Beware of the rabid plotbunnies

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. I simply own my own creations. Don’t bother suing.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics in case a pokemon talks.

Warnings: AU, Gender-bending, cross-dressing

Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Ash)

Author: Shadow/Phantomness

Title: Just Catelyn

Prologue/Chapter 1: Remembrance Day

I remember when she was born. She was such a pretty baby, with Thomas’s blue eyes and blonde hair.

I admit we may have spoiled her, but… she trained hard and worked at both her classes and pokemon and etiquette.

She was perfect, almost too perfect to be a human girl.

However, we only wanted the best for our little angel. So, we decided to engage her to a man who would provide for her. He was one of the richest men in Johto, with a noble line, and that was good enough.

It did not matter their age difference, I was sure they would love each other. Oh, how wrong I was…

When Catelyn found out, she was eleven then, and just about to leave on her journey, she was furious.

True, Lawrence III was twenty-four, but he seemed a good enough man. I tried to explain, but she wouldn’t hear it.

Thomas was angry and sent her off to be without dinner, an unusual punishment since she was always such a good child.

The next morning, we discovered that she had run away.

We hadn’t seen her again for six years, and when we finally saw her again, she was dead, under another name.

Lance Dragyn.

I think my world broke at that minute.

*******************End Flashback****************************************

“Lance is dead.” A voice giggled.

Lugia looked at his Chosen critically, wondering if she was all right. < I am still at a loss to see why you killed that image? >

< Lugia, if I stayed there at the Plateau I would be stuck in that place forever. How can I keep an eye on the world and the other Chosen? >

< True, but… >

Lance turned and looked at Lugia. < I’m going back to playing Catelyn. Lawrence III is gone, anyway. >

< Are you sure? >

< Certainly. > Lance held up a vial of sparkling purple liquid. < And I’ll take this too… its always easier to follow him if I’m his age.>

< I suppose… > Lugia said dubiously. < Just remember, you still have the realm’s power. >

< I know. > Lance grinned. < Well, here’s to Catelyn. >

Two days later…

Elizabeth Vongard sighed morosely as she stirred her tea. A week… a week since her precious baby girl had died…

Thomas was dealing with it in his own way, his anger forcing him to be unduly cruel to his workforce.

Still… it was better than eating chocolate and looking through photograph albums all day.

“Excuse me, ma’am.” The butler said. “But I found something on the front porch you might be interested in.”

“What?” Elizabeth sighed. “I’ll go take a look.”

As soon as she saw what it was, she gasped.

Catelyn! It had to be her! The girl looked exactly the way she had before she left, right down to the pink kimono with bunny rabbits she had been wearing. She was fast asleep.

“My baby! You came back to me!” Elizabeth sobbed, picking up the girl in her arms. “Oh, call my husband at work! He must know of this!”

The butler nodded, himself shocked at the turn of events. Within moments, Thomas was home.

They both stared at the still-slumbering child.

“It must be her… the Fates have given us another chance…” Thomas said, looking at the familiar face had had not seen for so long.

“Yes, and this time, we won’t lose her again. we can start over.” Elizabeth sniffled.

Thomas put an arm on his wife’s shoulder. “This is wonderful.”

Thomas immediately yelled for the maids to start cleaning up the girl’s abandoned rooms. Now that she was home, it was time to begin living as a family again.

Lugia watched silently as his Chosen returned to her family.

< I cannot see your plan clearly, Chosen, but I trust you. >

She woke up a few hours later, blinking.

“Dear, she’s awake!” Elizabeth called, not having left the girl’s side.

“Catelyn!” Thomas shouted, scooping her up into a hug. “We’re sorry, but please, let’s start over as a family again.”

Lance smiled adorably. “Daddy?”

“Yes! She remembers me!”

“Mommy?” Lance asked, turning to Elizabeth, who blinked back tears as she hugged her child to her bosom.

“Yes, yes, you remember us.” Elizabeth cried. “Its us. We’ll be one family again.”

From that moment on, Lance ceased being ‘Lance’, and slipped back into the familiar role of Catelyn again.

She was a good, quiet, child, and her parents did not even think about engagements, too absorbed in their newfound happiness.

End Chapter

Catelyn = Lance in case you hadn’t figured out by now.

Completed 3/16/04