Wai! Another chapter!

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me. Do not take my work!

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

Chapter 5

“So, why have you gathered us here?” Charlotte asked, speaking up.

Moltres squawked at her Chosen.

“Calm down!” Zapdos interrupted. “No, it’s nothing bad, really!”

“Then what’s going on?”

“Something has come up.”

“Yes, you said that before.” Lance yawned.

“This is important! Team Rocket will be taking over the Indigo Region and you are not to interfere!”

“Ever?” Charlotte wondered.

“No, just for the first four years.”

“Very well…”

“What? You two aren’t complaining?”

“There would be no point to.” Charlotte said softly.

Lance licked his lips. “Mmm… I can’t wait.”

Ash shuddered. There was definitely something wrong with this guardian! However, it was none of his business…

“So now what?”

“We wait.”

“Okay… I guess I can do that…what to do now?” He asked anyways.

“You can go back to your other life you know. No one will know of these changes…”

“I can’t, I’m ‘dead’.”

“Ah... you faked your own death. Clever of you.”

“Why, what did you do Charlotte?”

‘Early retirement! I’m still champion of my league though.”

“I see!”

“You two are so cheerful…” Lance said dimly. “Why bother wasting your energy that way?”

“Better than being an emotionless shell.”

Ash eeped. This looked like a fight brewing up. * Uh-oh… *

Sparks shot from Lance’s eyes as he stood up. “You know nothing of my pain!”

“You’re right, I probably don’t, but to deal with pain by turning into you is something I wouldn’t force on my worst enemy!”

Oh dear…

A few seconds later, Charlotte had been frozen solid and Lance had exited the room. Ash watched as the guardian defrosted and then promptly fainted.

Odd…

“You’re hydrophobic?”

Charlotte had finally regained consciousness. “Yes, unfortunately.” She shook herself. “And to get rid of ice you have to melt it…”

Ash made a mental note that that might be a good battle technique to use against a fire pokemon in the future.

“That’s all…”

“Why are you hydrophobic, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Charlotte shrugged, causing her wings to flare up. “Fire-blooded.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t have any blood, just fire.”

“What? Why? Does this happen to all the guardians?”

“Well, you still bleed like a normal human.” Charlotte said. “But mine cured my sickle cell anemia, and I think Lance has ice blood.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not required. We just prefer it that way.” Lance said, walking in. Charlotte wisely didn’t glare at him.

After all, that would just be stupid…

It was snowing. Literally.

Ash shivered. He didn’t want to play peacemaker, but…

He didn’t want the other two guardians trying to kill each other either! Maybe it was just fire and ice being opposite elements?

Still, Fire beat Ice, but Light beat darkness… Both of them knew it. Even if their elements didn’t play out that way, the guardians did.

Charlotte wasn’t going to take Lance on. That would just be suicide.

Ash watched as they settled into an uneasy truce. He’d better watch his step around here… it would be foolhardy not to.

Indeed, the elements could boil over and explode at any given time. He’d definitely have to be careful!

Charlotte was making herself coffee.

Lance was in the library reading quietly. Ash liked quiet. Besides, Lance creeped him out…

Especially with that incident.

Two days ago, Ash had caught Lance with an unfortunate swimmer who had trespassed upon their island… and now he wished he hadn’t!

Lance hadn’t listened to the excuses of being lost.

Ash winced as Lance disemboweled the poor unfortunate. He turned his eyes away before he saw anything else…

But on his way back to the castle, he saw Lance shoot him a half-smile at him! That was very odd....

Scary!

“Well, well… what have we here?” Lance drawled.

The swimmer shot a defiant look out of her large green eyes. “I’m here to capture the legendary Moltres! Stand aside!”

It was the wrong island for moltres, but that wasn’t the point.

Lance’s eyes narrowed until they were slits of gold. “Oh?” He asked.

Juliet nodded.

“Shall we wager on a battle?”

“You’re on! Go, Dewgong!”

“Hakuryuu…”

Lance’s Dragonair answered his call and tore Dewgong to bits. Juliet looked positively stricken at the sight.

“Y-you murderer! I choose you, Hoppip!”

“Ice Beam…”

Dewgong wasn’t… well, all right. Lance smirked as Juliet fainted, before he dispelled his illusions. Dewgong was alive and well…

“Leave and never return.” Lance warned, eyes flaring brightly.

The pokemon nodded and escaped.

End Chapter

Completed 1/17/05

Started 1/7/05

Lance: So this isn’t romance?

Phantomness: I guess not!