It all started when Ash got a nosebleed during the indigo league finals and went off to find Kleenex. He wound up discovering an ancient prophecy that was far more important to the fate of the world…

Disclaimer: Well, I don’t own pokemon as it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit fanwork, written by me for me, and since its mine I own it. No copyright infringement is intended.

Timeline: AU; spins off during Indigo League/Kanto. Ash misses his fight with Richie by the way, due to lateness… and so he is just watching the ceremony. In fic timeline, it’s after Too much of a good thing I believe, or whenever my fics start mentioning Lance having switched Lugia’s amulet/necklace into bracelets…

Chapter 1

He really didn’t like dry summer days, Ash thought, as he huddled in the bathroom with a wad of tissue pressed to his nose, trying to get the bleeding to stop.

Dehydration was such a pain.

He was missing all the champion awards because his nose was acting up! How unfair…

Sighing, he checked the Kleenex, no, he was still bleeding, pressed it firmly back to his nose, and sighed.

By the time it was over, nearly forty minutes had passed. Ash quickly ran down the halls to the stadium, hoping he wasn’t too late.

He was, unfortunately.

“Ash, where were you?” Richie asked.

Ash sighed. “Bathroom.”
“For that long?!”

“Tell that to my nose.”

“…Oh…”

Ash sighed again. * What bad luck, I didn’t even get to see the Elite Four… * He clutched his league cap tightly in his hands. He had wanted to get it autographed. The group dispersed, awards over, and many ran off, presumably to celebrate or just to return home.

Ash sat morosely in the darkness for some time with Pikachu, before a sudden movement startled him. Staining his eyes, he saw Lorelei – Lorelei? Maybe she wouldn’t mind signing his cap…

Ash quickly ran after her, but before he could speak a different voice spoke out from the shadows.

“So another year is over.”

Ash jumped as Agatha materialized.

“Yes, and still… we all thought it would happen this year.” Lorelei shook her head. “But it’s too late.”

“How bad?”

“Well, our Dragon Master is currently in a coma…”

“When did that happen?!” Agatha snapped. * I knew the situation wasn’t perfect, but this is! *

“Just a few minutes ago, in fact.” Lorelei stated. “Claire’s been trying to revive him to no avail.”

Agatha muttered a curse under her breath. “Yes, even he cannot keep the gates to the dream realm closed forever.”

Ash crept closer, intrigued, and curious, while pikachu clung to his shirt.

< So, what can we do? >

“What can we do?” Lorelei sighed. ‘We must find the child of light, to match with the master of darkness.”

< There are a million trainers in this world though…>

‘I know, but we know it’s a boy, so that will eliminate about half.”

Agatha sighed. “Even if we can find him, it might be too late.”

“No! If he were dying we’d feel it! We’re all connected, either way, lower masters…”

“True, it’s just my old self worrying too much.” Agatha concluded. “Might as well start scanning…”

Her eyes took on a reddish tone, and Ash panicked, and fled. He might escape, but he wouldn’t be fast enough.

A few minutes later, Lorelei carried a fainted child back to the Plateau. “Well, that wasn’t too hard.”

“I wonder why he’d be here though?” Bruno inquired.

“How is he doing, Bruno?” Lorelei asked.

“Not sure… those creepy bracelets keep flashing red and silver…” Bruno shuddered.

< Hopefully, this will be enough then…. > Agatha said, as she placed Ash on the bed.

A few minutes later, Bruno found that Lance had awoken, and was currently clinging onto Ash like a drowning sailor.

“Wha?”

“Out!” Lance snapped, golden eyes flickering from peace to anger in seconds.

Bruno quickly obeyed, since Lance was… well, not quite sane, to put it bluntly, at least in his opinion.

He crashed into Agatha outside.

< Any change? >

“He woke up, certainly…” Bruno groused. “Chased me out too.”

< I assume he wants privacy. >

“Urk!” Bruno banished a particularly bad mental image. “I hope not… Ash can’t be more than twelve…”

Agatha thumped him with her walking stick while glaring. < Pervert! >

“Then what’s going on?”

“I assume that it’s got something to go with the whole light and darkness deal…” Lorelei said helpfully.

“Huh?”

“Pretty, pretty, pretty little light.” Lance smiled, holding the child in his arms. “Pretty one, I won’t lose you again…”

Ash stirred in his sleep, but did not struggle.

< Mine… you are mine, little light, even if you don’t know it yet. You are drawn to my darkness, the same way that I chase your light. And I’ll wait for you to grow up, and I’ll take care of you until then, because I’ll protect you forever when you can’t protect yourself. And it’ll be so pretty, when the gates finally open and we can purge this earth but you’ll have to grow up first… >

He could wait.

Lance brushed a stray strand of hair out of Ash’s eyes and crooned a lullaby, as the child slumbered on.

End Chapter

^_^ It was created 5/9/04, completed 5/12/04