Whee! *Waves* another chapter, and I hope this bunny stays…

Disclaimer: I do not own pokémon. It belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic written by me so it’s mine!

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

Chapter 2

 

            Smoke stung her face and hands as she stumbled out, clutching the baby in her arms. Had to get to safety, had to-!
            Stopped abruptly as a shadow fell over her.

            “Hello, _Misty_.” A voice said softly, steel under velvet.

            She froze.

            She knew that voice…

 

            “What, forgotten so early?” Mockery and insanity and…

            And…

            “You bastard!”

            “Oh, now that’s not nice…” Her wrist was wrenched back in an iron grip, and she cried out, trying not to drop the child.

            He still looked the same, as if he had not aged during the five years since she had seen him. But… he had changed.

            Of course he had changed! Her father had shot him, and then that other beast had come, and…

            And…

            She didn’t remember much after that, except waking up in the hospital. It had taken her a month to recover.

 

            “You aren’t worth my time. Pathetic.”

            She was free?

            She watched as he flew away, towards two other silhouettes on the hill, and she knew. Terror froze her heart as they all vanished.

            Please god, no! No…

            But it was no use.

            Valhalla was ended.

 

            “That was simple.”

            “Mission complete?”

            “Hai.”

            Lance smiled at Red from behind the mask. “Good.”

            Red took the sparkling diamond flower from Lance in awe. “Sugoi…”

            “Nice, isn’t it? Apparently Ricardo did a good job…”

            Ricardo had been used for diamond cutting as an unpaid worker, and he had a short stumpy body, and no hands, only two rows of diamond files.

            That had to hurt.

            Still, one could understand his rage…

 

            “Is Aquarius attacking us?”

            “They may.”

            Charlotte cursed. “Well, those goody-goodies should stay out of our way then. This is war, not some game.”

            “I know. Humans can never coexist with us peacefully.” Bugsy spat.

            Bleached white eyes met bug eyes as both pairs nodded.

            A living x-ray machine and a giant insect…

            Well, why wouldn’t they be angry?

 

            He wandered the halls late at night, occasionally listening on a snatch of conversation.

            “What are you doing up so late? Don’t you have a mission in the morning, to visit Aquarius?”

            He jumped, before realizing that it was Lance and saluting.

            “H-hai!”

            “Do you need help?”

            “… Help? I suppose I do…”

            He followed Lance down the hall to another room, protected by eye and voice check activation.

            Inside, he sat down on the carpet quietly.

 

            “What is wrong, Red?”

            “I saw Misty today.”

            “Misty? Who is she?”

            “The girl I loved… her father was the one who attacked me on the day you saved my life.”

            “Ah, you still love her.”

            “I-I… yes! I think I do, I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it! Oh, what do I do? I couldn’t’ kill her…”

            “I cannot control your emotions.”

            “I’ll fight for you because I owe it to you but I will not kill her. I can’t!”

            “Very well…” Lance said abruptly.

 

            “Can you… I know you’re disappointed, but…”

            Lance did not say another word as he returned with two glasses of jasmine tea. Red took one and drank, sipping the hot liquid slowly.

            What could he say?

            “Can I what?”

            “I would like to… I mean; I know my emotions are a liability in battle and I shouldn’t have them, but I can’t help it!”

            “What do you wish for me to do then?”

            “Could you… could you help me forget?”

 

            “Red, if I force you to forget it will not stay. The technique will fail in time and the problem will still be there.”

            “But what can I do?”

            “I suggest you take some time off to think for yourself. I will cancel your mission.”

            “But I!”

            “Stop.” Lance’s voice froze him in his tracks, all hysterical protests dying on the tip of his tongue quietly.

            “A-all right…”

            He quietly left the room.

 

End Chapter

Completed 7/16/04