Title: Aim High
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Ash/Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #48, Aim High
Rating: PG
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: Shonen-ai, insanity

“When I grow up, I want to be Champion.” Red grinned.

His mother nodded as she tucked him into bed. She did not mention how false those words would soon prove to be. No one had ever been able to defeat the Elite Four’s Leader, Lance the Dragon Master, and she doubted anyone ever would.

But it was good for Red to dream, and as long as he did not focus wholly on pokemon training, having a little obsession wouldn’t’ hurt.

Ten years later, she was proven wrong.

She watched as Lance set the circlet of gold in Red’s hair, watched as a million flashbulbs popped and his face spread all over the regions.

She should be proud that her child had defeated the Dragon Master, but all she could think of now was how much she was losing.

Pokemon had torn her husband away from her. Now, they were taking her son away too!

This could not go on!

She needed her family!

Lance blinked as his dragons keened in his mind and silver blades flared into existence on his fingertips. The woman wound up pinned to the wall, a blade through each wrist. Red stared at her, almost entranced.

“Red?”

“She’s…but… that’s my mother.” Red gasped. “But why in Mew’s name… why would she try to kill me?”

Lance shrugged elegantly. “I do not know. Would you like me to let her down?”

Red looked at the meat cleaver lying on the floor. “No, please,” he said quietly. “She’s… changed.”

“Gone mad, you mean?”

“Mm, exactly that.” Red agreed. “I’ll call the guards.”

He did, and she wept as her son left her.

Red…

“I think that she may resent your title.”

Red blinked. “But why?”

“Perhaps she is lonely.”

“That’s no reason to try and kill me! Besides, I went journeying for a year and a half and she was fine with that!”

“Why indeed.” Lance echoed.

Red shivered, and the Dragon Master undid the cords at his throat, draping the heavy cloak over the shivering Champion. Red shot him a grateful smile.

Lance was… surprisingly nice.

He had expected the Dragon Master to be stuck up, but Lance wasn’t that arrogant. Besides, hadn’t he proven his worth?

He nestled in Lance’s arms as the Dragon Master held him, and for a while, they just sat there, while he tried to sort through his tangled emotions.

It was all right. The Elite Four would be his new family from now on, and Lance… he trusted Lance to take care of him.

Red smiled.

End Fic

Completed 10/21/06

Yes, I needed to kill his mother off somehow…

Red: …
Lance: *Smirk*

Phantomness: I got an A on my psychology midterm! YAY!