Phantomness likes ecology, and oceanography. So there!
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 3
He woke up, wet all over, and his head hurt. He must have slipped and fallen while gathering samples, but the glass flasks were already labeled and sitting on the bank. Lance rubbed his head as he wrung out his wet clothing, sure that no one else was in this forest and pokemon wouldn’t care if he were clothed or not. Fairly soon the sunlight had dried them, and he was finished analyzing.
The water boasted few species, two types of freshwater clams and one type of earthworm. Mosquito larvae occupied the rest. In truth, it was the worse case scenario.
This stream was completely dead. There were no fish because fish could not feed on these things. There were no algae because the bugs ate them. He wasn’t sure if he ought to be glad or not that the lake had not eutrophied at least, but it was hollow.
Such deceptively clear water…
“No matter what we find here, it may all be leveled just the same…”
“Bad day, Lance?” Ash asked, yawning as he came home with armfuls of photographs, figuratively, of course. “I saw all these cool flowers but nothing but a lot of bugs. It’s odd…”
“No. You’re right, Ash. This was a pointless mission.”
“What do you mean, Lance?” It wasn’t like him to be so pessimistic. “Aren’t you interested in all those medicinal herbs?”
“I would if I knew they were going to live.” Lance sighed, before relenting and continuing on in a lighter tone. “It’s just that… you’re right. No pokemon live here.”
“None? Impossible!”
“It’s true.”
“But why?” Ash felt his stomach drop out. Pokemon lived everywhere, even in the frozen wastes and lava flows! “Did they die?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“But that’s impossible! Surely… was it some disease?”
Lance did not reply as he took out a small series of interconnected tubes linked with metal. Pressing a red button, he waited for a response.
There soon was one.
“I knew it! Nitrogen and Phosphorus runoff from their filthy pig farms… the water is dead, nothing lives, and without the water the trees die…”
“Lance, you’re not making any sense. The trees are all alive.”
“Are they? For how much longer, I wonder?”
“You… look, I think you’re too stressed.” Ash finally said firmly. “A break would probably help.”
“All right.” Lance nodded. Without further ado, he turned off the machine and pulled out his sleeping bag.
“What’s up with him?” Ash asked his Raichu. “I mean, I think it’s strange that there are no pokemon here, but even so, I’m not freaking out like he is.”
Well, he is checking the water quality. Perhaps his findings have distressed him. Raichu suggested.
“That might be it, Raichu. Thank you.”
No problem!
Soil was next, and although there were ample amounts of fungi fixing nitrogen and phosphorus, it did not help. The trees were slowly dying inside, the buildup of toxic substances from the water, their lifeblood now nothing but poison…
Lance was tight-lipped and silent, and finally Ash cornered him on their second to last day of the expedition.
“What are you going to do now, Lance?”
“It can’t be saved. It’s not worth saving.” Lance replied dully.
“WHAT?” Ash demanded. “Why the sudden switch?”
“I only speak the truth, unpleasant as it may be. Would you have me lie, falsify evidence to prove a thriving tropical community would die if this forest were logged and strip mined?”
“Well no, but still! You will give up?”
“It’s not giving up, Ash… it’s facing the facts.” Lance replied tiredly. “That’s all there is to it.”
“I don’t believe you!”
“You may believe whosoever you choose. I certainly cannot control your life or the decisions you choose, nor the eventual journey you embark on, but I caution you to beware. Please look before you act.”
“I hate it when you talk in riddles…”
“It was not intended to be one.”
“Then what are you trying to do to me!”
“Would you quit thinking about yourself and listen?” Lance hissed. “There is no biological significance. The plants may be valuable, but even those that heal have become contaminated. The whole area is like a toxic waste site, with Lugia knows how many fevers running rampant. It must be destroyed so the effects will not spread even farther, but…”
“You say we have to destroy the jungle to save it? Lance, you’ve cracked!”
“Perhaps I have!” Lance bared his teeth and Ash was suddenly reminded of how his teeth were like fangs. Normally, it was cute, but now… EEK!
He closed his eyes and waited for the living nightmare to end, fully expecting pain, but nothing happened. He cautiously cracked an eye open and saw Lance with his face buried in his hands.
Was he… crying? Boys didn’t cry, did they?
But Lance was crying. Had to be, there was no other explanation for those weird noises! It didn’t make any sense.
“Lance, are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’ve never been worse.” Lance muttered, although he seemed to still and the noises quieted. Luminous golden eyes met Ash’s brown ones, and he could have sworn Lance had blue eyes but maybe it was a trick of the light…
“L-lance…”
“Shh, it’s all right. I won’t hurt you.”
“How can I trust you? You looked ready to attack me!”
“I apologize. It was not my intention to frighten you. I simply feel very frustrated…”
That Ash could understand, so he nodded.
“There is nothing we can do, Ash. The Council will not throw away money when they can make money instead. There will be no preserve if there are no pokemon to preserve. That is all the Council cares for, after all…”
“I see.” And he did see, really…
Lance must be hurting inside to be so angry on the outside. * I wish he would let me help, but I’m scared… *
No more words were exchanged for the time being.
End Chapter
Completed 12/14/05
Short chapter
Lance: I’m suddenly psychotic or schizophrenic?
Phantomness: It’s a common enough mental state