I hope inspiration never dies

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me.

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

Chapter 6

The bomb dropped four days later.

Ivy was pregnant. Great. Just what he needed, a little half-brother or sister! Delia took it badly, and to Ash’s horror, she took the easy way out, unable to deal with her grief. It was also the wrong way out…

“You killed her! It’s your fault!” Ash shrieked.

Matthew looked stricken, but then, finding Delia’s corpse hadn’t been any good for his nerves, had it?

“I hate you!” He had already packed his things, Lance had used magic to shrink everything so it fit in a tiny trunk that he carried, and now… now…

This house would have nothing but bad memories!
“I hate you!”

“Ash, please! I didn’t mean-.”

“Didn’t mean what? Didn’t mean to sleep with Ivy and knock her up? Didn’t mean to kill mom? Didn’t mean to-.”

Ash stopped as Matthew slapped him hard.

“Shut up! You’re just a spoiled brat, Ash! That’s no way for my son to talk!”

Lance was about to interfere, his dragon blades had already slipped out, and Dragon Dance was easy for him, but…

How dare that bastard hurt his Chosen.

Matthew stared in shock, wiping the spit off his face. Ash stood up shakily, a broken blood vessel blooming on one cheek.

“I hate you. I’m not going to stay here.” Ash said. “Lance will take care of me. We’ll leave and you’ll never find us again.”

Lance nodded, as he wrapped his arms around Ash with a deadly glare, letting Teleport warp them away.

“You didn’t kill him?”

“No. I thought I’d let him live with guilt first.” Ash laughed. Then, he quieted down. “Lance, you will take care of me, right?”

“Hai. I will.”

Isn’t that sweet…

The pokemon watched as Lance let Ash cry, despite his harsh words earlier he was still just a little child.

Children wanted to be safe…

He stroked the boy’s hair, he was still a child, despite his powers, and yes, he wanted security.

< I’ll take care of you forever. > He whispered, brushing Ash’s mind with affection. Childish longings rose around him, as Ash clutched at him, mentally and physically, not wanting to let go.

< Lance, I’m scared. >

< Trust me. >

Ash stared into warm, golden light, and fell, as he let Lance put him to sleep. So tired… so warm…

He missed his Father.

Lance sighed, watching the night stars fly overhead. So long… true, his father hadn’t been into the entire ‘love and affection’ deal, but still…

He missed him.

No! Don’t think about it! Eyes hardened to frigid ice as he snarled, looking at the dusty ground beneath his feet in disgust.

Ugly land.

He _would_ defeat Groudon. Then, he would release Kyogre and flood the areas back to the way they were meant to be.

Then everything would be fine…

Lance casually raked his long nails across one arm, watching as blood splashed on the ground below.

A promise made in blood could not be broken

“Lance! You’re bleeding!”

Lance blinked. When had Ash woken up? Surely not more than a minute or two ago… he must have been distracted to not notice.

The boy quickly grabbed his first-aid kit and a handful of bandages. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Shh, I’m fine, Ash.”

“But you’re bleeding!”

“I’m fine.” Lance said, as the wounds closed up. He wasn’t Lugia’s child for nothing. He watched Ash’s face for signs, but the boy just hugged him tightly.

Well, it looked like he had a tail now…

“Lance?”

“What is it now?”

< I… I’ll help you. >

Lance raised his eyebrows, but Ash continued on.

< Hai, we will. >

Lance was surprised when Ash kissed him lightly, to seal the deal. * He is still a child… *

No matter.

The boy was bound to him, now…

They began training with a will. He doubted Ash had anything else in his life, so why not perfect his dream?

He would _not_ fail.

Never.

For him…

Ash stared at Lance with adoration. * Yes… not for the world, but I’m doing this for him… *

I think I love you…

TIME JUMP – 3 years later

Houen. Sootopolis City. The Cave of Origin.

Ash winced as he walked inside; it almost reeked of evil, but… he had to do it. He held the red orb in his hands, and waited.

There…

< Ah, so you have come to challenge me. Foolish one. > Groudon laughed.

It didn’t affect him.

Groudon almost stopped short in surprise. What in the? – Oh, a dragon. Well, in that case…

< ICE BEAM! >

Nothing.

< You are foolish. > Ash said. < After all, you cannot possibly learn Kyogre’s skill… >

He growled, Eruption and Flamethrower flying everywhere, mixed with the occasional Solarbeam.

The boy was a tiny gnat, but for some reason, he couldn’t hit him!

Ash smiled in satisfaction. A little more… he kept retreating, before light was in his eyes and the cave was not, and…

There.

Groudon barely had time to look up before Lance swooped down, silversteel wings glinting as the Dragon Dance began. On his bare chest and arms Lugia’s silver symbols glinted, part of him, and truly, he was Lugia’s child…

< You are within my zone of attack, Groudon. > Lance said silkily, as his blades sank deep into rocky flesh. < That’s four… >

No matter how much he tried, the legendary could not break free. In seconds, there were one hundred and forty-four blades embedded in his body.

< Now, by the dragon of the air and the dragon of the seas, I, Lance Dragyn, Lugia’s Chosen, seal you! >

Groudon struggled, but he couldn’t move. Why, that scheming, nefarious little…

< Didn’t think he’d have an accomplice did you? > Ash laughed. He couldn’t fly, but that didn’t matter.

He looked perfectly content. Lance gave him a ‘V’ for Victory. In an instant, the roles were reversed, as the red orb shattered and broke and became dust and the blue orb appeared in a flash of light.

Free, Kyogre began to chant, as rain fell, washing over the land in tides of raging water, yes, this was the way things were meant to be…

He became conscious of Lance’s arms around him, warmly, from behind. < You did well, Ash. >

< Hai. > He smiled, feeling Lance’s approval wash over him mentally.

< And so you did. Now I ask you. What do you want? >

< Only this. > Ash said, before he slipped free, slightly, turned around and kissed Lance on the lips. The Dragon Master looked shocked, but then he kissed him back, feeling the boy’s warmth against his chest, deeper….

A pair of green eyes watched the two locked in their embrace and laughed. Lugia’s spirit and Rayquaza’s spirit high-fived, despite it being unorthodox and probably not proper for a legendary.

< So, proud of the way he’s turned out, dear cousin? >

Lugia chuckled. < Of course. >

Serebii nodded. < Well, they fulfilled their mission, and brought back the balance, so now, they deserve to be together… >

And so it was.

THE END

Completed 8/15/04

I really don’t like people who commit adultery. So there…