I’ve been very writer’s blocked lately, and I don’t know why…

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon; it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic written by me.

Started 5/29/04

Chapter 4: Wait

“Wow….”

Lance smiled, shrugging elegantly. “Yes, that’s a very good response.”

“… Wow…”

Lance suddenly tensed, golden eyes glowing with something alight to fear. Ash blinked before she suddenly put her hands on his shoulders and focused, golden eyes boring into him, and he found himself in the dream realm.

He blinked. “What?”

“Oh, hi!” Pika-chan waved. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Pika-chan!” Ash exclaimed, recognizing her from a helpful memory. “How are you?”

“Happy, full, and having lots of fun.” The sun-oriented guardian replied, landing on Ash’s head.

“I see…”

“But really, you shouldn’t think of killing Giovanni. He is your adopted father in more than one lifetime.” Pika-chan said severely.

“I… oh, I never thought of that.”

Pika-chan nodded. “And it’s not like he hurt you or Lance, is it?”

“Hmm… I’ll have to ask her later.”

“In any case,” Pika-chan said, “Why don’t you join me for a spot of tea?” She clapped her paws, and a tablecloth, checkered in black and red, spread itself down on the soft grass. A teapot, a plate of biscuits and one of buttered cookies also descended, accompanied by the sugar bowl and milk.

Ash smiled and poured himself a cup, while Pika-chan did the same. It was very tasty tea, and so he was in quite a good mood as he waited for Lance to call him back outside.

After all, it was fun being with his pokemon, and he hadn’t been here for so long! The dream realm was very nice.

It was quite comfy, too.

Pika-chan helped herself to most of the biscuits and cookies.

“Master.” Lance said respectfully as the man walked in.

Giovanni frowned. “I could have sworn I felt a flare of strong power, but it is gone now…”

“I see.”

“Did you sense anything?”

“No, Master.” Lance replied.

She didn’t bother not lying. He wouldn’t be able to tell, either way. Besides, it was her power, not Ash’s, so naturally, she would not feel it since it was part of her…

Well, all right, she was Chosen, so that came with perks. And the hypersensitivity at times was one of them.

But it didn’t matter.

She would play her trade in this universe and then she and the little one would be reunited again, and the cycle of rebirth would start over, right?

Right.

She didn’t really want to kill Giovanni, unless he tried to break her little one. If he did, well…

Then it was his mistake.

She smiled inwardly, as he left.

Then, she slipped into the dream realm, the portals opening for their Chosen.

She found Ash and Pika-chan eating blueberry muffins and talking about old times together.

It was quite fun, judging from the happy expressions on their faces. Good. That was very, very good.

The child of light should be happy after all, even if he did wield shadows, because shadows needed light to exist.

And if he were light, then so much the better. Light was pretty and sparkly and warm…

Lance smiled in spite of herself.

Yes….

Things would get better eventually…. Besides, she had him with her now. So unless Giovanni tried something…

It would be all right.

She smiled. Yes, things would get better eventually. At least the situation was not debilitating… she adjusted the dials on her armor and sighed.

Stupid things…

But she couldn’t risk it, the last form was too dangerous to use, as the Mistress of Dark Illusions…

She could lose control with a slip of a smile.

It was too dangerous.

“Lance-chan, tea?”

Lance smiled and took the cup. “Thank you.” She added a lump of sugar, a slice of lemon, and stirred.

That was pretty tasty tea, but then again, Pika-chan only would use the best… she was a little glutton… but at least it had improved over the lifetimes.

All things would eventually get better; the only problem was that Chosen fell so easily, like dominoes…

But of course, that was the way things were. You couldn’t change them, but that was all right, eventually, it would work out.

They didn’t leave the dream realm, but since time was frozen in the real world during that time, it didn’t really matter.

“Lance-chan, are you sure it will all be fine?”

“I hope Giovanni is fond of you…”

Ash blinked. “Nani? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, if not he might want your power for himself…”

A slight shock, but it was not too out of the ordinary, so Ash nodded and accepted it. “All right.”

They watched.

If any darkness glinted or shimmered, they would see it immediately, and take action.

That would be fine. After all, C’est la vie.

It’s time to take the teeter dance again.

End Chapter

Completed 5/29/04