Title: Fear
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Ash/Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #9, Fear
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, death

“Red?”

“Yes, Lance?”

“You can quit biting your tongue you know. It can’t possibly be good for you.”

Red gave his friend a sheepish grin. “How did you know?”

“You would have to be suicidal not to be worried. After all, Kanto has practically sent us off on a suicide mission.”

“A-aren’t you scared?” Red asked, as he edged closer to Lance.

Lance put an arm around Red’s shoulder, pulling him into his embrace. “It would do no good if I were. I have to be strong for you.”

Red blushed. “For-For me? Why?”

“If I was frightened also, it would only make things worse.” Footsteps sounded, and Lance carefully ducked his head down, drawing his cloak closer around both of them. Red held his breath, but the Team Rocket Grunt looked right at them. Then, he looked right through them.

… Invisibility?

It seemed so. After a moment, the man walked past. Red caught the shimmer of something as Lance blurred into motion. The Rocket fell onto the ground with a soft thump, a throwing knife buried in his back.

Red paled, even as Lance took his hand and began leading him down another hallway, leaving the body behind.

There were two more Rockets guarding the door. The Dragon Master smirked, two more blades whistling through the air. One didn’t go down immediately, managing to release his Weezing first with an order for Explosion.

Red wasn’t sure what he did, but when he dared to open his eyes, he saw that his Jolteon was shielding them with a barrier of Protect. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“Good work.” Lance grinned, before he turned to the door. There was no mark on it, and he frowned.

They must have reinforced the lab…

Well, it mattered little. A flick of his wrist released Aerodactyl. The fossil dragon charged up Hyper Beam, blasting the steel apart.

Red gaped only for a second before he and Jolteon followed Lance and Aerodactyl inside.

There were scientists waiting, but that was to be expected. So they had Magneton and Electrode and Muk? One thing could take care of all of them!

“Phanpy! Use Earthquake!”

The ground shook and heaved, but Jolteon leaped onto one of the machines and quickly put it out of commission with a Thunderbolt. While the men spluttered, Lance’s Aerodactyl let loose a round of supersonic waves, causing any other pokémon to be caught in the Whirlwind of confusion

There it was. The Eternal Stone…

It was rumored to act opposite of an Everstone, forcing a pokémon to evolve to it’s next stage regardless of level. Such was very dangerous.

“Ready?” Lance asked.

Red nodded, and as Lance grabbed the stone, Red released Kirlia and they teleported out. A moment later, they reappeared in Indigo Plateau, safe and sound.

Lance sighed as he looked at the rock. “We should probably destroy it.”

Agatha nodded; she and Lorelei had come running as soon as the rest of their Team had arrived. Bruno had retired from the Elite two months ago, so that left Red as the second Elite. He didn’t mind much.

“Any ideas?”

Lance reached for Dragonite’s poke ball. “It might be able to affect pokémon evolution, even from a distance. We’d best keep all our unevolved ones in their poke balls just in case.”

“Makes sense.” Red nodded. Lorelei released Jynx and Cloyster and Lapras, Agatha her two Gengar and Arbok, and Red his Jolteon and Magneton.

As one, they launched their attacks at the Eternal Stone. Moments later, it shattered into fine dust.

Lance breathed a sigh of relief, followed by the others. “Well… That was quite simple.”

“I doubt they put much effort into making it strong.” Agatha said dryly. She walked over and began to collect the fragments. A quick scan thanks to Gengar revealed that the power seemed to have dissipated. Good. Now it was just ordinary crystal.

One threat was down…

“Lance?”

The Dragon Master stifled a yawn as he padded to the doorway in his pajamas and fuzzy Dratini slippers. “It’s two P.M., Red. What do you want?”

“I had a nightmare. Can I sleep in your room?”

“… Sure.”

Red beamed, and he climbed onto Lance’s bed without further ado, bringing with him a pillow and a stuffed Pikachu. Lance chose not to comment.

The boy was so cute sometimes…

Still, he didn’t mind, as Red snuggled up to him. He kissed him on the cheek, wished him goodnight, and promptly fell asleep.

Red had no more nightmares.

End Fic

Completed 10/24/06

Yeah. Fluffy beyond all belief… there may be a sequel to this. I’ve got the bunnies brewing!