Title: For What Price

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me so don’t steal it please…

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

Chapter 1

“So no one caught him, ne?”

She didn’t really expect an answer. Angel Selena had spent her last six years hunting for the elusive Dragon Master, and had not found him. He’d stayed hidden well, but now, at Cerise, well, it was enough proof. He’d never be able to show his face anywhere ever again!

“No.” Yellow said angrily. “We think that he fell into the lava and died there.”

Red shifted uncomfortably in his seat, not too at ease with the idea that he killed someone – or at least he had helped kill someone.

Green shrugged. Blue looked slightly nervous.

How interesting.

This wasn’t an official investigation, but they didn’t have to know that, and in any case it looked official enough…

“You didn’t see him die, though?”

“I blacked out.” Yellow said helpfully.

“I was up there on my Aerodactyl, and I saw nothing as well.” Red reported dutifully. There was no point in lying after all.

“Dismissed, then. The league thanks you greatly for your input.”

Red was rather cute though. Angel licked her lips. Yes this would be interesting, very interesting… if the rumors she had heard were correct, then…

Golden eyes slid open soundlessly. Crimson hair fell to her waist. A thought, and the black and red she had been wearing shifted, faded away to pure white…

Her hair began to lighten, bleached to blonde, gold dilated to frosty blue…

Lance smiled. “I always knew it would come in handy someday, and wasn’t it lucky, father, that the lava was enough to undo the ice spell on me? A pity really, since I don’t like this form at all, but it’ll do well enough!”

She heard Lugia’s tones in her head as she laughed. “They’ll never find me now, unless I want them to…”

< So where are you going now, my dear Child? >

Lance smirked. < To find him. >

< Ah… be careful. >

< I’m always careful Father, aren’t I? And don’t worry, we’ll work out the summoning details later~! >

< You know that’s of no concern as long as you are safe. >

< I know, but it’s nice to hear you say it again. > Lance said. < Now, I’ll leave my darlings with you…. >

< Then whom will you take? >

< I don’t need any pokemon, Father. >

< I know, but you love showing off. >

< I’ll have to curb it. Can’t have them finding out who I am, hai~? I’ll take Hakuryuu for protection, and then I’ll bring… Larvitar and Charmander. >

< I wish you luck, dear Child... >

< Arigatou gozaimasu, Father! > Lance’s eyes began to glow and then teleport whisked her away.

Hn. Fools, all of them. As for Angel, well, she’d had a crush on her when she’d thought Lance was a boy, so now….

Jealous much, stupid girl! But I won’t let you hurt Red in your quest to find me.

Lance smiled inwardly. They wouldn’t find out her weakness this easily, that was for sure…

Now she had to find a way to get close to Red…

Challenge him? That might work…

But she would let him recover first. Lugia knows he’d been through enough, what with getting frozen and all, but at least that had kept him safe from. Other things.

There was a soft footfall behind her.

“Lorelei.” She inclined her head in greeting.

“Hello, cousin.”

“Put the voodoo doll down. Now.”

“You’re no fun, really…”

“I have no desire to become an ice statue for any length of time, dear cousin.”

“I know. But you’d look nice, especially now,” Lorelei surveyed Lance critically. “Why did you bother hiding all that?”

“Easier to be a boy, of course.”

“What with our grandfather and all. Yes, I understand.”

“You should. He disowned you for deserting the dragon clan.”

“So? What care I? I have my ice-types and they’re all I need.”

“True, so true!” Lance smirked. “And I have my dragons and my true father, so I am not afraid…”

“Indeed.” Lorelei said. “Well, I’m off to Johto to visit Clair – I’ll return, cousin dear. And perhaps…”

Lance smirked. “Take care of her.”

“I will.”

After Lorelei had vanished, Lance looked at herself again. White jeans, white jacket, blue long-sleeved shirt underneath, light blue in color… an obvious reverse color scheme, but with long hair and without the cloak, well, that helped things. And just in case, she put on her cats-eye frame sunglasses.

Even if her eyes were no longer gold, they would still look the same to a pokemon – to the pokemon. All of Viridian’s children had the same eyes, but she had dragon’s eyes from father as well…

Well, no matter. No one had gotten close enough to see them, except Yellow and the Pikachu, so as long as she kept her sunglasses on…

Lance nodded to herself. It would have to do

Oh, how she hated that rat. It was always fate for it to destroy her plans, or at least her initial plan. Some parts of history just loved to repeat them and this was no exception.

And it was lucky Red couldn’t remember, otherwise he’d surely be angry at being continuously frozen, even if it were an act…

Ah well…

But then again, the Pikachu was a traitor in lifetimes past. That’s why she preferred Pika-chan, even if it was ditzy and food-obsessed.

It was the same reason she relied on Charlotte. They were dependable and knew their duty, no matter how much it might hurt.

Now she’d have to use her fake name again…

Lance sighed, took out her trainer ID, and concentrated. The picture and writing began to shift.

There. Soul badge level trainer with Charmander and Larvitar from Johto… that ought to do it, and a name…

Catelyn scrolled across the top in bright letters. Pocketing the little computer, she walked onwards.

Only a very observant man would have noticed that no markings were left…

End Chapter

Completed 9/6/05

Phantomness: So much Japanese and Oceanography homework… *cries*

Lance: I told you so

Red: Does this mean she’ll write less now?

Phantomness: >.<