I am thinking perhaps I should change the title now… For What Price…
Hmm, that sounds like angst. But I should try to write not as angsty I guess…
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
Lance is a girl and goes by Catelyn while with Red
Chapter 5
“New friend, Red?” Blue asked, as she sat down next to him, having recalled her Jigglypuff. “What are you doing here in Johto?”
“Yes, she’s Catelyn. Catelyn, say hi to Blue.” Red said, as he turned to Silver and they shook hands.
Blue lowered her voice as she and Lance walked a few paces away. “I know who you are.”
“I supposed you would. You’re a master of disguise after all.”
“Why are
you here??”
“I’m not here to harm him, if
that’s what you’re asking.”
“No, I’m asking as Mistress of the water and the dark and the normal.”
“Ah, now that is something else.” Lance sighed. “You know the drill, I suppose, if you know your own title and mine own.”
“Are we to face despair so soon yet again?”
“The future is cloudy, but Lugia-san supposes so.”
Blue winced. “I see. Silver and I will train and wait also then.”
“My thanks to you.”
“Nonsense. I’m not the one who has to keep dying for this realm…”
“Point taken.”
Blue smiled wryly. “Ah, life…”
“Yes, tis sad, that tis all we have sometimes.”
“I know. I’ll keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
“You have my thanks again.”
“So,” Silver said, “Want to have a practice battle? Three on three?”
“Sounds great.”
“Excellent. Well, I specialize in dark-type pokemon, you?”
“Me?” Red shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I haven’t really gotten only one type… it seems too limited to me.”
“But if you focus on only one type, you understand it so much better. Sneasal, go!”
What was this pokemon? Hmm, must be dark, and dark was weak to fighting, but he didn’t really have any of those, so…!
Red’s poke ball opened and Aerodactyl took to the filed.
“Sneasal, Ice Beam!”
The dragon looked startled before he blasted Sneasal with Supersonic, confusion was a good thing…
Sneasal whacked itself on the head with a claw, and Aerodactyl took this opportunity to use Hyper Beam…
Silver winced inwardly. Fine then… “Endure!”
That worked, barely in time as HP almost dropped to zero, but not quite. “Sneasal! Blizzard!”
Oh, Aeroy didn’t like the whirling blades of ice at all, but he needed time to recharge after Hyper Beam, so he wove around evading the brunt of the attack and then blasted the cat again.
One down.
“You’re not bad, Red. The rumors were true.” Silver said. * But you’re not as strong as you could be either, which is such a pity. Ah, who am I to pry into affairs beyond my control? *
Silver debated on using his Murkrow, and decided against it.
Red blinked, but recalled his Aerodactyl. Just then, Blue and Catelyn returned from their talk.
“Did you girls have fun?”
“Not your concern,” Blue said cheerfully. “Come on, Silver. It’s time to go.”
The two once more climbed on the Jigglypuff, waved goodbye, and flew off, leaving Red and Lance/Catelyn alone.
Interesting how life turned out…
Interesting how the same chips could spin so differently…
But that was what made fate fun, wasn’t it?
“I’m tired…”
“Really? Maybe you should rest.”
“I wonder if I’ve caught he flu or something?” Red commented. Lance shrugged.
“Possible…”
“Do you have any cold medicine?”
“Do I look like a walking pharmacy?”
Red blushed. “Never mind.”
“I’ve got bandages and antiseptic and some Tums, but that should be all.” Lance paused. “Oh. And painkillers, for... you don’t need to know. Motrin, Tylenol, all that wonderful stuff. You want to try it?”
Ash popped two Tylenol in his mouth and waited.
An hour later, he was feeling decidedly worse.
Lance watched as he sank into fever, surprised. How had he gotten sick? It was not anything she had done…
What was this? First sunstroke, and then dehydration and malnutrition...Unless it was-! But why would it happen so soon?
The Dragon Master fixed blue eyes on the Champion beneath her sunglasses and began to scan…
It could not be the change. Not this soon. He wasn’t even fourteen yet…
There was no choice then.
The Dragon Master shook her head and waited for Fate to speak. It did not, and Time was silent, so she went ahead with her plan.
There was one way to stop this trouble.
She cast illusion and glamour to the wind, for he would not wake while she wove her potent magics, and really, if it was energy overdose, that she could curb quite easily.
And the barely-visible feather patterns faded from the boy’s skin as he gave a pained moan.
Power was ever so intoxicating…
Poor, poor child…
Red trembled as Lance leeched the magic out of him. Even if he didn’t know it was there, it was instinctive to cling onto it, it was warm like a blanket and so, so heady and intoxicating…
Lance was stronger though, and she easily slid the seals in place to not crack until his fifteenth birthday. Perfect. That would buy them some time…
They always lived on borrowed time after all…
End Chapter
Completed 9/8/05
Lance: Here we go again
Red: …
Phantomness: *Shrugs innocently*