Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Painted Smiles ❯ Chapter 8

What made Ash accept so suddenly? I don't know! *sighs*

Disclaimer: I wish I owned pokemon, but all I have is my fanfic don't take it. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics!

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks in their native language.

Chapter 8

 

He was ready.

It was a hard choice, but really, he didn't want the world to die. If he got caught, maybe the legendaries would help?

He didn't know for sure, but…

Mew wouldn't lie, right?

 

Two nights.

He used Bulbasaur's vines to climb up to the fourth floor. Pikachu fried all the video cameras in the area, and then…

“Charmander, use Cut.”

Sharp claws glinted in darkness for a second before the glass was cut through. Red pulled on a pair of thick leather gloves, before he began removing the blades one by one. He was halfway done when an alarm sounded.

“Shimatta! Let's get out of here!”

A quick teleport and they were out of Goldenrod completely.

 

Mew was waiting for him when he arrived in Seafoam. Apparently there was a small area that had been protected from the volcanic eruption, but most of the life there was dead.

What a waste…

That was why he had willingly wanted to save the world. Think of all the innocent pokemon that would die should disaster befall it. On, and humans would die too.

Antisocial… pokemon came first! Of course, he'd want to save his mom and Sabrina and possibly a few others, but…

Really, it was for the pokemon that he was doing this.

 

< How did it go? >

“I only got half of them before an alarm went off.” Ash handed Mew the bag.

< Well, better a few than none. Thank you greatly, Ash. You shall be rewarded… > Mew did not specify the reward, but that was no problem.

< Bye! >

Mew waved goodbye, before Ash set up his tent and went to bed.

 

The next day, Ash started his real journey. He began catching Johto pokemon.

Sentret, Ledyba, Hoothoot, and Mareep had already joined his motley crew. He wasn't sure yet what Mew would give, but…

Saving the world counted for its own sake as a reward, right! Even if he could never tell…

 

“Pikachu!”

“Pidgeot, Mud-Slap!”

Pikachu frantically tried to expunge the gooey mud from her eyes to no success. She covered the whole area with Thunderwave instead, hoping that Pidgeot would get hit. It did, and fell to the ground, paralyzed.

Hearing the muffled thump, Pikachu ran towards the source and used Thunder.

Pidgeot was down!

 

Falkner laughed. “You're not bad, Red. Here. The Zephyrbadge.”

Ash took the badge gratefully.

“So, are you from Kanto?”

“How did you tell?”

“Pikachus aren't native to Johto…”

“I see.” Red left the gym and headed to a stream nearby, where he gave Pikachu a much-needed bath. Pikachu was glad when the gunk was finally all extricated.

A Marill happened on the two of them and attacked with a Water Gun. Pikachu fried it with a Thunderbolt in retaliation.

Ash caught marril!

 

A few minutes later, up came a Goldeen… and then a Magikarp.

It was a good day for catching pokemon.

Maybe this was Mew's gift? The ability to find and catch more pokemon? He'd have to thank Mew later.

Still, what disaster would have befallen the world?

It relay wasn't his business to pry into things beyond his control. He decided not to. Oneesan might get mad…

She was still in Ecruteak.

Maybe she was going out with Morty! But it was her story to tell, not his.

 

Ash nabbed a Tentacool and then yawned. Getting late! Good day today, it was….

Back in Pallet, Oak was marveling at how Ash Ketchum was finally shaping up. At least he wasn't that much of a slacker anymore.

 

Indigo Plateau…

“Who took them?” Lance hissed.

The museum curator looked ready to die. “I-I!”

“I let you put my family's artifacts on display because you told me they would be safe there! You said you had top security! Now half of them are missing!”

“I… really, I didn't think-!”

“No, obviously you didn't. Those artifacts are priceless! Now bring me the other half! I don't trust you incompetents to take care of them!”

Trusting that the Champion could take better care of the exhibit than she could, within hours, they were at Indigo Plateau. Lance escorted the curator out, and told her not to expect a donation from the Dragyn clan in Blackthorn City unless she found the other half. That was a blow.

The Dragyn Clan normally donated 2-3 million a year. Museum upkeep was expensive! Lydia sighed. What to do?

Why had someone bothered to steal a bunch of old weapons?

It was confusing…

 

Lance sighed. * I knew it was a bad idea, but would grandfather listen to me? No. He thought that if we put the dragon blades on display, the Dragon Master would see them and realize his destiny. As if! *

He focused as the blades surrounded him in a clumsy circle. With half or so missing, the magic to use them was severely weakened.

Lance was fairly sure that he wasn't the Dragon Master, but that was the title his grandfather had bestowed on him. Whatever.

With a careless gesture, he slipped the blades into subspace, where they would be safe from other thieves… for now…

He had to go find the other half though! They belonged to his Clan! Besides, if the Dragon Master didn't have the whole set…

He could die.

The thief was brave though, to risk the curse… for if someone other than the dragon master took the blades, the legendary pokemon would exact vengeance on them.

The irony of the situation was just sickening.

 

End Chapter

Completed 2/18/05

Shoyko: It is ironic, isn't it?

Lance: Yes, since it's the legendary pokemon who robbed my family

Phantomness: Dramatic irony… reminds me of English AP class…

Ash: You should be studying for your physics midterm!

Phantomness: Oh, quiet, you