Title: Third Time’s the Charm
Authors: Nephitari Champion and Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Rating: R
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, angst, possible OOC

Red was looking for something special for her birthday. She'd looked everywhere, but most of the jewelry had been cheap and tacky. Finally she had come to look in Houen.

Suddenly, a necklace caught her eye. It was silver, and shaped like a dragon curled around the moon.

She gasped. It was perfect!

“How much for this?”

The man shrugged. "Twenty-five hundred pokeyen."

"Twenty-five hundred? Isn't that a bit much?" She didn't have that much on her...

“Well, I've heard that it's cursed.” The salesman frowned. “I won't go any lower than twenty-two hundred.”

Red really wanted it. She bit her lip and checked how much she had....

Well, if she used the winnings she'd just gotten from that junior trainer too, she had just enough!

She'd just have to skip lunch or find someone else to challenge.

She pulled out the money. "I'll take it!"

The man wrapped the necklace in tissue paper and handed it to her. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Thank you." Red walked out and began looking for more trainers.

She spotted a purple-haired guy with an Elekid and Chimchar. Her Quagsire beat them both easily.

She grinned as he paid her. Yes! Now she could eat lunch!

She bought a cheese sandwich and a tomato salad with apple juice at a nearby cafe, and sat down to eat her lunch. After a while, she pulled out her new necklace and really looked at it.

The dragon's eyes were chips of ruby.

“Wow... I wonder why they think it's cursed. It’s really pretty.” She undid the clasp to put it around her neck.

For a moment, she felt dizzy, but then it passed.

"What was that...?"

She took another sip of her apple juice. Had she been eating too fast? Maybe. In any case, she'd better head back to Kanto or she'd be missed. But at least she had gotten this. It was worth the trip.

Red finished her meal, and released Altaria, hopping on her back. "Home to Kanto now."

The Altaria nodded.

Unfortunately, she got dizzy again on the flight home. Red scowled when they landed in front of her house. Was she PMSing? But her period had just ended.

She flopped down on her bed, after toeing off her sneakers and socks.

Suddenly, another spell washed over her. She shook her head. This time though, when she opened her eyes, she wasn't alone in bed.

She bolted up. Who was this guy?

Golden eyes studied her lazily. "Well, well..."

Red backed away. * Who? *

"I'm Lance." He smiled. "And you are?"

Red's eyes narrowed. "Red..."

"Well, Red. Thank you for freeing me." Her eyes widened. * So the necklace was cursed! Oh no! *

She went for a pokeball at her belt.

"Oh, please don't do that." Lance sighed. "I'm not attacking you, am I?"

"You're in my house and I don't know how you got in! Please leave." Red frowned. “Or I'll have one of my pokemon escort you out.”

Lance tapped her necklace. "I was sealed in there."

She was fingering her Empoleon's pokeball, even as she backed away from the trespasser.

"Since you freed me," Lance dropped to a knee. "I am bound to stay with you."

She did not like the sound of that at all...

"What is thy desire?"

She kept her mouth shut. But dear Lugia! She wanted him gone! Then she frowned. What if he was lying? She had to test it somehow.

"Kiss me." She snapped.

Lance smirked darkly.

He stood and walked over to her, before he kissed her passionately.

Red moaned involuntarily. How long had it been since she had broken up with that jerk Barry? But-! She tried to catch her breath. It was just a kiss! They weren’t even friends!

Red angrily pushed him away. Stupid! Why had she asked something like that?

Lance blinked.

"Stop..." She said. Her voice shook slightly. She pulled at the necklace hard.

Lance shrugged and faded back inside.

She was trying to break the necklace’s chain. But it wouldn't even bend – it was silversteel, after all. She next tried to undo the clasp, but she couldn't find it. What was going on? She should never have bought it… stupid curse.

Red groaned.

Several weeks passed. She hadn't seen Lance since. However, she was disturbed to find out that she had started having very erotic dreams about him.

Well, Barry was gone, but still! She wanted the stupid thing off! And her hormones should shut up!

Still, if he was hers to command, she could order him to pleasure her. It wouldn't mean anything, and Mew knew she needed it! Nevertheless, she didn't care how hot he was. She just wanted that stupid necklace off!

One part of her mind reminded her that she was deluding herself.

She told it to shut up. She didn't need Lance!

She walked into the backyard.

Flygon was waiting. May I talk to him?

"If you want..." She was looking for the clasp again.

Lance appeared.

Dragon Master... Flygon whispered.

Lance shrugged. “No. I lost my Mastery long ago.” He smiled crookedly. "I chose my love over my duty, and then she betrayed me in the worst way. I am no longer worthy."

Red wasn't paying attention. She was near tears. Why wouldn't the stupid thing come off? She didn’t want it!

Flygon glanced at Red. That means Master is your Princess, right?

"Yes." Lance closed his eyes. "Unless she falls in love with me, I cannot die. I will remain here, forever locked in time. Foolish of me…"

Red walked to a hammock that she'd set up. She broke down when her back touched it. * Why me? *

Lance watched her. "As it is, I highly doubt that will ever happen." Red didn’t even feel friendship for him. In fact, she was hardly civil. There was no way that love could spring from such a mess.

He wasn’t that much of an idiot any more.

Flygon shook her head. I don’t think so…

“My Princess betrayed me with a Guard named Barry, who gave her this enchanted necklace, and when she declared that she loved another, it sealed my soul for eternity. Tragically stupid, isn't it? Still, perhaps it was lucky we never bore heirs. I cannot imagine passing my Kingdom onto a bastard child.”

But if you love her...

"Do I?" Lance touched his chest. "I doubt I remember how to love."

Flygon’s eyes were sad.

Red had cried herself out as they talked.

"I don't want you here!" She screamed, when Lance approached her. "I wish you would go away and never come back!"

Lance watched her.

She raised angry eyes to meet him, her face stained with tears. "I hate you..."

Lance backed away a few steps. Then he vanished back into the necklace.

Flygon looked worried. Was history doomed to repeat? She didn’t want Red to be unhappy.

Lance was the one she should be with.

Red sighed. * Maybe I can pay someone to cut it off? I wish I’d never bought it! *

All she’d gotten from him was confusion and heartache. There was no reason to even like the guy! She wanted him to leave her alone! She didn’t need a boy in her life, not now, and not ever!

She scowled. * I hate him. *

End Chapter

Completed 10/30/07

Red is quite bitchy, yes. I have no idea why… Neph just wrote her that way.

Lance: That explains the angst

Shoyko: *Sniff* Why is your light-type pokemon an angst muse?

Phantomness: *Shrugs*