A Rival for Ruby?
"Wow, was I sleepy." Ash yawned as he looked outside the window. It couldn't be any later than 10 a.m. "Well, I guess I should check to see if I'm strong enough to stand on my own." Ash sat up and turned so his feet were on the floor. "Here goes." Using his arms, he vaulted off the bed.
"Mommy, when is Daddy gonna get better?" Ruby rubbed Sapphire's head, "I'm sure it will be any day now. Just be patient." As Max looked over the Pokenav, May asked, "So, where should we go today?" A voice spoke, "To the Safari Zone, of course! I'm about a month behind schedule already!"
Everyone looked over to the doors to the sleeping quarters. Ash was dressed in his clothes and didn't even have crutches under his arms. "Man, am I glad to get out of that bed! Huh? What's wrong?" Ash saw that everyone was silent as they stared at him. Ruby looked as if she was about to cry. "DADDY! YOU'RE ALL BETTER!" Sapphire ran over to Ash screaming in delight. Ash responded by snatching her up and squeezing her tightly. "You squeeze as hard as you used to, Daddy!" Sapphire laughed as she hugged her father.
Suddenly, Shadow surprised Ash by running up to him and putting him in the tightest embrace he had ever received. "I'm...so relieved...that you're OK..."Ash, on the other hand, couldn't even breathe. "Shadow...I...*hack* can't breathe...let go!" Shadow let go at Ash's whisper, blushing that he had almost severely injured him again. "Sorry. I'm just..." Ash rubbed his head, "You don't have to apologize. You're my pal now." Shadow grinned. He was looking forward to his life with his new friend and Trainer.
"ALL RIGHT! SAFARI ZONE, HERE WE COME!" Ash was so relieved to be outside again that he burst into a dash. Sapphire had plenty of energy and happily followed right behind him while the rest of the group tried to keep up. Shadow was leaping through trees nearby to keep an eye out for any threats. He was not going to allow anything to harm his new friend.
"WHEEEE!!! Daddy, you really can run fast!" Sapphire laughed while coming up at his side. Ash looked down at her while she looked back up at him. "Well, I'm surprised you can keep up with me! Come on, Sapphire! Pick up the pace!" "OK, DADDY!" Ash let loose and really took off, his daughter gleefully keeping up with her arms trailing behind her.
After a minute of sprinting, Ash and Sapphire came to a stop, panting in exhaustion. "Wow.....that was fun, Daddy!" Ash wheezed, "I think so too. You're really fast for someone with such short legs. Huh?" Ash looked around to see that no one else was there. When he looked up, he saw Shadow on a lower branch looking out of breath.
"Hey, Shadow! Where is everyone?" Shadow looked down the path, "Um, oh! Here they come now!" Ash looked back down the path and waved at his friends. However, they seemed extremely out of breath, especially Ruby. When they caught up to Ash and Sapphire, Ruby gasped, "Man, I'm really out of shape." Ash asked, "But I thought Fighting type Pokemon never get tired." Ruby yelled, "Well, you go beyond Fighting type if you ask me!"
Suddenly, there was a murmur from Ash's stomach. "Uh oh. Hey, Brock. Think you could whip up some grub for us?" Brock panted, "Sure, just as soon as I can breathe normal again." Ash grinned, "Thanks. While I'm waiting, I'm gonna make a pit stop in the bushes." Sapphire spoke, "I'm coming too!" Ash rubbed her head, "Uh, no. You stay here. Trust me; you wouldn't want to see it. OK?" Sapphire looked disappointed, but nodded, "OK. Come back soon." Ash gave her a little kiss on the forehead and made his way into the brush, his bladder aching.
"Ahhhhhh...much better!" Ash sighed as he pulled up his pants. "Now, which way back to the gang?" Ash looked around; trying to remember the path he took. Just then, he smelled something boiling. "Mmmmm. I'll bet Brock's cooking up some stew." Following his nose, Ash made his way through the bushes until he came to a clearing. He saw a lone Lucario stirring a pot full of some water, definitely the source of the aroma. Its back was turned, but Ash saw a spike on the back of its hand. It seemed that Shadow had been left in charge of the stew while everyone else had gone somewhere for whatever reason.
"Hey Shadow. Where did everyone go?" The Lucario jumped at the sound of his voice and looked back. Ash froze at the sight of its eyes. They were much more feminine than Shadow's. The Lucario spoke, "Who? I think you've mistaken me for someone else." Ash blushed. Its voice was a beautiful girl's tone. This Lucario was a female!
Ash's blood chilled as he suddenly realized that he had stumbled upon a member of Ruby's clan! (Oh man. Shadow told them that Ruby and Sapphire are dead! I've got find a way to sneak off without her following me back to everyone!) Trying to look calm, Ash asked, "So, uh, what's your name?" The Lucario looked at him, curious that someone who looked like a Trainer would ask her for her name. "Aren't you going to try to capture me?" Ash was silent for a moment, but replied, "I can't do that since I don't have my Pokemon with me." The Lucario smiled at his honesty. Ash then noticed that her right ear was drooped forward. "You know, you're really cute the way your right ear droops." She reached up to it, "Oh, this?! No one's ever complimented me like that. Thank you.....um, what's your name?" Ash blushed that he had not introduced himself. "I'm Ash Ketchum." The Lucario smiled, "Nice to meet you, Ash. My name is Lucy." Just then, Ash's stomach let out a growl. "If you're hungry, I can share my meal with you. I think I used too much this time." Ash was too hungry to object. "OK! What do we have?" Lucy raised a sieve from the pot with noodles inside. "Ramen."
As Ash slurped up the noodles, he would frequently eye Lucy out of the corner of his eye. Even though she was female, her chest was surprisingly flat, not at all like Ruby's. Still, he couldn't help but think she was cute. Trying to not sound suspicious, Ash asked Lucy some questions. "So, Lucy. Have you ever seen a female Lucario without the three spikes they usually have?" Once Lucy swallowed her ramen, she answered, "I didn't even know it was possible for one to not have them. Why do you ask?" Ash gulped, "Well, there's one with me and my group who was born without them and now she's being hunted by her clan. I was just worried that you were one of them." Lucy was silent, then answered, "Well, I can see how I never knew of her, being that I'm from Sinnoh."
Ash looked at her funny, "You're from WHERE?" Lucy giggled a little and said, "Sinnoh. It's another region where Lucario are pretty well known." Ash got pretty excited, "Do they have a Pokemon League there?" Lucy looked at him funny, "Well, I think they do. Why?" Ash jumped up, "Great! Once I finish the Hoenn region championship, I'll be heading for Sinnoh!" Lucy grinned, "So, you're taking part in it? I wish you luck. Oh yes, would you...huh?!" Ash and Lucy jumped at the sound of a smoke bomb exploding! A second later, two familiar voices spoke.
"Prepare for trouble, it's been quite some time!" "And make it double, since we're still full of rhymes!" "To protect the world from devastation!" "To unite all peoples within our nation!" "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" "To extend our reach to the stars above!" "Jessie!" "James!" "Team Rocket, making a long overdue visit at the speed of light!" "Give us a warm welcome, or prepare to fight!" "WOOOBBBBAA-Dat's right!" Ash was about to yell out something, but stopped. "Uh, who are you guys again?" The three crooks fell over with a groan. "You little airhead! How could you forget about us, Team Rocket?!" Ash laughed, "Oh, right! Team Rocket! Man, it's been a few months since I last saw you wackos! Where have you been?" James snickered, "Sorry, but that's classified information. We just happened to be nearby, so we're here to take full advantage of this opportunity. It's not everyday that you see a Lucario in Hoenn."
Ash took a step forward, "I thought you guys had enough! Lucy, let's take em!" At this, Lucy stepped back, "Wait! I can't...I mean..." Team Rocket reached for their Poke Balls, "Well, let's do it!" "STOP!" Everyone looked at Lucy. "Ash, I just can't use any moves!" Everyone stared at her, "WHAT?!" Lucy blushed, "I'm sorry. I've been unable to use any moves for as long as I can remember. Quick Attack. Force Palm. All of it. I just can't use them." To their surprise, Team Rocket turned to leave. "Well, lucky for you, Team Rocket has no interest in Pokemon that can't battle. Look's like you get off easy this time." The three of them headed off into the woods, leaving Ash dumbfounded at Lucy's confession.
As Ash watched Team Rocket disappear into the woods, he chuckled, "Heh, that went well. So Lucy, you can't fight?" Lucy sighed, "No, I can't. I'm fairly strong, but using moves that other Pokemon know just doesn't seem possible for me. I don't mind it though. I've never liked combat anyway." Ash sighed, but rubbed her head, "I see. Well, now I really don't want to leave you alone like this. Would you like to come with me?" Lucy was surprised, but whispered, "Ash, come closer. I want to give you something." Ash snickered, "Oh come on. You don't have to give me anything." Lucy insisted, "I think you'll really like it." Ash was suspicious now, but walked over to her and kneeled down. "OK, so what is it?" Lucy smiled and gave Ash a sweet kiss on his cheek. Ash was stunned and speechless for a moment, but smiled and said, "Thanks, I did like that. But don't do that around Ruby. I don't think she would like it." Lucy let out a cute giggle. "OK, just let me dump this excess fluid from the pot and we'll be on our way."
On the way back to the campsite, Ash had his hand on Lucy's shoulder while she had her arm around his waist. Ash was carrying the pot for her. Just then, Lucy stopped. "Someone's coming. Let's hide." Ash ducked behind a large bush with Lucy and waited. Soon, they heard a voice. "DADDY! WHERE ARE YOU?! YOU'VE BEEN GONE TOO LONG!" They saw a Riolu walk into view. Ash jumped out of the bushes, "Sapphire! Looking for me?" Sapphire turned to face him and leapt at him. "DADDY! I WAS SCARED SOMETHING ATE YOU!" Ash snatched her up and squeezed her tightly, "You should know me by now. Nothing can kill me!" Sapphire giggled, but noticed something peeking through a bush.
"Daddy, what's that?" Ash looked at where she was pointing and saw Lucy's red eyes. "Oh, that's Lucy. Hey, come out. I want you to meet someone." Lucy stepped out from behind the bush and slowly approached them. "Lucy, this is Sapphire. Say hi to Lucy." Sapphire waved, "Hi, Miss Lucy!" Lucy grinned, "It's so nice to meet you, Sapphire. Ash, is she the daughter of Ruby?" Ash nodded, "Yep! I'm her father too!" When Lucy heard this, she almost fainted, but she thought of something. "Oh, her ADOPTIVE father. Well, she really seems to like you either way." Ash chuckled, (Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that.)
"Man, did Ash have a stomach virus or something? I thought he would have been back by now." Max muttered while checking the position of the Safari Zone on the Pokenav. A moment later, Sapphire came running into the campsite. "I found Daddy!" Shadow looked back towards the woods to welcome him back, but almost choked on his soup at the sight of a Lucario with him. "Oh no! Get away from him!" Shadow dropped his bowl and made a lunge for Lucy. However, Ash stepped in front of Shadow and held out his arms. "Chill, Shadow! She's not from around here! She doesn't know about Ruby!" Shadow came to a screeching halt. As he looked at Lucy, he saw that she did not have any malice in her eyes. Although Shadow knew that Ash would never lie to him, he just had to be certain. He circled Lucy while sniffing her arms and head. "Hm, your right. I don't recognize her scent. She is not from my clan." Lucy was taken aback by Shadow's straightforward approach, but Ash laid his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Shadow may look a bit scary, but he's a good friend of mine and is very protective of me." Shadow blushed, "Please, the more you praise me, the less worthy I sound!"
Suddenly, Ruby approached the two of them while glaring hard at Lucy. "No spikes...? You must be Ruby." Ruby replied, "Yes, I am. So, were you doing anything with my husband that I should know about?" Lucy stuttered, "Hus...buh...buh...band?!" Ruby started to get annoyed, "Yes, MY husband!" Lucy looked down at Sapphire, then at Ash, and back to Ruby, "You mean...Ash really is Sapphire's...father?" Ruby nodded, "Yes, he is. It was about two months ago that I gave birth to her. Is that a problem? Huh? Hey! What's wrong?!" Lucy was starting to wobble as she looked like she was going to pass out any second now. "Whoa! Lucy, don't lose it now!" Ash gave her a good shake to snap her back to her senses. "Oh, thanks. I'm just not used to the idea of a human mating with a Lucario." Ruby smirked, "Well, you'd best get used to it, because I've got another one on the way!"
Everyone who was eating or drinking at the time Ruby said that either choked on the soup or spewed whatever they were drinking. May shrieked, "ANOTHER ONE?! Ruby! Are you going to have another baby?!" Ash also was looking at her in shock. Ruby blushed, "Yes. Ash got me pregnant again just two days ago. Remember, sweetie?" Ash tried to think back and remembered the night they spent together at the night club. "Oh yeah! I do remember! But are you sure you're really going to have another baby?" Ruby poked his chest, "Don't doubt my maternal instincts!" Ash let out a nervous laugh, "OK, I believe you. Did you hear that, Sapphire? You're gonna have a baby brother in a few months." Sapphire walked over to Ruby and ran her hands over her belly as she kneeled down for her. "Hello, baby brother...It's me, your big sister." Sapphire kept whispering as she tried to listen to the fetus with her ear against Ruby's belly. Of course, the fetus had only just begun to develop, so there wasn't much in there at the moment.
Brock laughed, "I think Sapphire will make a great sister to your next kid! Congrats, you two!" While the gang gathered around Ruby, Lucy stood at the sidelines watching. (A new life...a little child being nurtured and cuddled by his parents...) Without warning, Lucy dropped to her knees, gently sobbing. No one noticed though. Except for Ash. When he walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, he asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?" Lucy looked up at him, but remained silent. "Hey, you don't have to be so sad. I'm sure you'll find a guy who you'll want to have kids of your own with someday." Lucy wiped her tears away, "That's not what I'm upset about, but thank you for caring." Ash blushed as Lucy embraced him. He looked over to Ruby, but let out a sigh of relief to see that she was preoccupied with Sapphire, who was trying to get into her blue shorts, looking for a way into her womb.
After everyone had finished lunch and the dishes washed, everyone continued towards the Safari Zone. Ruby stayed by Ash's side while Lucy stayed on the other side. Ruby would frequently eye Lucy in jealousy, but Lucy never noticed. Sapphire rode on Ash's head, a spot that had previously been reserved for Pikachu. Now, he was riding on Ash's shoulder. During the walk, Ruby noticed at one point that Lucy's eyes looked familiar somehow. Ruby shook her head, knowing that was impossible since they had never met, but the vision of those eyes haunted her. Where had she seen them before?!
"Well, this is it!" Everyone stood outside the entrance to the Safari Zone. "There are all kinds of exotic Pokemon in there! I almost got in trouble with the last one, but all we gotta do is pay a toll, and it's 'Gotta Catch 'em All' til ya drop!" Sapphire got fired up at her father's shouting, "YIPPEE! Til ya drop!" Suddenly, Shadow let out a sneeze. "Something wrong, Shadow?" Shadow wiped his nose, "Ah, just a sudden cold front. I'll be fine." As the group walked inside to register for a Safari Game, Shadow pondered the cold chill he felt. (That chill...it was the same as that time at night when I saw that mysterious Pokemon...could that chill have been caused by the same one?) Shadow pondered this further, but shook his head, (I'm sure of it. That creature is somewhere in the Safari Zone. I have never felt a chilling feeling like that, so I must be prepared for anything. If that creature tried to harm Ash, I will have no choice but to destroy it.)
"Mommy, when is Daddy gonna get better?" Ruby rubbed Sapphire's head, "I'm sure it will be any day now. Just be patient." As Max looked over the Pokenav, May asked, "So, where should we go today?" A voice spoke, "To the Safari Zone, of course! I'm about a month behind schedule already!"
Everyone looked over to the doors to the sleeping quarters. Ash was dressed in his clothes and didn't even have crutches under his arms. "Man, am I glad to get out of that bed! Huh? What's wrong?" Ash saw that everyone was silent as they stared at him. Ruby looked as if she was about to cry. "DADDY! YOU'RE ALL BETTER!" Sapphire ran over to Ash screaming in delight. Ash responded by snatching her up and squeezing her tightly. "You squeeze as hard as you used to, Daddy!" Sapphire laughed as she hugged her father.
Suddenly, Shadow surprised Ash by running up to him and putting him in the tightest embrace he had ever received. "I'm...so relieved...that you're OK..."Ash, on the other hand, couldn't even breathe. "Shadow...I...*hack* can't breathe...let go!" Shadow let go at Ash's whisper, blushing that he had almost severely injured him again. "Sorry. I'm just..." Ash rubbed his head, "You don't have to apologize. You're my pal now." Shadow grinned. He was looking forward to his life with his new friend and Trainer.
"ALL RIGHT! SAFARI ZONE, HERE WE COME!" Ash was so relieved to be outside again that he burst into a dash. Sapphire had plenty of energy and happily followed right behind him while the rest of the group tried to keep up. Shadow was leaping through trees nearby to keep an eye out for any threats. He was not going to allow anything to harm his new friend.
"WHEEEE!!! Daddy, you really can run fast!" Sapphire laughed while coming up at his side. Ash looked down at her while she looked back up at him. "Well, I'm surprised you can keep up with me! Come on, Sapphire! Pick up the pace!" "OK, DADDY!" Ash let loose and really took off, his daughter gleefully keeping up with her arms trailing behind her.
After a minute of sprinting, Ash and Sapphire came to a stop, panting in exhaustion. "Wow.....that was fun, Daddy!" Ash wheezed, "I think so too. You're really fast for someone with such short legs. Huh?" Ash looked around to see that no one else was there. When he looked up, he saw Shadow on a lower branch looking out of breath.
"Hey, Shadow! Where is everyone?" Shadow looked down the path, "Um, oh! Here they come now!" Ash looked back down the path and waved at his friends. However, they seemed extremely out of breath, especially Ruby. When they caught up to Ash and Sapphire, Ruby gasped, "Man, I'm really out of shape." Ash asked, "But I thought Fighting type Pokemon never get tired." Ruby yelled, "Well, you go beyond Fighting type if you ask me!"
Suddenly, there was a murmur from Ash's stomach. "Uh oh. Hey, Brock. Think you could whip up some grub for us?" Brock panted, "Sure, just as soon as I can breathe normal again." Ash grinned, "Thanks. While I'm waiting, I'm gonna make a pit stop in the bushes." Sapphire spoke, "I'm coming too!" Ash rubbed her head, "Uh, no. You stay here. Trust me; you wouldn't want to see it. OK?" Sapphire looked disappointed, but nodded, "OK. Come back soon." Ash gave her a little kiss on the forehead and made his way into the brush, his bladder aching.
"Ahhhhhh...much better!" Ash sighed as he pulled up his pants. "Now, which way back to the gang?" Ash looked around; trying to remember the path he took. Just then, he smelled something boiling. "Mmmmm. I'll bet Brock's cooking up some stew." Following his nose, Ash made his way through the bushes until he came to a clearing. He saw a lone Lucario stirring a pot full of some water, definitely the source of the aroma. Its back was turned, but Ash saw a spike on the back of its hand. It seemed that Shadow had been left in charge of the stew while everyone else had gone somewhere for whatever reason.
"Hey Shadow. Where did everyone go?" The Lucario jumped at the sound of his voice and looked back. Ash froze at the sight of its eyes. They were much more feminine than Shadow's. The Lucario spoke, "Who? I think you've mistaken me for someone else." Ash blushed. Its voice was a beautiful girl's tone. This Lucario was a female!
Ash's blood chilled as he suddenly realized that he had stumbled upon a member of Ruby's clan! (Oh man. Shadow told them that Ruby and Sapphire are dead! I've got find a way to sneak off without her following me back to everyone!) Trying to look calm, Ash asked, "So, uh, what's your name?" The Lucario looked at him, curious that someone who looked like a Trainer would ask her for her name. "Aren't you going to try to capture me?" Ash was silent for a moment, but replied, "I can't do that since I don't have my Pokemon with me." The Lucario smiled at his honesty. Ash then noticed that her right ear was drooped forward. "You know, you're really cute the way your right ear droops." She reached up to it, "Oh, this?! No one's ever complimented me like that. Thank you.....um, what's your name?" Ash blushed that he had not introduced himself. "I'm Ash Ketchum." The Lucario smiled, "Nice to meet you, Ash. My name is Lucy." Just then, Ash's stomach let out a growl. "If you're hungry, I can share my meal with you. I think I used too much this time." Ash was too hungry to object. "OK! What do we have?" Lucy raised a sieve from the pot with noodles inside. "Ramen."
As Ash slurped up the noodles, he would frequently eye Lucy out of the corner of his eye. Even though she was female, her chest was surprisingly flat, not at all like Ruby's. Still, he couldn't help but think she was cute. Trying to not sound suspicious, Ash asked Lucy some questions. "So, Lucy. Have you ever seen a female Lucario without the three spikes they usually have?" Once Lucy swallowed her ramen, she answered, "I didn't even know it was possible for one to not have them. Why do you ask?" Ash gulped, "Well, there's one with me and my group who was born without them and now she's being hunted by her clan. I was just worried that you were one of them." Lucy was silent, then answered, "Well, I can see how I never knew of her, being that I'm from Sinnoh."
Ash looked at her funny, "You're from WHERE?" Lucy giggled a little and said, "Sinnoh. It's another region where Lucario are pretty well known." Ash got pretty excited, "Do they have a Pokemon League there?" Lucy looked at him funny, "Well, I think they do. Why?" Ash jumped up, "Great! Once I finish the Hoenn region championship, I'll be heading for Sinnoh!" Lucy grinned, "So, you're taking part in it? I wish you luck. Oh yes, would you...huh?!" Ash and Lucy jumped at the sound of a smoke bomb exploding! A second later, two familiar voices spoke.
"Prepare for trouble, it's been quite some time!" "And make it double, since we're still full of rhymes!" "To protect the world from devastation!" "To unite all peoples within our nation!" "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" "To extend our reach to the stars above!" "Jessie!" "James!" "Team Rocket, making a long overdue visit at the speed of light!" "Give us a warm welcome, or prepare to fight!" "WOOOBBBBAA-Dat's right!" Ash was about to yell out something, but stopped. "Uh, who are you guys again?" The three crooks fell over with a groan. "You little airhead! How could you forget about us, Team Rocket?!" Ash laughed, "Oh, right! Team Rocket! Man, it's been a few months since I last saw you wackos! Where have you been?" James snickered, "Sorry, but that's classified information. We just happened to be nearby, so we're here to take full advantage of this opportunity. It's not everyday that you see a Lucario in Hoenn."
Ash took a step forward, "I thought you guys had enough! Lucy, let's take em!" At this, Lucy stepped back, "Wait! I can't...I mean..." Team Rocket reached for their Poke Balls, "Well, let's do it!" "STOP!" Everyone looked at Lucy. "Ash, I just can't use any moves!" Everyone stared at her, "WHAT?!" Lucy blushed, "I'm sorry. I've been unable to use any moves for as long as I can remember. Quick Attack. Force Palm. All of it. I just can't use them." To their surprise, Team Rocket turned to leave. "Well, lucky for you, Team Rocket has no interest in Pokemon that can't battle. Look's like you get off easy this time." The three of them headed off into the woods, leaving Ash dumbfounded at Lucy's confession.
As Ash watched Team Rocket disappear into the woods, he chuckled, "Heh, that went well. So Lucy, you can't fight?" Lucy sighed, "No, I can't. I'm fairly strong, but using moves that other Pokemon know just doesn't seem possible for me. I don't mind it though. I've never liked combat anyway." Ash sighed, but rubbed her head, "I see. Well, now I really don't want to leave you alone like this. Would you like to come with me?" Lucy was surprised, but whispered, "Ash, come closer. I want to give you something." Ash snickered, "Oh come on. You don't have to give me anything." Lucy insisted, "I think you'll really like it." Ash was suspicious now, but walked over to her and kneeled down. "OK, so what is it?" Lucy smiled and gave Ash a sweet kiss on his cheek. Ash was stunned and speechless for a moment, but smiled and said, "Thanks, I did like that. But don't do that around Ruby. I don't think she would like it." Lucy let out a cute giggle. "OK, just let me dump this excess fluid from the pot and we'll be on our way."
On the way back to the campsite, Ash had his hand on Lucy's shoulder while she had her arm around his waist. Ash was carrying the pot for her. Just then, Lucy stopped. "Someone's coming. Let's hide." Ash ducked behind a large bush with Lucy and waited. Soon, they heard a voice. "DADDY! WHERE ARE YOU?! YOU'VE BEEN GONE TOO LONG!" They saw a Riolu walk into view. Ash jumped out of the bushes, "Sapphire! Looking for me?" Sapphire turned to face him and leapt at him. "DADDY! I WAS SCARED SOMETHING ATE YOU!" Ash snatched her up and squeezed her tightly, "You should know me by now. Nothing can kill me!" Sapphire giggled, but noticed something peeking through a bush.
"Daddy, what's that?" Ash looked at where she was pointing and saw Lucy's red eyes. "Oh, that's Lucy. Hey, come out. I want you to meet someone." Lucy stepped out from behind the bush and slowly approached them. "Lucy, this is Sapphire. Say hi to Lucy." Sapphire waved, "Hi, Miss Lucy!" Lucy grinned, "It's so nice to meet you, Sapphire. Ash, is she the daughter of Ruby?" Ash nodded, "Yep! I'm her father too!" When Lucy heard this, she almost fainted, but she thought of something. "Oh, her ADOPTIVE father. Well, she really seems to like you either way." Ash chuckled, (Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that.)
"Man, did Ash have a stomach virus or something? I thought he would have been back by now." Max muttered while checking the position of the Safari Zone on the Pokenav. A moment later, Sapphire came running into the campsite. "I found Daddy!" Shadow looked back towards the woods to welcome him back, but almost choked on his soup at the sight of a Lucario with him. "Oh no! Get away from him!" Shadow dropped his bowl and made a lunge for Lucy. However, Ash stepped in front of Shadow and held out his arms. "Chill, Shadow! She's not from around here! She doesn't know about Ruby!" Shadow came to a screeching halt. As he looked at Lucy, he saw that she did not have any malice in her eyes. Although Shadow knew that Ash would never lie to him, he just had to be certain. He circled Lucy while sniffing her arms and head. "Hm, your right. I don't recognize her scent. She is not from my clan." Lucy was taken aback by Shadow's straightforward approach, but Ash laid his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Shadow may look a bit scary, but he's a good friend of mine and is very protective of me." Shadow blushed, "Please, the more you praise me, the less worthy I sound!"
Suddenly, Ruby approached the two of them while glaring hard at Lucy. "No spikes...? You must be Ruby." Ruby replied, "Yes, I am. So, were you doing anything with my husband that I should know about?" Lucy stuttered, "Hus...buh...buh...band?!" Ruby started to get annoyed, "Yes, MY husband!" Lucy looked down at Sapphire, then at Ash, and back to Ruby, "You mean...Ash really is Sapphire's...father?" Ruby nodded, "Yes, he is. It was about two months ago that I gave birth to her. Is that a problem? Huh? Hey! What's wrong?!" Lucy was starting to wobble as she looked like she was going to pass out any second now. "Whoa! Lucy, don't lose it now!" Ash gave her a good shake to snap her back to her senses. "Oh, thanks. I'm just not used to the idea of a human mating with a Lucario." Ruby smirked, "Well, you'd best get used to it, because I've got another one on the way!"
Everyone who was eating or drinking at the time Ruby said that either choked on the soup or spewed whatever they were drinking. May shrieked, "ANOTHER ONE?! Ruby! Are you going to have another baby?!" Ash also was looking at her in shock. Ruby blushed, "Yes. Ash got me pregnant again just two days ago. Remember, sweetie?" Ash tried to think back and remembered the night they spent together at the night club. "Oh yeah! I do remember! But are you sure you're really going to have another baby?" Ruby poked his chest, "Don't doubt my maternal instincts!" Ash let out a nervous laugh, "OK, I believe you. Did you hear that, Sapphire? You're gonna have a baby brother in a few months." Sapphire walked over to Ruby and ran her hands over her belly as she kneeled down for her. "Hello, baby brother...It's me, your big sister." Sapphire kept whispering as she tried to listen to the fetus with her ear against Ruby's belly. Of course, the fetus had only just begun to develop, so there wasn't much in there at the moment.
Brock laughed, "I think Sapphire will make a great sister to your next kid! Congrats, you two!" While the gang gathered around Ruby, Lucy stood at the sidelines watching. (A new life...a little child being nurtured and cuddled by his parents...) Without warning, Lucy dropped to her knees, gently sobbing. No one noticed though. Except for Ash. When he walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, he asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?" Lucy looked up at him, but remained silent. "Hey, you don't have to be so sad. I'm sure you'll find a guy who you'll want to have kids of your own with someday." Lucy wiped her tears away, "That's not what I'm upset about, but thank you for caring." Ash blushed as Lucy embraced him. He looked over to Ruby, but let out a sigh of relief to see that she was preoccupied with Sapphire, who was trying to get into her blue shorts, looking for a way into her womb.
After everyone had finished lunch and the dishes washed, everyone continued towards the Safari Zone. Ruby stayed by Ash's side while Lucy stayed on the other side. Ruby would frequently eye Lucy in jealousy, but Lucy never noticed. Sapphire rode on Ash's head, a spot that had previously been reserved for Pikachu. Now, he was riding on Ash's shoulder. During the walk, Ruby noticed at one point that Lucy's eyes looked familiar somehow. Ruby shook her head, knowing that was impossible since they had never met, but the vision of those eyes haunted her. Where had she seen them before?!
"Well, this is it!" Everyone stood outside the entrance to the Safari Zone. "There are all kinds of exotic Pokemon in there! I almost got in trouble with the last one, but all we gotta do is pay a toll, and it's 'Gotta Catch 'em All' til ya drop!" Sapphire got fired up at her father's shouting, "YIPPEE! Til ya drop!" Suddenly, Shadow let out a sneeze. "Something wrong, Shadow?" Shadow wiped his nose, "Ah, just a sudden cold front. I'll be fine." As the group walked inside to register for a Safari Game, Shadow pondered the cold chill he felt. (That chill...it was the same as that time at night when I saw that mysterious Pokemon...could that chill have been caused by the same one?) Shadow pondered this further, but shook his head, (I'm sure of it. That creature is somewhere in the Safari Zone. I have never felt a chilling feeling like that, so I must be prepared for anything. If that creature tried to harm Ash, I will have no choice but to destroy it.)