{Plotbunnies can be a real pain

Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, it belongs to Nintendo. This is non-profit fanwork, no copyright infringement intended, it’s mine since I wrote it…

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

Ash = Red

Warnings: Darkfic, possible insanity

Timeline: 5 days

Lance: *Twitch* Manipulative iceberg?

Phantomness: *shrugs*

Mew Amulet II

Chapter 6: Mirror Force Illusion

Red watched Lance practicing a different dance. There were no weapons involved in this one, even his wings were hidden.

Luckily…

It was almost too easy to pretend everything was fine and they hadn’t slept together…

Even if they had…

Red turned on the sparkly eyes as rose petals shimmered in the background. He remembered seeing Lance on T.V. as League Champion before they had both disappeared, it turned out, to the same place. What were the chances of that in dice rolling?

Maybe the universe was stacking its cards for him.

Yes! That was it! He could just ignore Lance’s killing tendencies for the time being. And if his amulet wasn’t lying, Lance was starting to recover. Perfect!
It was just a temporary illusion, that never hurt anyone, and he would have no need to adjust back.

Red smiled brightly. Everything was working out perfectly.

Well… the sex was good too.

That earned a blush from the amulet.

“Serves you right for reading my thoughts.” Ash chided.

The stone flickered on and off, wishing that the legendary birds were done with their conference.

Now it didn’t want to stay.

They weren’t.

Red stayed for almost a year, his pokemon joined him early in the stages as soon as it became apparent that this was more than temporary.

He… to his surprise, Red found himself unable to leave the other trainer afterwards. It wasn’t just his hero complex acting up. There was something more.

Could he have fallen in love? Impossible! Wasn’t it?

Wasn’t it? And yet…

Crimson met amber as molasses and velvety feathers…

They both wore armor, but it hid so much.

If Ash analyzed it enough, they both had their own masks. Red wasn’t the little innocent everyone thought he was, he just played the part. And Lance…

If anyone said Lance was insane, he’d tear her throat out.

Lance was just recovering!

People needed to do that after their lives, dreams, hopes, had all been broken.

Baka! She was a stupid annoying Jigglypuff amulet holder at the convention who tried to get him to leave his koi.

Probably wanted him for herself... Ugh, she looked mid-thirties, cradle-robbing.

Red felt queasy every time he thought back to that.

But Lance wasn’t cold, like everyone said. Besides, killing was necessary to protect the legendaries. There was nothing wrong with it.

There was nothing at all.

Right, Lance?

< Aishiteru. >

You are my protector now; I know you’ll keep me safe because you love me back. Honto Ni? Hai. That’s reality.

I know what’s real. And you’re too powerful, too bright, and you fly higher than all the rest… and you’re mine.

I’m not sharing. You love me. Not some cheap slut in bright orange, but you love me. I’m special, aren’t I?

I love you.

Lance smiled, a real smile, as he fed him a grape.

Red looked indignant, but that bled off as soon as Lance kissed him.

Illusion became reality, didn’t it? What once was a dream was now solid and real and so warm in his arms…

Safe… this was real safety…

I knew I was right… see? Wasn’t I right to love him?

Warm…

Lance knew parts of his heart were still sealed, and frankly, that was not a problem anymore.

He had love – was it love – was it real – it seemed real – please don’t let it be another lie – I’ll kill you if it is – and that was enough.

Everything else could stay locked.

The little one was so warm and pliant under his fingers, really, still so shy… cute little one…

Trembling sugar and so yummy…

Sweet…

Intoxication….

Perfect…

Silence.

As long as romance didn’t detract from duty, what did the legendaries care?

Certainly, Zapdos had been worried, but Lugia had reassured him that no harm would befall his Chosen.

It was truth and nothing more.

Lugia was simply glad his Chosen had recovered. He never told Mew, though. And as it wasn’t complete healing, you can’t put a mirror back together perfectly after all, it was all right.

As long as Chosen was safe and happy…

It was all right.

It wasn’t happily ever after…

But it was enough.

END

Yes, I know it was a short chapter. But I think it needed to end this way.

Completed 4/11/04

Author’s notes:

Either Ash is delusional or Lance really changed, look at it from whichever angle you like.

Pity can evolve into love.

Not everyone gets a happy ending. But they seem happy enough. So is love an illusion or is life?