Title: Past and Present
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Ash/Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #45, Memories

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, Shonen-ai, annoying OC

           

            Does the past define who we are? Does it truly? Because if it does, and I can’t remember, am I just stumbling blind?

 

            Red woke up one morning to find that he could remember nothing. It seemed like he was just… lost. He felt utterly disconnected from the world at large, and to some extent, even his own body. As he dressed in the clothes laid out on the chair, black jeans and a dark red jacket, a more serious version of his previous jeans and short-sleeved jacket, even as he placed his hat on his head, even as he stared in the mirror, it was no help. He could barely recognize his face.

            He brushed his teeth and showered, feeling vaguely disoriented. The sensation of hot water was refreshing, but it helped his memory little.

            He walked down the slick hallways of steel tile, trusting his feet would lead him where he wanted to go. Minutes later he arrived in the dining room, where the Elite Four called greetings and Lorelei asked him if he wanted any coffee. He declined politely, and made a beeline for the fridge.

            He found the eggs and milk and bread, headed to the stove, made himself French toast, and poured a glass of orange juice as he joined them around the table.

            As they ate, he listened to the others talk, before finally, Lance commented on his silence. The Dragon Master actually looked worried about him!

            It made his cheeks tint pink, though he knew not why. Surely they were just friends…

 

            That afternoon, he had two challenge matches. The first kid used mostly rock and ground-type pokémon, so it was easy for Lapras to mop them up. Blastoise got a touch of exercise too.

            The second had a slightly more balanced team, but even so… his pokémon were bright stars of power as they demolished the enemy. Afterwards, he hugged them all and fed them treats, before he went back to his room to ponder some more.

            Obviously, he had not lost his battling skill. He could even remember most of his pokémon journey. It was only his memory after initiation as Champion that got fuzzy…

            Or he had selective amnesia perhaps? But how had he wound up in such a state? Had he gotten clonked over the head with an attack? It happened in training sometimes, so it was perfectly reasonable to suspect that.

            Maybe his pokémon could offer some insight…

 

            They mostly just blinked at him, and Red shook his head. Pokémon might know more than they let on, but he had no way of translating their language into human terms he could understand, so he felt rather frustrated after his ‘talk’ with them.

            Lance caught him as he was leaving the kitchen with a cup of strong green tea.

            “Red, what are you doing?”

            “Mm?”

            “You seem quite out of it today. Did you not get enough sleep last night?”

            “Er… it’s more complicated than that.” Red hesitated, but decided to spill the beans. “I think I have amnesia.”

            Lance goggled at him for a second, before he shook his head sympathetically. “Well, tell me about it.”

            “I don’t really know anything. It’s just that I woke up and couldn’t remember basic things.”

            “Did you ask your pokémon for help?” Lance questioned, after a thoughtful pause.

            “I can’t understand what they’re saying.”

            Lance’s eyes narrowed. “That’s impossible. Unless whatever gave you amnesia knocked out your natural abilities…”

            “Um, what are you talking about?” Red ventured.

            Lance sighed. “When you become Champion, the Master Computer will grant you the ability to understand pokémon – your own and those of your friends and partners, even wild pokémon to some extent. So unless time has gone backwards, there should be no reason you have lost that ability.”

            Red took a few minutes to puzzle it out, before he brightened. “Does that mean you’ll understand what my pokémon are saying?”

            “Sure. Want me to translate for you?”

            “Yes please!”

 

            Lance and Red headed back to his room, where Red’s pokémon still waited, and this time, ‘conversation’ went much more smoothly.

            Lance managed to deduce from Blastoise’s garbled comments and Pikachu’s adamant shouts that Red had been seeing some girl for a few months, but the relationship had not worked out. Then last night, he had gone to visit her and when he came back he seemed like a different person.

            As Red digested this information, Lance went to get Agatha.

 

            Agatha and her ghosts scanned dutifully, but reported no inaccuracy in Red’s mind, save this. The blocks seemed to be self-inflicted.

            “You’re saying I don’t remember because I forced myself to forget?” Red asked, astonished.

            “It certainly seems that way. The walls are your own.”

            Red sighed. “Something really bad must have happened then…”

            “I don’t doubt it.” Lance leaned over and ruffled Red’s hair. “It will probably come back in time. Until then, feel free to ask us if you have any questions.”

            “All right!”

 

            The rest of the week passed rather uneventfully. He didn’t have to deal with much battling, and the library was very informative. So was his computer, once he managed to figure out what his password had been.

            Strange he had forgotten something so important!

            Still, re-reading through his diary entries was quite enlightening. He learned that the girl he had been going out with was named Marian, and very fond of chocolate ice cream. She trained normal-type pokémon like many other Lasses, Jigglypuff and Meowth. They had kissed twice, but he had taken her out to dinner and the movies quite often, once every four days, almost.

            That must have been expensive. Lucky he got paid well to be League Champion!

 

            But as he investigated, he found that there were very few mentions of love. Sure, she was adorably cute, but their relationship was almost empty... even her trying to initiate sex hadn’t helped.

            Maybe that was why…?

            One hypothesis was as good as another at this point in time, and he allowed himself to wallow in various emotions, no matter the cause or danger, even allowing fear and anger to equalize, waiting for evocations to bring back past remembrances.

            While he let his feelings wash over himself, he thought about Lance. Lance was nice. He was brilliant, really…

            But Lance was still a boy, and he shouldn’t be having these thoughts about him, right? On the other hand, girls didn’t seem to hold any appeal any more.

            Perhaps he and Marian should never have gotten together in the first place.

            Red sipped his pink lemonade as he considered that thought. It did not hurt, not even a sting. His breathing became freer, and almost with a sense of relief, he stood up and yelled. “I hate Marian! I never loved her!”

            The world did not end, and outside, the sun shone as peacefully as before, but it certainly lifted a burden off his heart.

            Now, he had to think about Lance.

 

            Would it be moving too fast to ask him out? Maybe he could disguise it as friendship. Being cooped up in the Plateau was no fun, but summer was coming up and then they could be free for a few weeks.

            Until then, he would observe and monitor his feelings. Rushing into another heartbreak while he was depressed would only make him worse in the long run, right?

            Still, Lance was fun to spend time with! They ate dinner and lunch and breakfast with the rest of the Elite Four, and often hung out together, exercising in the gym or reading quietly in the library. Lance seemed perfectly content listening to him chatter, which helped.

            Red sighed as he glanced at Lance from behind the latest issue of Pokemon Pal magazine. The Leader had fallen asleep in one of the comfortable plush armchairs, and was sleeping peacefully. He looked cute.

            Red tiptoed over and, before his nerve gave out, placed a kiss on Lance’s lips. A warm tingle spread through his body, and he smiled.

            It felt really good.

           

            When Lance woke up about half an hour later, Red was once again ensconced behind his protective literature.

            Lance glanced at his watch with a smile. “We should be getting something to eat now, Red.”

            “I’m tired of cafeteria food…” Sometimes, living at the Plateau was like living in a dorm. A chef would come and cook every night, but… it could get repetitive. Red was sure they had already eaten turkey and mashed potatoes six times this month.

            “Well, I’ll take you out to eat then.”

            Red’s eyes lit up. “But what about...?”

            “Meh. Our working hours are already over, and they certainly can’t force us to stay here. I’ll have Dragonite blast anyone who gets in our way. How does that sound?”

            “Sounds great!”

            They climbed on the dragon, Red winding his arms around Lance’s waist with a happy grin before the dragon made a sweeping ascent into the sky.

            Wicked!

 

            Dinner was delicious, nothing too fancy, but he had been craving Chinese food for a while now, so they had spring rolls fried crisp and brown, and four seasons string beans flavored with bits of pork, and fried shrimp with honeyed walnuts in creamy mayonnaise sauce.

            To finish was a wonderfully light coconut pudding.

            He and Lance walked along the busy streets for several blocks afterwards, needing to work off those calories.

 

            “Red, you seem preoccupied.”

            “Just enjoying dinner.” Red countered. Lance chuckled.

            “I’m glad you liked it.”

            “Lance, can I ask you a question?” Red asked, suddenly shy.

            Lance blinked, nonplussed. “Certainly. Ask away.”

            “Do you think it’s all right for two boys to like each other?”

            Well, Red was quite daring with that question. “Of course.”

            “Really?”

            “I don’t see any reason why two people should not be happy. If they really do love each other, gender shouldn’t matter.”

            “I’m glad.” Red colored, looking down.

           

            “Any particular reason why you’re asking me this?”

            “N-None at all.” Red blushed deeper.

            “Well, whoever you like is very lucky.”

            “R-Really?”

            “Of course. You’re talented and kind and brave. What more could they want?”

            “I-I suppose you’re right…”

 

            Lance grinned. “I know I am. I’m almost jealous.”

            “Jealous? But why?”

            “Because I like you. I suppose it can’t be helped though.”

            “But I do like you!” Red blurted out.

            Golden eyes snapped to meet ruby. “You’re kidding me.”

            “No.” Red put his hands on his hips. “I really do like you, Lance. Do you still like me? I mean… well…”

            “Of course I do.” Lance pulled Red into a hug. Red couldn’t stop his blushing, but he had to admit it was very comforting.

            He closed his eyes and relaxed.

 

            He might never remember Marian, but as long as he had Lance, it didn’t matter. The past was past. The future waited, and his present was happy.

            He met Lance’s smirk as the Dragon Master kissed him for the first time.

 

End Fic

Completed 9/13/06

I think I’ve really proven that I can write one-shots too, not just long series. *Looks at basket of completed themes*

Wow, Red turned out pretty mature emotionally…

Lance: I like it!

Phantomness: Yes, no super powers this time!

Pika-chan: *Melting from the fluff*

Shoyko: Better’n angst~!

Kairo: Oh, woe is the life of the humor muse…

Red: *Glomps Lance*