Title: Rumor Has It…
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #5, Rumors
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: Fanon AU, het

There are a lot of rumors floating around about the Elite Four and Champion. Most of them are fairly harmless – Lance’s hair is really blonde, Lorelei used to be a swimsuit model, Agatha’s a ghost but no one can tell, and that Bruno’s strong enough to crush rocks with his bare hands.

Of course, some of them are worse…

Like how Lorelei is a slut that became Elite by sleeping with Lance…

That Bruno’s only there because Agatha blackmailed him into it.

How Red is Champion because she cheated.

…And how Lance is Agatha’s illegitimate child.

There are a lot of rumors, but those who do know the truth, never tell it.

About how Lorelei and Drake are together, and how Bruno has a heart condition and will drop dead any day now, on how Agatha nearly lost her soul betting with Karen. Things like that…

Most importantly, they don’t know that Lance and Red hold the fate of the world in their hands.

Some things, after all, you just can’t tell.

Besides, what normal person off the street would even understand?

However, some things are partially true. Lance is Agatha’s illegitimate child. Red did cheat, though not in the way one might assume. Bruno is there, but not blackmailed – only controlled through his black wristbands. And as for Lorelei, perhaps Clair did influence her cousin a little.

It’s funny how lies can have shades of truth in them.

Perhaps that makes them more interesting.

But it’s all right, and the Elite don’t care. After all, Lance has Red to ground him, and Red has Lance to protect her, and one day, they will show the world the power they have been mocking all this time.

Until then, they’ll wait patiently, and comfort each other.

And Red sighs when Lance kisses her, and when both their eyes are closed, they don’t have to see what people think.

It wouldn’t matter anyway. Their love is more important than those groundless whispers any day.

End Fic

Completed 8/31/06

Edited 5/30/09

Implied relationship! ^^ Hey, it’s kind of angsty, ne?