Whee! Athos fits Lance so well…
Oops, I skipped some stuff last chapter. Oh well, I don’t need to do Dumas word-for-word. And thank Mew for that!
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*
Chapter 15
“So, you have no idea what became of Lance?”
Red shook his head with a sigh. “I hope he’s not dead.”
Will paused, took another bite, and shook his head. “He won’t die so easily, believe me.”
Red was inclined to agree, remembering Lance’s odd talent. If he hadn’t before, he believed in magic now.
“I am a bit curious though.” He finally said. “If you want to become a priest so much, Will, why did you go into the Musketeers?”
“Ah, it’s not a particularly interesting story, but if you want to know, I am willing to tell you.”
Red took another drink of wine. “Please do.”
Will nodded; then collected his thoughts carefully. “It took place oh, five or six years ago. I was a seminary student then, as you may have guessed. One evening, I was at a lady’s house, and I was reading her a rather interesting episode from one of those old Latin novels you despise.”
Red nodded in assent a bit abashedly. Will continued.
“She was leaning over my shoulder to read along while I read out loud, and I’m afraid that this pose disturbed one of the men in the room. He was a handsome fellow in bright yellow clothing…”
“Yes?”
“Well, he must have thought I was on intimate terms with that lady, and I must confess I was not.”
Red laughed. “Yes, yes.”
“He said nothing, but when I left to return home for the night, he followed. ‘Monsieur le Abbé’, he said, ‘How would you like to be beat with a cane?’”
“I daresay I would not.” I replied. “No one has ever tried such upon my person.”
““Well,” Said he, “If you ever have cause to return to this house, I shall do so. Do you understand?” And with that, he walked off laughing.”
“Vile man.” Red put in.
“Indeed.” Will frowned. “Well, I come from a line of noble ancestors, and I can become rather hot-blooded if insulted. So I returned to the seminary, and told the priests that I was not yet ready for Ordination. At my request, they postponed the ceremony for a year.”
Red listened raptly, nodding. “And then?”
“I went to the best fencing master in Indigo Plateau, and took a lesson from him every day for a year. Then, exactly a year after the man insulted me, I changed my cassock for the costume of a cavalier, and went to a ball given by one of my lady friends. There, I saw the man who had insulted me, Count Rudy. I went up to him as he was reciting love poetry to a woman and interrupted him in the middle of the second couplet.”
“Brave of you, certainly.” Red remarked.
““Monsieur”, I asked him, “Will you still object if I return to a certain house in Celadon City? And will you truly beat my black and blue with a cane?””
“He stared at me in astonishment. Then, he asked who I was.”
“I am a seminary student,” I told him, “Who reads the lives of Saints.”
“Ah yes,” he replied. Then he laughed. “Well, M. le Abbé, shall we adjourn outside.” To his friends, he simply laughed and said he would dispose of me in a matter of minutes and we headed outside.”
“The moon was shining quite brightly outside. We drew our swords, and I killed him with the first thrust.”
“Oh, bravo!” Red cheered. “And then what happened?”
“Well, as you can imagine, it caused quite a stir when he did not return. They found his body, of course, and there was a scandal that forced me to leave the seminary.”
“I see.”
“I met Lance during my stay in Indigo, and Brock taught me a few useful fencing tricks outside of my lessons. They advised me to become a Musketeer and wait for the storm to blow over. My father served the king in one of those famous battles, and so, I was granted permission to become a Musketeer.”
“That’s fascinating.” Red said honestly, and they finished the rest of the meal in silence. The next morning, they were going to ride off together, but Will’s shoulder suddenly relapsed, so Red told him to stay in bed and that he’d return in a few days with Lance in tow, he promised.
With that, Red left the inn behind and prepared to traverse the dangers of Mount Moon. He was not looking forwards to it, but it had to be done…
It took him three days to get through the mountains, almost four. It was late at night by the time he arrived at the inn in Cerulean, and the horses were weary and exhausted. He headed to the free Center.
The food there was not bad, and the lady at the desk was more than happy to allow one of the King’s musketeers lodging for a few days. She kept batting her eyelashes at him. It was disturbing.
Still, he put up with it, and slept well, almost another day, to regain his strength.
Then, he went to the inn where he had left Lance. Dressed in a clean uniform, followed by two horses sparkling with wealth, the innkeeper came out with a broad smile and greeted him.
“Do I know you, sir?”
Red scowled. “Yes you do.”
“I do not remember the honor of serving a gentleman such as yourself.”
“Then a few words will refresh your memory. What have you done with the gentleman you had the audacity to accuse of being a counterfeiter two weeks ago?”
The innkeeper turned as pale as a sheet, for Red had taken on a threatening attitude. The sword and pistols in his belt sparkled.
“Dear God, how I’ve paid for that mistake!”
“Well?”
“I will tell you, but please, sir, be merciful!”
Red continued to frown as he seated himself magnanimously. Hopefully this meant Lance wasn’t dead.
Lance…
The man was almost virtue personified, brave, charming, and gallantly noble… if he were dead Red would not hesitate to run the innkeeper through for his treachery!
There were too many things left unresolved between the two of them. Yes, Red also had slightly personal reasons, but he kept those silent.
The man cleared his throat and hastily took a gulp of water from a glass. Red waited patiently, though inwardly he trembled with a mixture of anger and anxiety. Finally, he began to speak.
End Chapter
Completed 4/6/06
Yay for Championshipping!
Lance: *Shrug*
Red: ^^