Title: Double-Edged Sword
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #43, Sword

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, het

 

            Dusky autumn light filtered in through the blinds. Wataru adjusted her glasses as she peered at the ink on the page, black against white blurring into a gray mess. She sighed as she stood, trying to ignore the headache pounding behind her eyes. Perhaps a breath of fresh air would help, though she knew what she really needed. Her hand was already creeping towards her leather purse, and the tablets inside.

            With force of will she pulled away, and walked outside, down the hall to the public coffee room. There was half a pot of decaf already on the stove, which she ignored. Taking one of the coffeepots from the shelf set above the percolator, she rinsed it briefly in the sink before filling it with water and setting it to boil. Ten minutes later, the water was whistling cheerfully and her green tea blend was slowly simmering.

            Takada-san waved to her in the hall and she gave the older woman a curt nod of acknowledgement back. She closed the door of the office shut behind her, took a sip of tea, and set it down next to her laptop as she turned back to the proposal again.

            * Ridiculous! *With a frown, she crumpled the paper into a ball and lobbed it into her wastebasket, before taking another sip of tea and opening her computer. She had more important projects to work on. Some child’s wish for happy parents would go unanswered.

            Divorce was not always the answer, after all.

 

            “Wataru-san!”

            The woman turned, a frown crossing her features. That voice sounded vaguely familiar, but did not seem to belong to any of her coworkers.

            The owner was a man, dressed rather scruffily, black hair wild around his face. His suit was in disarray, and he was wearing sneakers, of all things. He ran up to her, gasping for breath.

            “Yes?” She asked politely.

            “I’m sorry to bother you.” He said, looking almost sheepish, “But I wanted to know if you got my proposal?”

            “You are…?” She deliberately let her sentence trail off, and he flushed, one hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment.

            “Oh! Sorry I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Nakamura Red. I’m pleased to meet you.”

 

            She nodded, mentally reviewing her files. “You sent me the divorce proposal.”

            Red nodded enthusiastically. “Yes!”

            “You know very well my area of expertise is pokémon abuse.” She said crisply. “I am afraid I cannot help you.”

            He deflated. “Oh…I see…”

            “Good day.” She said, with a polite bow, and walked off, high-heeled boots clicking against the sidewalk, the neat bun of hair atop her head not wavering an iota.

            Red frowned. Something tugged in his memory, but he could not remember what it was… but no! She was his last hope! He couldn’t let her get away!

            “Venusaur! Vine Whip!”

 

            His pokémon appeared in a flash of light, and obligingly tripped the woman, or tried to. She was amazingly strong, and she grabbed the vine wrapped around her leg with a glare.

            “What is it now? Are you resorting to sexual assault?”

            Red paled. “N-No. I um,” He colored. “Just wanted to ask if you’d consider it…”

            “As I said before, my answer is no.” Wataru struggled, cursing as she heard fabric rip. He gaped at her, realizing that this may have been a bad idea. He hastily took off his jacket and handed it to her to cover the hole in the back of her skirt, and recalled Venusaur, blushing madly.

            “Oh! I’m really sorry!”

            “… It’s all right.”

            “No! I mean I should take you out to coffee or something! Just you know, so I won’t feel bad! How much did that skirt cost?”

            Wataru covered her face with her hands, sighing. “All right, I get the picture. Just so you’ll feel better. I’ll… consider your case.”

            Red beamed brightly, and nodded.

 

            He chose a coffee shop only a block away, and she sipped her green tea as she watched him devour his blueberry cheesecake with a bright grin. He really was cute, if she were into that sort of thing.

            She wasn’t. She hadn’t fallen in love in years, and there was no way she was starting now. She was the best of the best and she couldn’t do that with romance messing things up.

            Not even for him

 

            He was still adorable, and after they parted ways, with a promise to meet again next week, she felt his eyes on her. Familiar…

            In her apartment, she shut the door, before sighing.

            “What am I getting myself into? I promised…”

            There was no reply, and Lance sighed.

            “I’m such an idiot…”

 

            She moved to her bedroom and sat in front of the vanity, looking at her reflection. Golden eyes glittered dully from behind the steel frames, and a few wisps of stray hair had escaped from the upright bun of soft brown. With a sigh, she took the hairpins out and let her hair fall down naturally into the soft spikes it was wont to do.

            She shed her practical beige jacket and torn skirt, followed by the fluffy white blouse. It was always hard not to look when she did this, but she managed, and stepped past her dressing room into the shower, turning on the hot water so the steam would fog the mirror. Yes. It was better this way.

            This way, Lance wouldn’t have to see her become him again…

            No, she was not the trainer she had once been.

           

            “It’s ironic, isn’t it?” The former Dragon Master mused, as she sat in front of her vanity mirror later, wrapped in a fluffy white bathrobe that hid all the offending parts. “I thought that if I left, it would be safe, but it seems that he’s not so happy with Misty after all, considering that he’s filing for divorce…”

            And Red obviously thought she was cute…

            A vicious smile curved her lips as she pulled out her hairbrush, beginning to brush her wet hair smooth. This would be interesting

            Red, you made me this way. And now you might even fall in love with me. Wouldn’t that be ironic?

            It might be fun to break his heart the same way he broke mine…

            She would have to be careful, not to fall in love with Red again, but Lance thought she could manage, and as she carefully applied makeup to his face, pursing her lips at the reflection and blowing a kiss, she realized something.

            At least, she was still beautiful…

            She visualized revenge, and it was sweet indeed. And now, the sword of love would turn against the one she once loved. How fitting.

            Darkly, she laughed. Perhaps it was time for the wheel to come full circle. Penance would be paid, one time or another…

 

End Fic

Completed 2/27/07

Edited 5/8/09

Love is a double-edged sword, isn’t it? ^^ And I’m sorry to say I know very little about being a lawyer… so I skipped over that completely! ^^