Hi!
*Waves* another chapter

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is fanfic, non-profit, and intends no copyright infringement. Work written by me belongs to me.

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

Ash = Red.

Writing is like stream of consciousness. Sometimes you can write 5, 6 chapters in a day. Sometimes, it takes 3-4 months to get one chapter out. Inspiration’s important!

Timeline: Right after last part

The Mew Amulet II

Chapter 4: Instigate

Red looked at Zapdos. < What? We have to go back? >

Why are you so afraid, Chosen? The amulet asked.

< Are you crazy? I don’t want to spend time alone with Lance! >
He’s not trying to kill you, is he?

< No, but that’s not the point! I’m scared! >

We must all face our fears, Chosen. It’s the only way to get stronger.

Red groaned. * Wonderful… *

Oh no, he was not looking forward to this, not at all, and it might even be better if more people went looking for Lugia, because at least that way lance’s attention would be focused elsewhere!
The Chosen gave a sigh. * How do I get out of this… *

< Do I have to go? >

Yes, Chosen!

< Well, then, what do I get? >

The amulet paused. You want what?

Red didn’t really know, to tell the truth. All he wanted was to stay, safe, in the Zapdos caves.

That unfortunately, was not an option.

No, it wasn’t.

< But I don’t want to go. >

Sorry, Chosen. Sparkle said before she dropped him off. Ash stared at the whirlpools despairingly.

I hate my life…

Zapdos flew off to its meeting place with Lugia, while Red blinked into the morose water… er, blinked morosely.

Yes! That was it.

He could just stay out here for as long as the talk took… except he hadn’t brought food or camping gear or his pokemon.

Well, if it was face Lance again or starve, Red could face Lance…

Why is life so hard?

Screwing up his courage, Red prepared to dive into the whirlpool and swim down to the caves, when the whirlpool disappeared.

Lance appeared, standing on the back of an un-amused Dragonair.

“Hakuryuu told me you were standing out here. Why?”

‘A-ah…” Ash panicked, not quite knowing what to say. * I can’t say I’m scared of him! Think, think, think! *

“You should have called via amulet.”

“… What?”

Lance touched his own trinket. “Well, the amulets can talk to each other.” The tone was bland, simply stating a fact.

Red’s amulet pulsed. What? You were still indecisive.

< Arigato! >

Just go with him, I’ll protect you, scaredy-meowth.

< I’m not scared! > He blustered.

Then go!

Lance extended a hand, pulling Red up onto Dragonair’s back with him, and the two dove underwater again.

An invisible shield kept the water away. Red was about to ask what it was, but decided maybe discretion was the better part of valor and remained silent.

A few minutes later, they reached Lance’s habitation.

Red idly wondered how there was pure oxygen underwater in a cave, but decided to ponder that later. First, he needed a snack… preferably a very high-sugar, calorie-laden, filling snack.

Lance looked faintly amused, if that was possible, while Red made a beeline for the refrigerator. * Interesting… *

Chosen? Lugia’s amulet said sleepily.

< No danger now. >

Good.

Lance petted the amulet, before his eyes went purple and he hyper scanned the area. Satisfied there were no disturbances at the moment, he turned his attention to the trainer who was eating an ice cream bar with gusto.

The food was magicked, of course, but it was still tasty. A pity he didn’t eat any of it himself.

For some reason, Lance found his self, unable to switch back, even though Lugia had repeatedly told him it was all right to eat. In fact, it was normal.

What was normal?

Mews certainly weren’t.

Lance didn’t even like most drinks. Lemonade and hot chocolate were about the limits of what he could handle.

Lugia just said to adjust.

Maybe I don’t want to…

I’m better than them, anyways.

Lance hummed as he sharpened his various array of bladed weapons.

Red finished his ice cream, and then kept his eyes away from Lance, who was polishing… metal stuff.

Don’t think about it! Don’t even start with the blood and guts and…ugh… stop that train of thought right now!

He quickly derailed the thought and sighed. * I’ll think of something pleasant… I know! Pikachu!*

Focusing his thoughts firmly on the yellow mouse, Red avoided Lance and went upstairs.

At least there was a small library, right?

As it turned out, there was even network connection, although Red was hard-pressed to answer just how that was possible underwater.

Hmm…

He spent the afternoon browsing for new news on pokemon. There wasn’t really anything important. However, a forest in Houen had been wiped out.

That meant…

Making a quick amulet check, Ash was saddened to discover that most of the Shroomish had perished in the flames. The survivors and their Chosen were currently recuperating in one of the ‘way stations’ of the world.

Hidden reserves, deep in uninhabited areas of the world, were there for pokemon to recover.

Until the population stabilized, it was too risky. Once a species vanished, the entire food web could be torn to pieces.

All life connected to each other.

Maybe all deaths connected to each other too… since they were flip sides of the same coin, ne? Did that mean… he and Lance were actually alike?

No! That was impossible! But they were both Chosen.

And they both killed…

Red sighed. * Maybe we are alike, but at least I don’t derive pleasure from killing. And I sure as hell do not drink blood! Is he a vampire? *

That didn’t seem likely.

Why did life seem to conspire against him? All he felt was pity and terror… but maybe, maybe…

What came next? Patience.

Well, he could try… nothing to lose, right?

What about your sanity?

< Funny, I thought you wanted me to help him. >

I do. Just be careful!

< I will. >

With much trepidation, Red snuck downstairs.

He found to his relief that Lance had put his weapons away and was now feeding his pokemon. That seemed normal enough.

It was too bad Red had left his in his permanent residence, as Zapdos ‘didn’t want to impose’.

But still! He could use their… reassuring presence.

“Dinner is waiting if you want some.” Lance remarked.

Red didn’t bother asking if Lance wanted some, after all, the amulet had told him the whole bitter story already.

He quickly consumed four sandwiches and then escaped upstairs.

Lance watched the Chosen run without any visible emotion.

< He’s afraid of me? How interesting. >

You should be careful, Chosen. Lugia’s amulet pulsed.

< I’m not going to hurt him, of course. >

I know…

< But he’s pretty, isn’t he? So timid… sugar and ice and yum… >

If the amulet could have gone into shock, it would have. As it wasn’t human, the necklace settled for a few minutes of stunned recognition. * What? Does that mean… *

Lance purred. * Kawaii… *

End Chapter

NO, that’s not love…

Completed 4/11/04