Chapter 7: Magic & Rockets

"WHAT!?" the girls shouted. Linze, Elze, Yae, Lucia, Leen, Hildegard and Charlotte heard from Yumina and Sue about what Ash told them, Touya and Kohaku about what Misty said when she thought he wasn't listening.

"Misty literally said that?" trembled Linze. "That Ash doesn't know what love is?"

"That's what Ash told us when we were at the Adventures' Guild," Sue reiterated. A cauldron of red aura enveloped the other girls.

"Why!?" shouted Yae. "She travels with him daily!"

"She's a hypocrite!" scowled Lucia. "She claims Ash doesn't know love when she hasn't done so herself!"

"You'd think that with how long Ash said she's been with him, she'd develop some feelings," Leen pondered. "Apparently not."

"Wait until we get our hands on her!" snarled Hildegard. Yumina and Sue seemed concerned.

"Well, they seemed fired up," Yumina gulped.

"We told them what Ash told us," Sue shrugged. They left and found Ash with Touya and Pikachu.

"I know I said it before, but I can't help it if that was the first time I've seen someone pregnant," Ash mentioned. "Let alone that Queen Yuel is going to have another child."

"It does make you look forward in several years when you get married and want to have a kid with Sue or maybe someone else you'd fall for, huh?" smiled Touya.

"Well, I don't know," Ash shrugged. "Would I know what it would take to be a good dad? I didn't have one growing up." Touya placed a hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Yeah, that won't feel helpful on your end," he understood. "However, what you need to think about is what to tell and show your child or children what's out there in the world. One of my old friends grew up without a father and he turned out okay." Ash nodded, hoping for the same result.

"Hey, Ash!" voiced Elze. Touya, Ash and Pikachu turned to the girls. "Did what Yumina and Sue say was true?" Yae helped back Elze in the question.

"Did Misty call you stupid and that you can't find love?!" she growled. Ash sighed, thinking this was overblown.

"Calm down," he eased. "I get it, what Misty said was harsh, but she was right on one thing." The girls became distraught at Ash's slight agreement to Misty.

"How can you accept the harsh things she said to you!?" gawked Lucia.

"Well, she did say that I wouldn't find love, and she was right," Ash shrugged. "Love found me." The anger from the girls became stifled giggles and then laughter.

"Okay, okay, that was good!" chuckled Linze.

"Yeah, you had us for a moment," Leen snickered before turning to Touya. "So, are you discussing about what Ash can do? He's got all six attributes like you."

"Simple," Touya replied. "We'll teach him magic." The girls agreed to the idea.

"That sounds like a great idea," Yumina agreed. "Do you oppose, Ash?" A smiling Ash shook his head softly.

"I have them, so why not?" he shrugged. With everyone outside, they proceeded with training.

"Of the six attributes, which one do you want to learn first?" asked Touya.

"I've been one for Fire," Ash brought up. "After all, I wanted my first Pokémon to be Charmander." Leen came forward.

"Fire, huh?" the fairy repeated. "That sounds like my line of work." Standing by Ash's side, Leen prepared herself. "Fire is one of the attributes that coalesce in this world. Let me give you one." She placed a hand on Ash with her eyes closed. "Heat come… Warmth barrier… Warming." A red circle appeared on Leen's wrist before Ash's body was glowing red. Leen removed her hand.

"Wow, I feel a lot warmer," Ash noticed.

"Warming is a spell that heats the target should they be freezing, and it allows them to be more resistant to cold," Leen explained.

"I might need that if I ever come across snowy terrain the next time," Ash giggled.

("Better than electric blankets,") Pikachu agreed. Linze also came forward.

"I, too, know some Fire magic," she spoke up. "Although, I prefer water anyway."

"I'm not worried," Ash promised. Facing a clearing, Ash stood behind Linze with her arms in different places: her left arm straight and her right arm back with the hand parallel to her face. Red light enveloped between the hands.

"Come forth, Fire… Crimson Duet… Fire Arrow!" she chanted before she shot a flaming arrow. It zoomed through the air and disappeared in seconds.

"Nice!" awed Ash while Pikachu stood with his jaw dropped. "So, you have to incite something if you're going to use the magic?"

"Correct," Linze confirmed. "Why don't you try?" Complying, Ash took the same stance Linze was in.

"Let's see if I got it right," he mutterd. "Come forth, Fire." Fire energy gathered. "Crimson duet…" The arrow began to form. "FIRE ARROW!" He shot his own arrow which copied Linze's. Linze hugged Ash from behind.

"You did it!" she cheered. Ash giggled to the reaction.

"Well, you can't say he can't bring a new flame to a warm mansion," Elze joked. Everyone else looked confused to the joke. Linze and Ash faced each other with Linze held a wand that appeared to be made of silver.

"This Silver Wand is what I got at the Eight Bears Weapon Shop," she explained. "The shopkeeper, Barral, gave us a few weapons and tools to help with our magic."

"I see…" pondered Ash. "And the Wand enhances your magic?"

"Yes. I also have Water and Light magic, so I can be pretty powerful."

"Something tells me that if you would, you'd give your Fire attribute to Elze. She's pretty fired up at times." The idea made Linze giggle.

"I'd say that she'd be another girl for you to go with Sue, but that's just me. Anyway, let's get some Water magic going."

"Okay!" Closing her eyes, Linze focused on her magic.

"Come forth, Water! Ballistic Bubbles: Bubble Bomb!" Large bubbles appeared and floated in the sky. Pikachu awed the bubbles.

("So pretty!") he squeaked. ("My turn!") His cheeks sparked up. Touya saw it and gasped.

"Pikachu, no!" he warned. Pikachu fired a blast of electricity that struck the bubbles. The bubbles exploded and showered everyone. The land and the people and Pokémon walking on it were drenched.

"Why did you use Thunderbolt, Pikachu?" groaned Ash. Pikachu felt sorry about the misdeed. After drying off, Linze handed the Silver Wand to Ash. "Come forth, Water! Ballistic Bubbles: Bubble Bomb!" More Bubble Bombs appeared.

"Now for another Water magic trick," Linze briefed as she took the wand back. She aimed the wand at the Bubble Bombs. "Come forth, Water! Feel my Blade Both Cold and Clear: Aqua Cutter!" She slashed at the Bubble Bombs, creating blades of compressed water. It sliced through the airborne bubbles. They exploded and soaked the ground in front.

"Okay!" awed Ash. "I've got my work cut out for myself, and that's before I learn about the other attributes."

"It is a lot to take in," Touya sighed. Yumina came forward.

"If I may, I can show Ash Summoning magic," she offered. Touya thought about it for a second before nodding. Linze and Yumina switched spots.

"Did you say Summoning magic?" questioned Ash.

"That I did, and it goes with the Dark attribute. Watch." Ash stood to Yumina's side as she had both of her hands out. "Come forth, Dark! I seek the proud beasts wrapped in silver: Silver Wolf!" A dark circle enveloped before a flash. When it dimmed, a pack of silver wolves emerged. Ash was stoked to see it.

"Awesome!"

"They can be. My Silver Wolf summons have helped us with tracking monsters we need to kill to protect the lands around. When I first done it, Touya became intrigued with it and was able to summon Kohaku to form a contract."

"So, your Dark magic started Touya's path to getting the Divine Beasts. I actually believe it." That's when the wolves started to circle Ash. He looked to find the wolves looking at him intently. Yumina became fearful on the wolves' behavior.

"Wolves, stop! He's not a monster!" The wolves pounced, tackling Ash to the ground. Touya, Pikachu and the girls became scared for Ash being mauled by the wolves.

"STOP!" he shouted. "STOP! THAT TICKLES! NOT THERE!" Ash giggled to the wolves licking at his body. Yumina blinked to the sound before she looked in. The wolves bathed Ash in their slobber. Yumina chuckled to the action by the wolves.

"Well, I guess there's nothing to worry about!" teased Sue. Ash sat up, covered in the wolves' saliva. He petted a couple of them.

"I can imagine how helpful you've been to this group," he praised. The wolves happily panted. Out of nowhere, a large fishing net came after Pikachu. One of the wolves raced after and intercepted Pikachu before the net landed. Everyone else saw the net and turned to see Team Rocket. "I was wondering when you'd show up, Team Rocket!"

"Then, you should prepare for trouble, as well as the girls," Jessie started.

"And make it double, and you can skip the referrals," James added.

"To protect the world from devastation…"

"To unite all peoples within our nation…"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love…"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"And James!"

"Team Rocket-"

"Oh, shut up!" shouted Elze. Team Rocket gawked to Elze's interruption. "Some of the villains we've come across never mouthed off something so stupid as whatever you're remarking!"

"And on top of that," Leen brought up. "What you show is crass behavior. It's no wonder you're pathetic looking as you are sounding."

"As if you know what it takes to go after a rare and valuable Pokémon!" spat Jessie.

"Jessie, calm down!" eased James. "Besides, we just need Pikachu and then return to the boss." Jessie sighed to the thought.

"If they know better, we can just leave with Pikachu before they could do anything," Jessie muttered. "Besides, they're nothing but prim and weak twerpettes." A flash of heated red energy erupted to the side. Team Rocket looked to find Touya's girls glaring at them with glowing red eyes and devilishly warm aura radiating.

"Did she say that we're weak?" snarled Yumina.

"She doesn't sound like she wants to mince words," Yae figured.

"And she doesn't give a damn about her surroundings," Hildegard growled. Jessie scoffed to Touya's girls being angry.

"Oh look, these twerpettes are pouting at us," she mocked. "Isn't that just adorable?" The wolves barked and snarled angrily.

"My summoned Silver Wolves would rather have you be their meal!" yelled Yumina. Meowth became a little frightened to the sight and sound of the wolves.

"Boy, dose furballs are definitely keeping me away from dat one twerpette I want," Meowth gulped. Ash and Pikachu blinked in confusion to Meowth's claim.

"Did that cat just talk?" wondered Kohaku.

'I definitely heard it myself, Kohaku,' Touya thought. 'I was told they would be trouble.' Looking to Ash, Kohaku pondered on a guess.

"They mentioned their desire for Pikachu, right?" she asked.

"They are, and they have Pokémon of their own," Ash confirmed. Before they could plot, Jessie threw a Pokéball.

"Arbok, I choose you!" she called out. The ball opened and out came a large purple cobra with lots of teeth and markings in its hood.

"Victreebel, let's go!" called out James as he threw a ball of his own. It opened and a large yellow bell-like flytrap emerged with a leaf covering the mouth on top. However, it opened up and almost swallowed James whole. James flailed to escape. "Okay, now let go!" The wolves chased Team Rocket.

"Arbok, Poison Sting!" ordered Jessie. Arbok spat out volleys of stingers. The wolves were struck and fell.

"My pack!" gasped Yumina. Ash had an idea.

"Linze, you need your wand?" he asked as he showed her wand.

"Throw it over here!" she agreed. Ash tossed the wand to Linze when Meowth realized her name.

"Da twoipette's name is Linze…" he studied. "I'll have ta remember dat."

"Meowth, now's not the time to know who you have your eyes on!" argued James. "We still have to get Pikachu!" Elze couldn't believe that the Alley Cat Pokémon not only wanted Pikachu, but Linze as well.

"Wait, why do you want my sister as well!?" she argued. The claim made Team Rocket realize who she was to Linze.

"You called it, Meowth," James figured. "They're related." Touya stood up to everyone.

"Let me ask you something!" he announced. "Even if you did get any of my fiancées and Pikachu, how will you get back to your boss? Do you know the Null Spell Gate?" Team Rocket seemed baffled at the question.

"Of course we do!" claimed Jessie. "We can spell Gate and find our way home!" Touya chose to call their bluff.

"Then let's see it!" he challenged. Jessie gawked. She said that she knew the Gate spell, and Touya wanted a live demonstration.

"Weren't you watching the twerp use magic before!?" warned James. Jessie struggled to show it off. She quickly surrendered.

"Who cares!" she yelled. "Arbok, go after Pikachu." Arbok raced after Pikachu who was in Yumina's arms. Touya had a hand out.

"SLIP!" he called out. A circle appeared from Touya's hand before it appeared below Arbok. When it hit the ground, it slipped and rolled into a wheel. It crashed into a statue hard.

"That was the Null Spell, Slip?" wondered Ash.

"Yup, and it can be fun at times," Sue giggled. Jessie growled to the spell.

"Hey, that's not allowed in a Pokémon Battle!" she snapped.

"We're not in one!" replied James. Jessie looked to James confused as Meowth made a dash to Linze.

"Let me be your Pokémon, Linze-y-poo!" he wished. Linze became horrified at Meowth's fast approach. Kohaku, back in her Tiger Form, smashed Meowth with her giant paw.

"You will not law a claw on her!" she roared. Meowth became terrified at Kohaku. Arbok recovered and appeared ready to bite at the Divine Beast.

"Vine Whip!" shouted Ash. Bayleef snagged Arbok by the tail with her vines. Arbok looked panicked. That's when she flung Arbok over her and to the ground with a harsh slam. She flung Arbok over her body and slammed it on the other side. She did it a few more times before flinging the knocked out cobra back at Team Rocket. Touya decided to end it right now.

"Burst forth, Fire!" he chanted. "Crimson eruption: Explosion!" The land beneath Team Rocket became red.

"I don't like the look of this!" cried James. Suddenly, an explosion. They were launched high into the sky.

"You know, we've been wondering where those explosions have come from all of this time!" believed James.

"You mean to tell us that the older twerp has been watching out for Pikachu this whole time?!" guessed Jessie.

"And we all tought it was Pikachu!" cried Meowth. They flew beyond the sight of everyone.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" they cried. As they watched, Elze and Sue came to Linze.

"Are you hurt, sister?" wondered Elze.

"No, just scared," Linze denied. Everyone made sure they were okay.

"Thanks, Bayleef," Ash praised. "I don't think Touya would've been happy if Arbok managed to get Linze. They want to marry each other." Bayleef hummed in thought. "Also, I think I want to learn Slip first from Touya's Null Magic. Could you imagine doing that to Brock when it comes to chasing girls like them?" Bayleef and Pikachu giggled to the thought. Later that day, Ash plopped onto his bed face-down. "Man, I'm so exhausted. A lot of magic, let alone know how to chant it." Kohaku entered, back in her cub form.

"I see how those fools have a big impact on your life," she mewed.

"You think? I know those guys were here, and I didn't want to scare the girls."

"Not that I disagree, but it just means you're as much as Master is." Confused, Ash turned to the Divine Beast.

"Could you clear up what you mean?"

"Yeah, I rushed my words. You and Pikachu are as valuable as Master and the girls here. We'd protect each other." A smile formed on Ash's face.

"Yeah… I know what Misty said was harsh… maybe too harsh by calling me stupid… I know I made some dumb mistakes, but that wasn't necessary."

"It sounds like you've forgiven her."

"I wanted to after calming down, but I never had the chance." Kohaku leaped onto Ash's back.

"When you return, I'm sure that you two can talk about it." She rubbed her paws on Ash's back. The rubbing made Ash wince quietly.

"Oh, right there…" The massage gave Ash relief. "I didn't know you could do massages."

"Well, Elze tends to overdo herself at times. I learned about where to paw and move to relieve some stressed areas."

"Maybe I can do it to you as well."

"I'd like to see you try."

"By the way, where's Pikachu?"

"Yae has him."

"Okay. I'm not sure I'm ready for Cesca or Rosetta to watch over him just yet." After the massage, Kohaku lied on Ash's back.

"You know, I wonder if there are Pokémon that are like me."

"There may be, but I haven't come across any tiger Pokémon yet." Looking into the room, Lucia came in to scoop Kohaku.

"If I had met you before Touya, I'd probably fall for you and ask to be my prince," she said. Ash turned to Lucia who held Kohaku.

"Not that I'd mind," Ash sighed. "I'm happy right now with you guys." Lucia smiled before kissing his cheek. She walked off, allowing Ash to rest. "I should ask to have an adventure."

TO BE CONTINUED...