Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Painted Smiles ❯ Chapter 6

My midterm for statistics is finally over and I'm tired…

Disclaimer: Don't own pokemon…

Red = Ash

Chapter 6

 

After a few weeks, Ash was ready to take on Blaine. He stood outside the Cinnabar volcano, trying to locate the elusive gym leader. Blaine was excellent at masking his presence; so he must have some psychic blood in his ancestry as well… it wasn't that rare…

Why else were some trainers empathic?

With a poof sound, the gym leader appeared. However, he was not alone. A flaming bird accompanied him. One could argue it a flambéed chicken, but…

Moltres squawked.

Red gaped.

Blaine smiled. “Up for a badge, young one?”

“Sure, let's go!”

 

They entered the volcano. Red supposed it was appropriate, a gym of fire for fire… but… well, wasn't it unfair advantage?

“Go, Ninetales!”

“Squirtle, I choose you! Surf!” Although a pressurized beam of water like Hydro Pump might deal more damage, it was far less accurate. He knew Surf would invariably hit - it had a wide range after all.

Ninetales fell off the platform, but used Quick Attack in midair to return to the arena and ram Squirtle down. Squirtle used Bite on Ninetales' tail!

The fire fox growled, Confuse Ray…

Squirtle ducked into his shell, closing his eyes, and then launched another surf attack. Ninetales was out!

 

Blaine smiled, recalling Ninetales. “Magmar!” From the boiling lava churned forth a pokemon of flames…

Red winced, even at the opposite end of the arena, e could feel the heat radiating off the fire pokemon. Squirtle looked ready to faint, but bravely used Hydro Pump. Unfortunately, most of the water evaporated before it reached Magmar.

A boiled Squirtle was hastily recalled. Red considered, before a flick of his wrist sent forth Pidgeotto. After all…

“Pidgeotto, Sand-attack!”

Sand could also be used to put out fires, not just water. Water… water would evaporate, but if Magmar heated the sand, it would become a prison of glass and encase him inside… indeed, Ash's battle strategy was true and Blaine recalled a glass statue-shaped magmar.

 

Blaine laughed and threw out Moltres… just as the gym exploded around them. Red frantically called Pidgeotto back to him, as Blaine did the same to Moltres, before he initiated Teleport…

When they arrived in Saffron moments later, the news stations were already broadcasting the eruption of the Cinnabar Volcano.

Cinnabar Island was… gone. All the people had been instantly killed. Seafoam… Seafoam was dying too, blanketed by boiling water and volcanic smog. The ice-types and water-types could not survive in that sort of atmosphere…

Blaine was in a state of shock, so everyone left him alone. Cynthia agreed that he could stay for a few days.

 

After all the poor old man had just lost his home…

 

Blaine's only consolation was that his gym badge was safe, and his pokemon as well, since they had all been in their poke balls… thank Mew for small favors…

His underground lab and home was completely ruined though!

Well, he couldn't prevent natural disasters. There as nothing he could have done, really, except maybe to build his gym elsewhere?

He sighed…

 

“Mom?”

“What is it Red?”

“Hmm… I was wondering if Sabrina nee-chan and I could go to Johto for a few days on vacation. Sabrina says she wants to meet this new psychic named Will… hehehehe…”

< RED! >

Sabrina couldn't hide a small blush. Will… well, it would be nice to meet another psychic, especially… well; he was a guy, right?

Maybe…

She hadn't had much experience in the dating area, but maybe… and he'd be a psychic too, so he'd understand her…

She began to daydream while Ash made gagging noises.

“Red, don't tease your sister. Of course you two may go. You're old enough to take care of yourselves.”

“Thanks mom!” Ash said with a big hug. Sabrina just smiled. She wasn't as open with her emotions as her brother was, but she was learning…

 

They began packing their bags that night.

“So, what are you bringing?”

Sabrina hastily hid her teddy bear underneath a pile of shirts. < Nothing. >

Red looked at her suspiciously. < Really? >

< What, you don't trust me? I feel so ashamed! > Sabrina said, covering her face with a hand and sighing dramatically in mock distress. Ash chuckled.

< I'm sure… >

Sabrina shrugged. It wouldn't hurt to make a good first impression. Hopefully, William wouldn't think she was nothing but a psychic bitch like most trainers did…

Maybe he'd be different?

 

Sabrina dreamed deeply that night, wondering what William would be like… however, all she saw were flashes of black and white. Odd.

Still, nothing disturbed her quiet repose…

 

Inside his room, Red blissfully slumbered, clutching his stuffed animal to his chest. No nightmares quailed him, nor monsters darkened his rest…

But how long would it last?

One of the penalties of psychic powers was the ability to see the future… and sometimes, to do nothing about it.

Horrible…

< Red… >

Red jerked awake, a disembodied voice still sounding in his ears. “Who's there?!”

< Red… >

“Come on, if this is a joke, neesan, it isn't funny!”

< Come to us… >

Ash jammed his hands over his ears, but that was no good since the voice was in his head. Closing his eyes, he pulled the heavy comforter over his body and willed himself to fall asleep. No avail…

< RED! >

< Fine! I'm awake! What do you want and why are you disturbing my rest? >

< I am Mew, and I have a proposition to make… >

 

End Chapter

Completed 2/17/05

Lance: Clichéd!

Phantomness: *glares*

Ash: I have a bad feeling about this…