Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Frost comes early ❯ Chapter 1

Plotbunny fic again. *Shrugs* I need more of the little buggers; writer's block is such a pain.

Disclaimer: I don't' own pokemon, really! It belongs to Satoshi Tajiri n' Nintendo n' the Pokemon Company. I only own the fic and my own creations/ideas.

Notes: ** for thought process, <> for telepathy, italics just in case a pokemon gets the chance to talk here.

Summary: After an argument post Pikachu's goodbye in Indigo, Ash leaves the group in anger and leaves to train after the ice master Lorelei. Four years later he returns as a water master, and when Misty tries to pick up the pieces, she finds it difficult.

 

Title: Frost comes early

Chapter 1: Scissors

 

“I can't believe you! How dare you say that I stole Pikachu?” Ash shouted.

“Oh yeah? You can't even pay my bike back, how can you be a good trainer?” Misty taunted.

Ash glared.

Pikachu's cheeks sparked as he shocked them both, stopping the argument.

“Loser! Useless! Moron! Can't even find his way out of a paper bag!” Misty taunted.

Ash lay still, knowing that if he pretended to be knocked out, it would help.

Misty yelled for a few more minutes and then stomped off to glare at Brock, anger spent. She did not notice as a tear dropped from Ash's eyes and more followed, and suddenly a flash of purple removed him.

 

Ash found himself on a stone floor. * Where am I? * He wondered as he sniffled and roughly wiped his eyes.

“Hello?” A voice asked.

Ash found himself staring into a pair of kind blue eyes. “Um… where am I?”

The figure raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Oh. You're on Cerise Island, the vacation home of the Elite Four.”

Ash paled. “Oh no! I wasn't trying to trespass or anything!” He waved his hands frantically.

Lance laughed. “Don't worry about it. I can tell you're not a rabid fan. Here, I'll show you around for a bit.”

Confused, Ash accepted. It would give him time to compose himself. He trooped behind Lance as the dragon trainer showed him the underground caves, the volcano, and the small forested area. Of course, there was also a beach.

It was very pretty, Ash decided, but devoid of wild pokemon.

 

The rest of the Elite Four members were polite with him, and Lorelei finally asked him how he had gotten to the island.

“I-I don't really know, I was crying after a fight with this girl I kind of had a crush on, and then I found myself here…”

He didn't say more. A friend's betrayal was still too near.

Lorelei frowned. “Ash, I doubt you want to continue your pokemon journey, right?”

Ash nodded and stared at the rocks. “Yes.”

Lance nodded, eyes staring off somewhere. * So, it is still there, just inactive. He probably has no idea… *

Her eyes glinted imperceptibly.

 

“Well,” Lorelei offered. “I have a suggestion.”

“You do, Ms. Lorelei?”

“Yes. Have you ever considered being a real pokemon master?”

Ash's eyes lit up. “Of course!”

“Then I'll train you. It would be an honor to help the son of Viridian Ketchum.” She smiled. “Your father was a friend of mine before he died.”

Ash's mouth dropped open. “He's dead? But… my mom said he was off on a journey!”

Lorelei clapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh, I shouldn't have told you.'

“No…” Ash said, getting up. “I would have found out eventually.”

His eyes smoldered with pent up grief and anger, quite a corrosive mix. * Mom has lied to me too… how long ago? *

Lorelei quietly backed off and waited until Ash stopped crying.

 

“I'll take it.” Ash finally said, after Lance had calmed him down and comforted him for a good ninety minutes.

He smiled.

Lorelei smiled back. “Well, let's get started tomorrow then, Ash.”

Ash nodded and followed Lance back to the cabins where the Elite Four stayed.

 

They were equipped with kitchens, bathrooms, and large bedrooms. It was comfortable, Ash decided, as he sank down into a plush wine velvet chair.

Lance waved slightly and fixed Ash some warm milk with honey, a handy panacea, and sat down next to him as he sipped the sweet liquid.

Ash finished the entire glass promptly and smiled, as he yawned. It had been a long day.

“Um, Lance?”

The Dragon master turned from where she had been perusing a rather boring magazine. “Yes, Ash?”

“A-are you all going back to the Plateau?”

Lance shook her head. “No, Lorelei and I are staying. Agatha and Bruno are returning.”

“Oh.”

“Don't worry, we will take good care of you.”

Ash nodded.

 

“But…”

“What is it?”

“I-I don't have my pokemon with me. They got left behind when I disappeared.' Ash confessed.

“All of them?”

“Well…” Ash checked his belt for the third time. “I still have Squirtle.”

“Squirtle, hmm…” Lance pondered the significance briefly, before shaking her head. * I can't believe this… *

“Looks like you're meant to be a water master. I'll tell you a secret.'

Ash scooted next to Lance as the Dragon Master began whispering. “Mewtwo chooses all those who should become masters, that's the purple light. He also tries to make them choose one that would be best suited for them. Yours is water, so that is why you only brought Squirtle.”

“…Oh…' Ash said, not likely the situation much but realizing that it could be much worse.

“Get some rest.” Lance advised, getting up. “Lorelei works hard. You'll have to keep up as well.”

Ash nodded, and silently found a bunk bed to sleep in. Unfortunately, nightmares kept him awake until the kindhearted Dragon Master let Ash sleep with her.

The next morning, they woke up at seven A.M., dressed, showered, ate, and headed out to find Lorelei.

 

End Chapter!

Completed 12/31/03