all cute and fluffy. She had given him a bath and had towelled him dry.

The blonde dressed in her usual night attire and stated to the Pokémon. "Tomorrow, we shall drag Trish to the doctors whether she likes it or not." Jenn had made the appointment despite the protests of her friend…

She picked the small Pokémon up and placed him on one side of her queen-sized bed. "There you go, Cutie pie."

She slid in the other side and lay down. "Nice bed…."

The Pikachu looked at her with his big mahogany eyes. "Pika"

"You know what?" Jenn addressed the Pokémon sleepily. "I'll tell you a secret…and I know you won't tell. Your friend Pikachu's Master is a real hottie!"

She failed to see the Pokémon's eyes widen. "Pi?" he squeaked.

"Yeah, " Jenn murmured. "Ash is so cute, and kind, and he's got a great body. I fell on top of him in the surf once, and that wet shirt…..very very grrrr…"

Satochu burrowed his head under the pillow. He was sooo embarrassed!

"And y'know what else? I only dated that scum Gary Oak because I couldn't have Ash…"

The lump under the pillow blinked.

~*~

The next morning, Jenn woke up and stretched luxuriously between the sheets. One movement of her arm uncovered Satochu who was sleeping soundly curled up in a small ball on one side of the queen-sized bed.

The blonde felt somewhat better having unburdened herself to the small Pokémon. It had been a huge secret, and it was quite an achievement for her to keep such a secret to herself. Not even her 'twin' Trish knew the real reason why she had dated Gary Oak - because she couldn't have the guy that she really wanted - Ash Ketchum.

Of course Trish knew how she felt about the Pokémon Grand Master, that was no secret. But she didn't know how badly Jenn was in love with him.

Not that Jenn would ever try to break up Ash's marriage to Misty, despite the fact that she felt that Misty never appreciated her husband at his full value. No, married men were totally off-limits in Jenn's books, especially married men whose wives were expecting.

She smiled as the little electric mouse let out a soft "cha" in his sleep. He was sooo cute!!! Jenn wouldn't mind keeping him forever. Maybe if she spoilt him enough…

The blonde tickled the soft fur on the mouse's tummy and the tiny creature giggled. She tickled some more until the Pokémon was awake and laughing.

"Hey Cutie," she cooed. "Time to wake up."

"Pi."

"Time also to drag Trishy to the doctors!"

The Pokémon's ears drooped.

"Natch, after we've all had breakfast."

Satochu perked up a bit.

"Don't tell me you think with your stomach too! Trish would say that we're just like Ash."

~*~

Two hours later, the girls were having lunch at the Verona Café - Jenn munching on a soft taco while Trish picked listlessly at a sandwich, giving most of it to Danachu and Satochu.

Her friend had gone most unwillingly to the doctor, and submitted herself to a number of examinations and tests, including a pregnancy one. Though she was most adamant that was not the cause of her problems. "I've got an older sister and a sister-in-law, between them, they have five kids. I do know the signs by now!" Trish had protested.

Trish's cell phone rang in her handbag, and Dana fished it out and handed it over with two paws.

"Thanks, Dana," Trish smiled and took the call. The conversation lasted a few minutes, with the dark-haired girl just generally acknowledging whatever the caller was saying.

As she ended the call, Jenn spoke up. "Was that the doctor?"

Trish nodded. "It was."

"And?"

"I'm not pregnant," her smile faltered a bit. "But he doesn't know what's wrong with me…It's not just a stomach virus."

To be continued….

~*~

Author's Note: This is dedicated to all those 109 people killed in the bomb explosions in the Sari Nightclub in Kuta, Bali on October 12, 2002. Though the death toll is far from being confirmed - at least 30 Australians are believed dead with 92 still missing, unaccounted for.

But in the end, nationality is not what matters. They were all people. This is dedicated to all who perished. They were young and carefree, in their early, late teens and twenties. Though I did not know any of them personally - I still feel for them. "The life and death of each of us, has its influence on others." - St Paul's letter to the Romans.

The light that each of them shone has gone forever. The world is a lesser place for their loss.