I hope this is the last chapter!

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics! Anyways, this is non-profit fanwork, I’m not infringing on their copyright, and since I wrote it this work is mine under international copyright law.

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

Chapter 10: This is an Imperfect World.

Ash decided to start with the basics first, just to test if the potion was working. Combined with the kiss, well, he was terrible at that kind of chi transference at the moment but since Lance was low on energy at the time, hopefully the seal would last long enough.

“What’s your name?”

“Lance Dragyn.” Lance said, in the same bland timbre.

“Sex?”

“Male.”

“Role in the universe?”
“Lugia’s Chosen Dragon Master, one of the three Chosen Master card magicians, also the three guardians of this world, an alchemist, plus the sword of justice for whichever pokemon choose me, balanced on the Scales of Fate and Destiny…”

Well, he knew there was no way Lance would give out that valuable information willingly…especially not the guardian part. Secrets will stay secrets, after all.

“Do you love me?” Ash asked.

Lance continued speaking, not changing pitch. “Yes, I love you and I will forfeit my life for yours in an instant, because the balance is important and we will sacrifice Fire and Ice so Thunder may live, you are the light in my darkness and the shadows that dance in my night, I love you more than life itself although you may not know it, you fear me and my love for you and I understand that but I wish you knew what I truly feel.”

He fell silent.

Ash was startled to see what looked like tears pooling in Lance’s eyes. * Impossible! The drug should still be working… *

“So what if I don’t love you?” Ash prodded.

Lance continued staring straight ahead as his voice sank lower. “Then I live for duty and naught else, and if I die in the course, so be it.”

Silver glittered on his wrists.

Necklaces were too unwieldy at times, he had shifted Lugia’s necklace into bracelets…

Ash was startled when he saw the wings bury themselves in Lance’s skin, bright drops of blood trickling down his arms, dying the black of his shirt with lighter colors.

“Yes… duty and nothing else…” Lance said, voice regaining some of its lost emotion. He was… purring? What the-!
Ash’s mind kicked in. Death. Mews. Ground glass. Why not?

No! Now I know, and… I wish I didn’t…

Knowledge is power but power brings pain…

“Well… you have a right to know, I suppose.” Lance said, a moment later. “Why not? You deserve to know. Are you happy now?”

“Be happy. I hate seeing you sad.”

“And… even though this is your fault, I’m sorry that you had to go to such lengths to find out the truth. I would have told you if you’d asked.”

Ash continued to watch in morbid fascination as Lance lapsed into silence. Drip. Drip. Drip.

His mind took control after a few minutes, finally registering what Lance had said, and he kicked the tell-truth plan out of the window, before kissing Lance again, almost frantically, to unlock the magic bindings.

He didn’t stop until he felt Lance’s hands tangle in his hair, desperation evident in those motions.

Even then, well… they were past the point of no return already.

It was over before it had begun. [1]

Ash watched in fascination as the light shimmered off of Lance’s silver armor. So pretty…

“You aren’t leaving me, are you?”

“Would I?”

“Even after I…” Ash choked off, unable to continue. * And yet, even all these chances, I’m still a selfish brat! What does he see in me? This is more than I deserve…*

“Why?”

“Why do I love you?”

Ash nodded miserably. It seemed whenever happiness knocked on his door, it would be yanked away scant seconds later. Maybe it was the universe laughing at him.

Lance smiled. “You didn’t hear my explanation?”

“That’s not enough.”

“True, you always were a pretentious little one.” Lance said. “But I’m not going to tell you.”

“NANI!? Why?”

“Because, for one who seems so unable to articulate, you should have figured it out by now.” Lance paused, walking back to where Ash was huddled on the grass under a convenient plane tree.

“?”

< It’s not really describable in words, I tried my best but whatever I say sounds like fake mushy novels. > Lance said. < Look. >

He held his hands in front of his chest, and behind his armor a faint presence made itself known.

So Ash looked.

Light…

Light? Light shining in the dark? Impossible! But… there it was…

A little light of white and silver and gold, faint but still… it was not dying, it flickered, but it never died.

Light!

Ash extended a trembling hand, fingers reaching out to touch it.

Warmth.

Sweetness.

Erratic butterflies.

Snow.

Summer.

Fire.

Darkness.

Possession.

Light.

Feelings, jumbled feelings, a curious mixture of desire and love and possessive anger and hope, tumbled over each other in a heap, falling and dancing and laughing and flying.

He could feel it.

He could really feel it.

He cried.

But it was all right, it would be all right, somehow, they would make it work. They had time, all the time in the world as long as they stayed safe where they were, yes, safe, safe, where he can protect me forever. And I’ll try to protect him, because we are Chosen and we are alone but he’s mine, mine, no one else is going to get him, and he’s so _warm_!

He snuggled deeper into that embrace.

Lance smiled. * I told you so, my precious one, I’ll never hurt you. Never. * Golden eyes glowed, reinforcing the wards outside. Yes, they were safe here, and I’ll protect you. I’ll protect you forever, little one, but you know how to keep yourself safe now, don’t you? Stay safe and pure and let your light shine, because my love for you is the only light I have. Can’t you see? No, you don’t see the dark yet but I won’t let the dark consume you, never, never, little one. You are mine forever and ever, and I won’t let anyone else have you. Mine.

End Chapter. End of fic finally! Yay!

[1] = I believe this is a quote from ‘Beloved’ by Toni Morrison. Since I had to read the book for AP English, it stuck in my head.

Completed 4/30/04