Title: Reaction Formation
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #34, Reaction Formation
Rating: R
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. Pokemon Special/Adventures universe

Warnings: AU, het, mentioned Specialshipping (Red x Yellow), angst, non-consensual sex

“Lance?”

Red poked his head into the room, only to find the Dragon Master missing. Blinking in surprise, he walked to the desk, where he found a note, written in blood-red ink on fine paper.

Red,

Since you’re obviously with someone else, I should quit daydreaming, ne? So enjoy your life with Yellow.

In truth, I hate you! I hope I never see you again!

Guess what, Red? I never loved you. It was all a ploy so you would trust the Elite Four… and you fell for it.

I suppose I got the last laugh.

There was no signature, but Red did not need to be a genius to decipher it. He groaned as he buried his face in his hands.

“Honestly! If she hates me so much, then I’m glad she’s going away! Stupid…”

But if he really felt that way, why were there tears on his cheeks? With a sigh, he released Aeroy. The fossil dragon cocked a head at him quizzically.

“Come on, Aeroy. We’re going searching.”

Aerodactyl nodded, and they took off.

Lance closed her eyes as she ran her fingers along the tips of Ptera’s wings. “Do you think he bought it?”

His Aerodactyl shrugged in response. The Dragon Master sighed.

“I did try my best…”

Master…

“Don’t say it!” She hissed. “It’s painful enough already, but this is for the best. Yellow loves him, and he loves her anyway.”

Aerodactyl did not reply, and Lance said no more.

“Where is she?” Red demanded, after several hours of searching. Aeroy blinked at him, and he sighed.

“I mean, where could she be hiding? I already checked all the major cities… in both Kanto and Johto!” He shivered.

Clair hadn’t been pleasant when he had asked her where Lance had gone. Well, maybe he had deserved it, but…

Was he really going to marry Yellow, or was it just a rumor?

He wasn’t quite sure any more. He had taken her to the League Ball, and they had kissed, and sure enough, the reporters had pounced.

But… a kiss wasn’t marriage yet, right?

“He won’t come back here.” Lance reassured her Aerodactyl. “I know you miss your Ptera, but soon, you’ll be able to return to your Mate.”

And what about you, Master?

Lance flinched. “That is unimportant.”

Aerodactyl frowned, and nudged him affectionately, but Lance did not appear to notice. Golden eyes were narrowed in concentration, and the Pokemon sighed.

“You think she’s on Cerise Island?” Red blinked, as he turned to his Aerodactyl, Aeroy. “Why would she go back there?”

The Pokemon shrugged.

“Well, it’s worth a try.”

Why was Lance doing his? Was she that insecure? Red frowned. Maybe Lance did… hate him…

But did he hate the Dragon Master back?

It made his chest ache to think about, so he banished the thought.

He didn’t miss Lance!

“He’s coming, Ptera. It took him long enough. I must not be very important than.”

Ptera looked at Lance worriedly, before he recalled her. Sure enough, moments later, Red touched down.

“Lance.” He said.

Golden eyes narrowed a fraction, as she inclined her head in recognition. “Red.”

“I found you.”

“It took you long enough. Why did you come?”

Red clenched his hands into fists. “Because I wanted to hear you say it!”

“… What?” Lance blinked.

“Y-You said you hated me… but I wanted to hear it and make sure!”

Lance took an involuntary step back, as Red stared at her. She closed her eyes, but it was too late. Red had always been sharp, and in that glance, he had seen…

He felt as though the breath had been sucked out of his lungs. “M-Merciful Mew… you…”

“No!” She shook her head. “Don’t say it!”

“You still love me…”

“That’s not true…” The redheaded woman hissed, turning to leave, but he grabbed her wrist and forced her to turn around.

“Then look me in the eyes and tell me that.” He said sternly. “Open your eyes, Lance. Please…”

She felt her fangs cutting into her lower lip, and the pain hurt, but she couldn’t… she had to harden her heart and step away, because Red loved another and she had no place loving the Champion now…

A gentle hand tipped her chin upwards, pulling her into a kiss, and she blinked in surprise, staring. Ruby met gold, as Red pushed her down onto the sand, straddling her hips and keeping her pinned.

She tried not to see, she really did, but it was no use.

“Why are you doing this?” Red whispered. “Why are you tormenting yourself?”

She gave her former boyfriend a bittersweet smile. “Because I do not deserve to love you… and it will end here… where it began.”

He stared at her in abject disbelief. “What are you talking about?”

“I shouldn’t love you, especially now that you have someone else… but I know that you’ll feel guilty about it and force yourself to show affection, so I’ll just… alter things a little.” Lance said, golden eyes beginning to take on a bluish tint.

“I do love you!” Red protested. “Why won’t you believe me?”

“No one could love me.” Lance murmured. “I’m worthless.”

“That’s not true!” He kissed her again, hard enough to bruise, and tasted blood. She was unused to playing the aggressor, but it seemed like nothing else was going to get through Lance’s mind. The Elite Trainer cried out in surprise as the Champion pinned her wrists securely before releasing his Venusaur.

“Venus, could you?”

The Pokemon nodded, as restraints coiled around his prisoner’s wrists and ankles. Red purred, running his fingers down Lance’s chest as he moved between her legs.

“Don’t worry…” He crooned. “You are worth something to me.”

The rest was lost in a blur of pleasure-pain, and finally, he collapsed against her, purring. * Wow… *

She said no more.

Afterwards, he began reaching for this clothing. The other just looked at him. What was it now?

“Lance?”

“Yes, I understand.” She hissed. “You need someone to warm your bed.” She straightened her cape, eyes blazing like stars. “That is all I am to you, a convenient fuck.”

“No!” He protested. “That’s not true!”

He equated love with sex, like a stupid little virgin. She did not.

“Go find some other slut to whore. I am sure you have dozens of offers lined up, because it will not be me. Nor, will I ever give myself willing to some cheap rapist.”

Claret eyes went wide. “W-What?”

“Did you think that screwing me senseless would fix your problems?” The woman asked. “Because, let me tell you the truth. Sex never solves anything.”

“B-But… I thought that was what you wanted!”

“Unlike you, I don’t think with my dick!” She snapped. “I hope you enjoyed it, because that’s the last one you’re going to get.”

Red gaped at her, dumbstruck.

She had hoped for class. Well, apparently, she had overestimated him. A declaration of love or a marriage proposal would have been nice. Even just friendship would have been all right, but no. The idiot had decided to sleep with her! Lance turned, and released her Aerodactyl.

Ptera moved faster than fast, blade-edged wings a sharp blur, and bare seconds later, he was left, staring at a lifeless corpse.

Unable or unwilling to believe it, Red clutched her close and screamed, ignoring the blood spilling over his clothes.

Why? Didn’t she want him to show his love? He had thought…

Aeroy looked at Ptera. Why?

Master always has a back-up plan, and this is a violation she cannot forgive, even if he intended to be her Mate.

There was nothing more to be said.

End Fic

Completed 12/10/06

Edited 8/23/09

Reaction formation involves the presentation of one’s thoughts or feelings as the extreme opposite of what they actually are. (Introductory Psychology 7th edition by James Kalat)