Whee! Another chapter! Go me! *Cheers*

Pika-chan: At least she’s in a good mood. That means no angst.

Lance: That’s usually true…

Ash: I hope it is.

Shoyko: I hope so too! Less work for me!
Kairo: Heh, she never writes humor so I’m usually free!
Disclaimer: Phantomness does not own pokemon. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me.

Okay! Shonen-ai Championshipping will start appearing now. (Ash x Lance)

Chapter 6

He was more than ready, when he finally stood below the torch, watching the Moltres flames burn brightly in the cup.

His goal was within his fingertips.

He would _not_ fall at the finish line.

He wouldn’t lose…

Losing was not an option.

The rounds began. Five rounds later, he had made it to the top four quite easily. Perfect!

Then, after he was done fighting, he would join the Elite Four.

“I will be a Pokemon Master….”

See? Glitch City was none so bad. Chansey reminded him.

Ash hugged her. < You’re right. >

And it was true.

Finish.

They were fighting tooth and nail, but he was still winning, barely damaged.

Did he feel sorry for them?

Not at the moment…

Pikachu’s cheeks sparked as she used Thunderbolt. Another one down!

Judy scowled, switched for Magmar. Flamethrower was ordered, it hit, and Pikachu was recalled.

Squirtle!

Hydro Pump again…

“Squirtle, Ice Beam!”

He did feel sorry for her dragonair though. It was such a pretty pokemon. What a waste…

Still, she would be Champion Challenger, right?

At least that was what he thought.

Afterwards, he was shown to his quarters in Indigo Plateau.

“You did well.” Lance said quietly.

Ash smiled brightly. “Thank you, Lance-san.”

“You don’t need to call me that, Lance is fine.”

“Hai!”

And it would be fine. He had won!

Hadn’t he? It hadn’t been hard…

Well, they might find it a miracle but for him, it made perfect sense.

Time ran strangely between worlds…

It was nice time was on his side this time.

Still…

Something felt off… Lance was looking at him, but still… he seemed preoccupied… distant…

He looked at Lance more closely, using a little psychic-enhanced sight.

What he saw made him draw back abruptly.

Half-opened white turned to look at him.

So he had gasped in spite of himself.

‘So you know.” Lance said quietly.

“Lance… how can you-?”

“How can I battle if I’m blind?” Lance chuckled.

“H-hai!”

“Simple, I don’t control my dragons with sight… oh, just in case you wanted to know, Myuutsuu…”

Ash’s poke belt glowed and mewtwo popped out.

Lance calmly rolled up his sleeves, showing Mewtwo the dragon bracelets on his wrists and the alchemy circles on his hands.

< And how did you lose your sight, Dragon Master? > Mewtwo asked.

Despite being from another world, he knew plenty about this one… more than his counterpart at least.

Lance sighed.

< I would rather not talk of it… >

Mewtwo nodded silently.

Ash frowned. “All right, I won’t tell…”

“Thank you.” He said, before walking off, cape flowing behind him, undulating in black.

There….

Well, you have my secret…

Will you trust me with yours?

Two days passed.

Ash found that being Champion so far had consisted of looking pretty for the camera.

It wasn’t very fun.

“Lance?”

The Dragon Master was currently… dancing? Something like that…

That was until he noticed the flashing blades.

“Lance? What are you doing?”

“This? Dragon’s Dance.”

Mewtwo smiled. < Ah… you’ll show him? >

“If he can figure it out, then he deserves to know it.”

Lance started dancing again, quietly.

He didn’t need sight for this.

The dragon’s dance and all its variations, 400, were engraved in his blood… the blades flashed between his fingers.

He never missed one.

How could he?

He was Lugia’s Child after all…

End Chapter

Completed 7/31/04