… I can write het, I just prefer shonen-ai most of the time.

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

Chapter 3

 

            Mother?

            “Yes, Plusle?” Lance asked, as she expertly flipped the fish in the pan. It seared shiny and brown and Plusle’s stomach rumbled at the smell. Mother had said she was only supposed to eat berries and nuts, but…

            Father and Minun were outside. She wondered what they were doing.

            Mother tossed her a ripe red strawberry, and she held it in her paws, nibbling, as she watched Mother use the black-fire.

           

            Red was trying to explain to Minun that he and Plusle should leave – after all, it had been two weeks since the two had been released, but the mice were having none of it.

            “But I’m not your father.” Red said exasperatedly. “I’m not even a pokemon!”

            Minun shrugged.

            Red headed back inside to find Plusle digging into a plate of strawberries and Lance setting dinner on the table.

            “No luck?” Lance asked.

            Red shook his head. “They’re completely convinced they’re our children!” He blushed.

            Lance hid a smile. “So it would seem…”

            “You’re taking this all very well.”

            “I think it’s cute.”

            Red seated himself after washing his hands at the sink and they dug in. The meal was mostly a silent affair, but the silence was not a crushing one.

            “What are we going to do if the other pokémon turn out like this too? We’re scheduled to release another one tomorrow.”

            Lance frowned. “I had not considered that.”

            “Because I’m just a little bit worried.” Visions of a ‘rare’ pokemon zoo began dancing in Red’s mind.

            “There’s nothing else. I suppose we could… I mean…” Lance sighed. She was rather fond of the pokemon – who wouldn’t be? “Keep them.”

            Red beamed.

            “It would keep the others from getting their hands on them though, but… if this is the way things turn out, so be it.”

            And that was all there was to it.

 

            The next day, the small ‘family’ gathered outside the next tube. Lance studied it warily – the pokémon inside was a snake, with lovely patterns, but she hoped it would not try to eat the other two.

            Not that they couldn’t take care of themselves. They were electric-type pokemon, but even so… much better to be safe than sorry.

            Red stifled a yawn as Seviper made a beeline for Lance. Lance had explained, that she guessed pokemon would seek the Mother figure out first. Not that Red minded, as Lance was the one who had to feed them and make sure they were in good condition.

            Seviper twined about her neck with a sleepy smile.

            Mother…

 

            Was it possible for pokemon to imprint on a trainer while they were in those giant test tubes? It seemed utterly ridiculous but how else could he explain it?

            Something warned him not to release the white pokemon with the red stripes yet. Not until Seviper was settled in…

            Lance smiled.

            “It’s finally kicking in, it seems.”

 

            “What’s kicking in?” Red asked, unaware he had spoken out loud.

            “Your empathy of course.”

            “I have empathy?”

            “How else would you understand pokémon language?”

            That caught Red’s attention. “I-I thought they were speaking English.”

            “Not at all…”

            “It is kind of cool though.” He said, watching as Tentacruel splashed with Minun and Plusle in the pond outside.

            “Mm…”

 

            “You sound half-asleep.”

            Lance smirked. “How astute of you.”

            “Are you tired? I could feed them all this afternoon if you wanted.”

            “…. Yes, that would be helpful. Thank you.”

            “No problem!”

 

            Lance padded off to bed, Seviper still wound about her neck.

            Mother?

            “Yes?”

            … You and Father haven’t mated in a while. Why?

            Lance shook her head. “We’re not quite mates yet.”

            Seviper frowned. But he likes you.

            “Oh?”

            Yes! He wants to mate you.

            Lance’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Well then, I’m not sure why he’s being so shy. I certainly have nothing against it.”

            She smoothed down the covers and changed from her white lab coat and normal sailor outfit into her dratini-print pajamas, and climbed into bed.

            Seviper curled up on her pillow. He was tired too. After all, he had just hatched.

 

            Of course, logically, the pokémon knew that Lance and Red were not their true parents. But that was logically, and pokémon were not the most logical creatures in the world. Perhaps a few species – usually psychic types, were, but truthfully…

            Here was home. It was the nest. They had other nest-mates, other hatchlings to play with and protect.

            Mother and Father took care of them and fed them and trained them.

            That was all that mattered.

           

End Chapter

Completed 7/21/06

Aren’t pokemon cute? ^^

I like championshipping. I really do… but I don’t think anyone didn’t know that.

Lance would be cool as a girl, but I like her as a boy too. Ah, the wonders of fanfic are great!

And the ‘black-fire’ would be the stove.