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

Pairing: Championshipping (Ash x Lance)

Chapter 11

You were always a child…

Beautiful child….

“Um… Lugia?” Ash asked, after a pause. “Where are we?” A pause. “Oh my Lord… is that…?”

Lance was entombed in crystal, silvery white sparkling crystals, and a clear coffin… dark red hair brushed his shoulders…

Lugia took human form, startling Ash, but it made sense – a man with long white hair and dark blue eyes…

“Child, you were always too foolish, and you love too deeply…” Lugia sighed. “I wish that we had never made that decision…”

“Um… what?”

“Would you quit interrupting? I’m trying to grieve for my son here!” Lugia snapped, finally annoyed at Ash’s motions.

“Your son? Lance is a girl!”

“No. Catelyn or Crystal is a girl. Lance and Wataru have always been male, no matter which names they use. And now both Catelyn and Lance are dead, so I can’t let Crystal out…”

“What?”

Lugia gave an annoyed growl and Ash found him gagged psychically. The pokemon went back to the coffin and curled up around it, after regaining pokemon form again…

Ash had the uncomfortable feeling that he was missing something, but slowly, all the pieces began to fall into place…

It’s one death to save the world….

“You… Lance brought you back to life, didn’t she?”

Lugia nodded.

“And you died because… because…”

< I died because I will die for my child and none other! For my child cares for the dragons and wishes their lives! But now, without him, it matters not! >

“I’m sorry?”

< Leave. >

“I…I didn’t want her to die… I’m sorry I didn’t stop her…”

< LEAVE! >

Ash got the hint. “How?”

Lugia waved a wing irritably and watched as…. He began to glow.

Hmm?

In an instant, black wings sprouted from his back, a cocoon, and then the cocoon split open…

Golden eyes flashed beneath a fringe of black bangs, legs became feathers leading to talons, a second pair of black wings, from underneath a riot of golden armor trailed three long tail feathers… black, Lugia noted…

< Oh. So you are awake. >

Destiny glared. < You didn’t have to do that to my host. >

< He irritates us all… >

< I suppose that’s true. Well, what possessed her to do that? She could have let the destruction take over – that’s what she usually does. >

< I honestly have no more clue than you, but she is a reckless child… >

< That’s not it. > Destiny said quietly. < I think… there’s obviously something wrong here. Lance isn’t this careless. >

Lugia’s eyes widened. < That blasted ring…! >

< Ring? >

< Normally, does Lance need a magic ring to switch genders, especially one with an intense lust spell on it? >

< What? Of course not! >

< Exactly… >

< I”LL KILL HER! I’ll kill whoever did this! >

< Calm down! It’s not – they don’t have any authority in this realm and shouldn’t have any authority! >

< I’ll kill them all! >

< Calm down… >

< I can’t! > The irate thunder guardian spluttered. < She’s my soul mate, and I’ll be damned if I let this continue! >

< … > Lugia shrugged. < Your problem then. >

< You’re heartless. >

< No, not really… I’m just – you do know that your daughter is dead, correct? >

< Do you know that yours is? >

< Of course I do. But if I wake her now, Crystal will wake. Catelyn and Lance are both dead. >

< Ah… >

< You’re quite calm. >

Destiny shrugged. < Hope and the other are still alive. I’ll see if I can negotiate something… but you’re right, we really shouldn’t wake Lance up now… >

With a swirl of black feathers, the legendary vanished.

Lugia shrugged and kept a watchful eye on the coffin. < I should have put you into Sleep of Death before destruction came, ah… how cruel and stubborn humanity is… Don’t worry child. We’ll save you. >

Ash was furious – no, not Ash, Destiny. Ash became Destiny, Destiny became Hope, and Hope became the Master of Hidden Shadows…

Destiny was quite furious…

“Lance?”

She was dreaming. Had to be.

“Lance?”

No, all right, it wasn’t a dream. It was dark. And stormy…

Cold. Oh right. Death was cold…

I’m very cold…

But I’m dead now, and I won’t let Crystal out. I won’t!

She yawned and fell back into dreamless sleep… because sleep never hurt a guardian…

And the faint blue lines began to creep up her body and solidify…

End Chapter

Completed 8/10/05

Well, I promise, the angst will end eventually!

Lance: Right….

Shoyko: *groan*

Phantomness: I’m at work, okay? I’m depressed!