Title: A Red Star
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Ash/Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #59, Old Money
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics.
This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under
international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you.
*Phantomness bows*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics
if a pokemon talks
Warnings: AU, Shonen-ai, cross-dressing
“Well, what’s this?” Lance asked, flicking through a pile of papers. Red looked up, wrinkling his nose at the puffs of dust rising from the floor.
“What’s what?”
“I just found these stacks of paper. Don’t you know what they are?”
“Sorry, but no. Thanks for helping me clean out my attic though!” Red grinned. “Some of this stuff belonged to my parents or grandparents, so it might not be important.”
Lance eyed the yellowed edges and was about to agree, before he whipped a magnifying glass out of his pocket and took a closer look. “Say, Red…”
“Yes?”
“These look rather like bank notes.”
That caught Red’s attention. “What? You’re kidding.”
“No I’m not. Is there a light in here?”
“I’ll try and pop open a window, but they’ve been locked tight for Lugia knows how long.”
“How long has your family owned this house by the way?”
“Eh… Six generations or so, why?”
“I think this belonged to your Great-great-grandfather.” Lance said dryly.
Red took a look, squinting by the light of his flashlight. With a sigh, he turned to the window and creaked it open. Instantly, colors of flame bloomed on the dry parchment.
“Cool! Is this invisible ink?”
“Something like it.” Lance nodded. “We’d better be careful though. It’s quite old – too much exposure might cause it to crumble.”
“Good thing you’re wearing gloves, ne?”
“Yes.”
They pored over it for a few moments later, before Red went downstairs and came back with a clear protective sheet. They wrapped all the papers that looked important up, but them in a pile, and went on cleaning.
Red laughed when he found a box of old homework assignments that had belonged to his mother, and a few knitted sweaters in truly clashing colors of orange and electric blue. No wonder she had never worn them!
“Say, what’s this?” Lance asked suddenly.
Red blinked. “Hmm?”
Lance lifted out a dress of long, filmy silk, and Red stared.
“I have no idea. I don’t think it belongs to my mother though.”
Lance held it up, critically, eying it from all angles, admiring the beaded patterns. “The rest of this trunk is full of dresses too.”
“Well…” Red grinned. “If you want them or something… Clair might like that style. I certainly don’t have any need for those.”
“Thanks then!”
After some more sorting, they decided to toss most of the stuff, or at the least donate it. Though there was a lovely desk – in pieces – they had no idea how to put it together, and it was far too ornamental and heavy for either of their tastes. Lance had loaded his Dragonairs with several bundles of clothing, a strange smile on his face, and Red was off to find a lawyer to read the documents for him. The other papers – mostly old homework assignments, as odd as it seemed – would be burned.
Patrick stared at Red as he leafed through the documents. “This is incredible.”
“Well?” Red asked hopefully. “Are they any good?”
“I should say they were! These belonged to your great-great-grandfather. He invested heavily in the shipping business.”
“Oh.” Red blinked. “And?”
“And?” Patrick stared at Red in disbelief. “You now own twenty-five percent of the shares in the Red Star Shipping Co.”
Red gaped. He had heard of Red Star. Why, they monopolized the shipping market, and…
“You’re saying my grandfather was one of the founders?”
“No, but he was certainly a large stockholder.” Patrick went online for a few moments, whistling when he finished.
“Well, Red, according to the current stock market prices, you currently own about sixty million-.”
Red had already keeled over from the shock.
“Red Star?” Lance smiled, looking up from his computer. “Yes, I’ve heard of them. Quite a good reputation, fast, reliable, and not too environmentally damaging.”
Red nodded. “I just wanted to clear it with you.”
Lance raised his eyebrows. “Why? It’s your money.”
“I know, but… you know…” Red blushed. “It’s no fun having all that money with no one to share it with!”
“And you’d like to share it with me?”
“I’d like to share everything with you.”
Lance half-smiled, and Red kissed him, sighing as he wound his arms around his friend’s neck.
“I do tend to have odd quirks, you know.”
“I know.” Red said, eying Lance’s attire. If not for the hair and the eyes, he would not have recognized him.
Even the hair was not a guarantee, for Lance had streaked it with gold and braided it into intricate loops with gold pieces holding it together. As Red watched in fascination, he deftly applied makeup to round out his sharp features. With the long semi-transparent silks clinging to his body, he was truly a vision in white.
Red licked his lips hungrily.
Lance smirked. “Like what you see, Champion?”
“Oh yes…” Red moved over to him, closer, pulling him into another kiss. “And now, we can both retire.”
Lance blinked for a second, before he laughed. “Yes.”
Someone else could run Indigo! They were free!
And it was all thanks to Red’s great-great grandfather.
End Fic
Completed 9/8/06
Lance: Money makes the world go round
Phantomness: I suppose it does. I’m broke, though…
Red: *Hugs*