The second chapter!

 

Disclaimer/Notes: Please see chapter1, please?

Lance is a girl.

 

Chapter 2: Success is 1% genius and 99% hard work

 

            “Are you awake?” Lorelei asked as Ash emerged from the house followed by Lance who looked disgusting perky and awake despite only getting about five hours of sleep.

            Not that Ash was aware of this fact.

            Lance waved. “He’s all yours, Lorelei. The dragons n’ I will be in one of the caves spelunking should you need us.’

            “All right, Dragon Master!”

            Lance saluted and then took off, dark blue cape floating behind her.

 

            Lorelei looked at Ash. “Are you feeling a little better? This requires a lot of concentration.”

            Ash acquiesced.

            “Very well then. Let’s start with a simple exercise.” Lorelei told him as they began walking towards the beach. “This island is a good place to train future water, ice, and dragon masters because of the availability of the resources. Namely, water.’

            Ash was still a little confused but followed her as they walked down to the tide line.

            “First,” Lorelei told him, “We have to check to make sure what your affinity is.”

            Ash looked scared. * A test? Oh no, I don’t want to fail on the first day! *

            He drew his arms up in front of him, looking scared like a rabbit.

            Lorelei spoke a few bars in something he couldn’t understand, and then shoved him underwater.

            Ash panicked and tried to get away, but her grip was awfully strong.

            “I don’t’ want to drown!” He bubbled.

            However, as the moments ticked by, he prepared for the worst as his vision blurred and his body automatically tried to get air.

           

            A minute later, he woke up.

            Lorelei surveyed him critically. “A bit thin, but you’ll do.”

            “Huh?”

            “You passed.”

            Ash came out fish-eyed and scratched his head, still puzzled.

            “You didn’t drown.” Lorelei explained. “So you have water affinity and the ocean didn’t want to kill you.”

            “Oh…”

           

            Lorelei grinned. “So! Let’s begin with the easiest lesson…”

            She stretched out her hands and focused, and soon, a puddle of water sat on her previously dry palms.

            “The first lesson is not how to create water. It is simply being able to call the water element to you. As I said before, since we’re practically in the surf it ought to be easy. Try it.”

            Ash nodded and focused. After much sweating and profuse muttering, a few drops appeared on his palm.

            Lorelei nodded. “Well, keep working on it. Tell me when you have roughly a cup and we’ll see if we can move on to the next step.”

            Ash nodded and for the rest of the day, and a few days following, worked on attracting water. He found out that it was easiest trying to draw moisture from the air, although he didn’t know why, but as long as it worked…

 

            A week later, Ash surprised Lorelei by calling down a gallon of water on her from above. Lorelei was shocked and wet, but intrigued.

            “You called it right out of the air above my head?”

            Ash nodded as Lorelei wiped off her glasses and wrung out her sopping hair. “Right.”

            “Hmm, most trainees use a nearby body of water, but it works as well. And when you are a master, you will be able to change the weather.’ Lorelei informed him. “So this is a good start.”

            Ash beamed.

            “All right, we’ll start with lesson 2. Bubbles…”

 

            Ten weeks later, Ash wasn’t doing too badly, when Lance was called back to Plateau. Ash bade his new friend good-bye and promised to work hard. In return, Lance bequeathed a baby Horsea to him.

            Ash named the little seahorse Cirrus.

            He and Cirrus took long swims along with Squirtle every afternoon, to become one with their element.

            Personally, Ash wasn’t feeling any more watery, but it was fun to swim.

            Swimming!

            He grinned as a pale blue bubble shield surrounded him. It only held for five minutes, but it was still an improvement from the three seconds last, last week.

            Besides, he was working on attacks at the moment.

 

            Horsea squirted him with ink as soon as the shield went down. Ash frowned and lowered the temperature around Horsea, making it cold and squeak in surrender.

            He grinned. “Well, let’s try again!”

            Horsea nodded and they began again.

 

            Lance returned within a week, and began teaching Ash the more difficult rudiments of weather control.

            “You had a pikachu, once.” Lance said as thunder sparkled around her. “Now, I want you to attract sparks, the same way you attracted water drops.”

            Ash nodded and felt out with his chi, searching for the elusive golden tinted bits of air.

            Soon, he had found a few.

            “Not bad. Next time, use your water droplets to pull the lightning towards you after surrounding the molecules.” Lance instructed.

            Ash made a mental note and nodded.

            “Now… let’s try again.”

 

            It was hard work, but he got three square meals a day and lots of affection.

            Ash liked to think of them as his older siblings/semi-parents.

            And so, the year passed slowly with the autumn leaves.

 

End Chapter!