Disclaimer: Believe me, if I owned pokemon, it would be very different. Pokémon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction that I wrote and it belongs to me under international copyright laws.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Shonen-ai championshipping… mostly light implied stuff in earlier chapters though.

Chapter 5

“I finally found you!”

It had been eight days since Red had come back, and Blaze was hopping mad. Now, he had finally found him again.

Red adjusted his sunglasses as his Umbreon hissed.

“Well, well, come to apologize?”

“Hell no! I’ll defeat you, you little f____!”

“As you will.” Red said calmly.

“Go, Pikachu!”

“Another one? Really, this is most annoying…” Red yawned. “All right then. I’ll play for a bit.”

Pikachu attacked!

And… hit a barrier again.

Espeon yawned and used Psychic. Again.

“You are not worth my time, fake one.”

“Shut up!”

“Can I kill him?”

Blaze’s head snapped over his shoulder.

Lance smiled as he petted his Dragonite. “I’d like that…”

“Well, he did kill pokemon, right? Red seemed to be musing to himself as Lance’s eyes lit up. “Maybe…”

“Kill pokemon?”

Blaze gulped as Yellow looked at him accusingly. “You… killed…a… pokemon? You…”

“It was an accident!”

“And I… gave you… my pikachu?”

“I-!”

“I hate you!”

Red and Lance calmly got out of the way while Yellow attacked Blaze with nails and teeth. Sadly enough, he didn’t really fight back.

He was too ashamed.

After all, he had lied to his girlfriend too.

“I thought you were honorable, or at least a good trainer, but now I know!”

“Yellow…” He sobbed.

“I hate you!”

She took her Pikachu and ran away as fast as she could.

Blaze collapsed.

< Do you think that’s enough punishment? >

< No, one more thing… >

Lance’s eyes glowed as Articuno’s Freeze and Serebii’s Time combined. It locked him in the body of a child forever. Blaze was stuck, a fitting punishment.

Stuck…

He would never get free.

It served him right.

“Shall we go?”

Red took Lance’s arms as their bracelets glowed in unison and they teleported out.

“Um… Lance?”

“What is it?”

“There’s something I’d like to say…”

“Go ahead.”

“You’ve always been here, with me, supporting me and healing me… I… I don’t want it to end.”

“What are you asking me?”

“And you never strayed, you always stayed with me even when things seemed to fall apart… so…”

“So?”

Red screwed his courage to his sticking-place and then stood up on tiptoes, kissing Lance.

Lance smiled as he leaned down slightly and deepened the kiss. < Yes. >

********************More Flashback Scenes********************************

“Run!”

Red’s eyes widened as gallons of thick, toxic blue sludge poured out of the collapsing factory.

< Get out of here quickly! > Lance sent, as his eyes continued to blaze golden, busy liberating the dragon pokémon.

< What about you? >

< I’ll be fine! >

< I’m poison-type; I’ll be fine too! > Red sent, as he grabbed the nearest cage and cut through the lock. < There’s no time left! >

< If you will… be careful! >

Together they worked, as the toxins crept up and flooded around them, and the dragons escaped. It was more than an hour later before it was over.

But at least the pokemon were safe.

< Lance? >

The Dragon Master turned to face Red, before collapsing in his arms.

< Lance! >

He quickly teleported them both back to Whirl Islands.

< Severe poisoning. > Lugia sighed. < I don’t know why it affected him though, since one of his magic types is steel… >

< What can I do? >

< It was lucky you stayed with him, otherwise he would have collapsed and he could have died from this level. > Lugia said.

< Can I help? >

< Yes. >

< What do I do? >

< Well, you’re a poison type, so I need you to draw the poison out of his body. The simplest way… >

Still, however much embarrassing it was, it was worth it when Lance opened his eyes – still alive, thank god – and smiled.

***********************Next Flashback**********************************

“What?”

“What is it, Red?”

Red stared at the newspaper, aghast. “That’s not me…”

“No, why should some kid called Ash Ketchum bother you?”

“That’s my brother, and he’s using _my_ name!”

“So he’s just a fake.”

“Hai.” Red said angrily. “How dare they…. How dare he… he… wait a minute… does that mean…”

They made a quick trip to Professor Oak’s at midnight, but the outcome was clear. And he was angry, _so_ angry, that he didn’t even need Lance’s help when they got rid of the Pewter plant.

Anger can power up attacks after all, like Rage…

“What of yours did he take?” Lance asked.

“Nothing except the name.”

“Names are important…” Lance agreed. “But I believe you.”

“Hmm?”

“Trust me, this ‘Ash’ will never be you.” Lance said, as he took Red’s hands. “He would not live a day in our Clan.”

And he felt better.

***************************Next Flashback******************************

“What?”

“Shh… don’t panic.”

He let Lance hold him as the Team Rocket agents swarmed the cave. < I’m scared… >

It was a shame to admit it, but it was true.

< I know, don’t worry. >

He watched, mesmerized, as Lance pulled out one of the blades he used for Dragon Dance and cut himself. < Lance! >

< Don’t worry. >

The blood fell, and in an instant, screams filled the air.

< With Dragon’s blood you can activate chain destruction. >

< Oh… >

< Don’t worry…. >

And indeed, when they climbed out a few minutes later, all the Rockets were gone. < See? >

< Hai! >

But just in case, he hugged Lance tightly.

And the other boy didn’t mind, he let Red hold him until he felt better.

*****************End Selected Flashbacks*********************************

Their bodies met in an age-old dance, as the legendaries flew across the sky freely, imposters gone.

End Fic…

Completed 7/12/04

Ah, I feel much better.