Whee! Another chapter! Started 1/5/04
Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, as it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. I do own this piece of fiction and my own creations. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic and I wrote it, so it’s mine!

Notes: <> for telepathy, italics for pokemon chatty, and ** for thinking.

Bob is 15, and Ash is 10

Chapter 2

 

            “But Mom!” Bob whined. “I don’t want another sibling!”
            “Now Bob!” Olivia Persimmon scolded her son. “It is our duty to help those less fortunate than we!”

            Oh, how Bob hated this spiel. He knew it was true, his parents had done foster care for four years with three different children, but it still rankled him. This one would probably be the same, a closed-mouth arrogant snotty brat who ran off their money in the middle of the night.

But adoption?!
            All right, part of his motivation was greed. The Persimmons had a fortune of twenty-one million dollars, and he was the only heir so he had been looking forward to inheriting all of it. But no! After being unable to conceive due to her pain medication, his mother had decided to _adopt_ a kid! Yuck!

That was so unfair!

So unfair…

 

Bob scowled, and several of the orphanage brats scurrying for cover. Good. The less Olivia saw, the faster he d could persuade her that adoption was a bad idea.

            Then, everything would be fine!
            He would be an only child like he was meant to be. That thought brought a grin to his face.

            Olivia hummed as she asked the Matron a few more questions. Her decision made, she found the aforementioned little boy reading a book in the small library.

            “Come with me.”

 

            Ash blinked.

            “This is a great day, Ash! She’s adopting you!” Matron gushed. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

            Ash’s eyes widened. “She picked me? Why?”

            “Yes, dear! Now, go and pack quickly.” Matron did not bother to answer, so Ash did not question further.

            He was being adopted! That was the important part!
            Wow!
            < Someone actually picked me? >

            < Told you it was time. > Gastly laughed.

            < I’m happy for you, but be careful. > Lance warned. < I sense lots of anger and dark emotions from Bob. >

            < Who? >

            < He’ll be your stepbrother. >

            Still, that didn’t dampen the mood.

 

            Ash’s eyes sparkled as he impulsively hugged Olivia and then ran to grab his belongings.

            It didn’t take long to pack, as he didn’t have much in the first place, so soon he was on his way to Mauville City. In a plane!
            “Wow…”

            Olivia chuckled. “We’ll be at your new home soon, Ash.”

            Bob continued to sulk.

            It would probably just be another stupid kid! Why was his mom such a philanthropist? If they hadn’t been wealthy to begin with she would have probably squandered all their cash!
            Grr….

 

            “You’re back, Madame?” The butler asked. “Excellent. I have laid out one of the spare rooms as you wished.”

            “I changed my mind, we didn’t get a girl, so he can just use one of the guest rooms tonight.” Olivia said grandly.

            The man nodded. “Understood.”

            Ash took it all in, wide-eyed. * Wow… *

            < Not what I was expecting, but it’s nice. > Lance said. < Just be careful around Bob, okay? >

            < Okay! But shouldn’t he be on a pokemon journey? >

            < That’s a very good point. > Lance mused. < Well then, don’t let him rile you up. Your powers stay a secret. >

            < I will not tell anyone. > Ash promised.

            He followed his new mother up the steps to his room.

 

            All in all, he was settled in within a week. It wasn’t so bad… it was nice having a ‘family’.

            Sometimes, yes…

            He thought Bob was annoying, but the guy mostly left him alone, so it was fine. Besides, he had Lance-chan and Gastly. Plus, Olivia would let him start his journey soon.

            He played with the cards in the dream realm, as Lance-chan took care of him and watched over him.

            He always felt less alone when she was around. Things just worked that way. Well, she was his best friend.

            He didn’t need Bob anyways! They would just be acquaintances!
            Humph.

            And so, life spun on.

 

            “Haunter, use Dream Eater!”

            After some training, Gastly had evolved, and now formidable as a Haunter proved nonetheless a loyal friend.

            Brock’s Onix crumpled, although the attack had not been what the pewter city gym leader was expecting.

            Ash smirked.

            “No way!”

            “Well, I don’t actually have any other pokemon.” Ash said in an undertone to Lance; who was standing next to him. Lance smirked, his golden eyes slitted, glad that Ash’s magic energy was finally strong enough to sustain him.

            Not that anyone had to know, he went back into the necklace whenever Bob appeared, or anyone else for that matter.

            Ash pinned his new boulder badge onto his shirt and grinned.

 

            “So, what do you think now?”

            Lance raised an eyebrow. “What are you asking me about?”

            “The future.” Ash replied promptly.

            Lance smiled. “I think it will work out. After all, you have me, don’t you?”

            Ash grinned as he hugged Lance tightly around the waist. “Yes.”           

            “Then don’t worry about a thing.” Lance said, as he kissed Ash gently, electing a surprised mewl from the child. “I’ll take care of you.”

            Ash smiled, touching his lips. “Hai.”

 

End Chapter

Completed 2/1/04