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
Chapter 5
“B-But he can’t be…” Red stammered, staring at the unconscious man.
Pika put his hands on his hips. Well, what are you waiting for? We have to call the police now!
The police?
Red frowned. “Not until I wake him up and get some answers.” He said firmly. Pika looked displeased, but Red felt his own anger flare, and he snapped that he was the trainer, and Pika calmed down after that.
It took about twenty minutes and several applications of cold water before Wataru – no Lance, woke up. Finding Red holding what looked like one of his kitchen knives less than an inch from his chest was not very comforting either.
He had never thought he’d be held up with his own cutlery… in some way it was very ironical, and he felt hysterical laughter begin to bubble in the back of his mind.
Was this the end?
The only comfort was that his darling Ptera and Hakuryuu were safe even now, in Viridian, though for how much longer he knew not.
“You’re awake,” Red said, and his voice was remarkably steady but his hands were trembling.
“Yes, Red.” He shot a look at the Pikachu. The rat was puffed up with self-importance. Honestly, Lance could not blame him too much…
“Why did you do it, Lance?”
“Do what?” He asked innocently.
Red glared. “You know! Does Cerise Island ring any bells?”
“Ah yes, Cerise.” Lance flipped a hand dismissively. “You wouldn’t understand my reasoning.”
“Try me.” Red muttered. Pika sparked his cheeks in warning.
He really should have killed the little rat with Hakuryuu when he had the chance after Vermillion’s surfing contest, but he said nothing.
After all, he was unarmed and practically defenseless. It was not a feeling he enjoyed, and he was not quite sure how to extricate himself from this predicament, though… hadn’t he advised Red to get Pikachu?
Why had he set himself up for this?
But then again, it would probably be a quick death, and then his pokémon would be free, wouldn’t they?
And he wouldn’t fail them again…
“I did it for the pokémon.” He said simply, even though it was half a lie. “I did it because… humanity really doesn’t care for pokémon, and I’m the best example.”
“What do you mean?” Red frowned warily, almost expecting a dragon to pop out of the ground. Yellow must have mentioned how Dragonite and Gyarados had tunneled into the very earth on Cerise Island.
“Well, you need not fear those two. They are dead.” He said calmly.
Red had expected many things, but that had not been one of them. “… Dead?” He whispered.
“Dead and gone.” Lance shrugged. “I killed them, you know. And then I ate them and drank their blood and stole their power.”
It wasn’t as much of a lie as it sounded.
Pikachu looked like he was going to be sick. Red ran for the bathroom. He returned a few seconds later, pasty and trembling.
“You’re sick!”
“Yes, I know that.” Lance flicked his fingers, and Red stiffened, but nothing happened. “Are you going to kill me now?”
That wasn’t what Red had been expecting either.
Pikachu looked triumphant. So you admit your sins?
“No.” Lance said arrogantly. “But it will be quick, and they will be free.”
They will be safer without me…
Red heard the unspoken thought, and swung around. He met Lance’s eyes, and the Dragon Master could not hide from that penetrating ruby gaze.
“But you feel guilty…” The boy said, as if he were testing the words.
Lance shook his head.
“You do.” Red protested. “I can see it in your eyes…”
Pikachu cocked his head, curious. What did Master Red mean? Lance had no heart. How would he feel guilty?
Lance shrank back as Red walked closer, Pikachu keeping a close eye on them just in case something hurt his Master. He need not have bothered.
Lance seemed more terrified of Red than Red was of him, and it wasn’t because Red was in control… was it?
Pikachu wasn’t sure.
“You… something changed after Cerise, didn’t it?” Red walked closer, having backed Lance against the wall. “You saw your pokemon as more than tools, for once…”
“No!” Lance said vehemently, but Red chuckled.
“You don’t have to hide from the truth, Lance.”
“It…it can’t be true…”
“If it weren’t true, why would you be in pain now? They’re your friends, Lance. You’re worried about them, aren’t you?”
That he could not deny, and Red saw the truth again. The boy was really too sharp for his own good…
“Lance…”
“Stop it!” The Dragon Master cried. “I don’t want to remember…”
“Remember what?” Red asked curiously.
“Everything.” Lance’s voice was broken. “Miniryuu and Koiking. Kairyuu and Gyarados. I could not save them in their first life – and I killed them in my second. I’m not worthy to be a trainer, Red! The only element I control is death and they will all die by my hand!”
Eyes mad with sorrow met Red’s, and he involuntarily took a step back.
“That is why you have to kill me, Red. The real reason… or else I’ll kill the ones left. Ptera. Tempest. Storm and her precious children…”
“No! That won’t solve anything!” Red protested. “They would still be hurt…”
“Better hurt than dead.” Lance hissed. “At least afterwards you can patch the broken pokémon, and heal them, but death… death is eternal.”
“I…”
“Please.” Lance murmured, and that was when he kissed Red.
End Chapter
Completed 11/27/06
Lance has a bit of a martyr complex… or a God-complex… maybe both… and yeah, the guilt! ^^
And thus, since Dragonite and Gyarados are dead, it explains why Lance doesn’t use them in the GSC/Johto arc! They don’t show up, only Aerodactyl and his Dragonair. See, it is canon! *Cough*
Lance has really, really skewed relationships. Either he’s a God or he’s a slave, and he doesn’t seem to be able to be just ‘equal’ to pokemon…