I do hope inspiration comes soon!

Disclaimer/Notes: I’m not putting them in here. Already did in chapter 1

Chapter 6

I’m scared, okay? I’ll admit it. It’s not a sissy thing to do!

Ash sighed.

He knew that he shouldn’t feel scared, but he was! There was nothing he could do to change the fact! So what if he was a guardian? Well, that changed nothing!

Charlotte was knitting.

It had only been a week or two since the announcement, but now Ash was bored. Very bored… it seemed that it was time to learn some new hobby besides pokemon training. But what was he supposed to do for four years?!

Twiddle his thumbs and sit around?

So he wasn’t patient. Screw patience! He wanted action! How could the others stand this mediocrity of life? Ugh…

Ash decided that there was only one way to deal with the problem. Sleep of death… he set the alarm for four years, wove the cocoon of lightning, and then went to bed… and waited…

But things never go to plan.

“Why am I awake?”

Charlotte handed him a cup of hot chocolate and pointed out the window. Ash eeped. The sky was pink!

How on earth did that happen?

“So… er… how long was I in hibernation sleep?”

“Only about a week,” Charlotte said truthfully. “As for the pink sky none of us know… it seems abnormal.”

“It is abnormal.” Ash muttered.

“Well, what can we do? We were forbidden to interfere for four years.” Lance cut in. He smirked at Ash, who shivered.

Did Lance enjoy unnerving him? So weird…

The legendary birds did not send new summons. In fact, there was no contact. After two weeks, Lance dialed Articuno, and realized what had happened.

Team Rocket had killed the legendaries.

They hadn’t meant to, but their poke – Master balls had been so strong that the instant the thought of rebellion crossed the captured pokemon’s mind, it would suffocate.

Poor, poor pokemon…

Of course, within hours they had realized their folly, but by now, the three birds were dead…

Lugia hid deep beneath the sea, unwilling to come up and face the world.

What could the Chosen do?

Serebii was horrified. This line of time would fall if the legendaries stayed dead. The prophecy had to be rewritten!

Perhaps…

With a thought, she began writing… and so, if ever the first triad fell, there was the second, and the third to fall back on…

Herself, Honou, Lugia…

Entei, Suicune, and Raikou…

This was the only way to go…

It happened to Lance first, as it were. Lance was rather horrified when he found out that he had changed forms, into a little blonde girl! She still had the ice wings though, and that was when Serebii explained.

Now that Articuno was dead, Lance’s form as Ice guardian was just about lost, which was why the spell to change her into a teenage boy had worn off. However, Lugia allowed Lance to keep male form as Dragon Master, which was lucky, because Lance would have wreaked havoc otherwise.

Ash thought Lance’s girl form was kawaii, but he didn’t’ say so… as for his second form, yes, it was Hope, so it was nice…

Charlotte’s second form was the same as her ‘first form’, since ‘Wind Messenger’ turned out to be her first. Odd…

Still, it had to go…

She was the first of them to reach third form – but that only lasted about 2 minutes before Honou undid it.

Obviously no one had considered that ‘light’ and fire, although a good mix of power, could snap someone’s mind.

That left Lugia unwilling to allow Lance third form, trusting that ‘dark’ would probably be just as bad…

And so, the rift between Fire and Ice only deepened further…

Time passed…

The two steadfastly ignored each other, an amazing feat when they had to eat together three meals ad ay, scarce three feet from one another. Ash would talk to them both, but never at the same time.

He kind of felt sorry for Lance… what horrible thing had happened? People do not just randomly cut off their emotions.

He wanted to help Lance.

Charlotte didn’t understand this. She thought Lance liked being cold. Well, maybe he did, but still!

He couldn’t just watch and do nothing!

Plus, Lance tolerated him. He reprimanded him for wasting his magic on trivial things like pretty lights, but he didn’t hate him.

That counted for something, right?

“Er… Lance?”

The Dragon Master turned to face the younger guardian. “Something disturbs you, Ash?”

“Um… yes. I mean, why don’t you and Charlotte get along? Is it just your conflicting elements?”

Lance’s eyes immediately hardened. “Do not ask.”

“I-I’m sorry!”

Ash fled to Charlotte’s room. Charlotte looked up from where she was grooming her Ninetales with a frown. “Ash?”

“Why do you fight with Lance all the time?”

“I… have we fought?”

Ash blinked. “Oh! Well, not for a few weeks, not since he froze you solid, but the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife!”

“I know, I’m not helping, am I?”

“Er… no?”

“I can’t help it! I guess maybe it’s just instinct, but we should be above this.” She groaned. “I just feel the urge to burn him…”

“Well, you did say he had ice blood.”

“I’m quite certain of it…”

“Why don’t you just *try* to be nicer?”

“Why aren’t you asking Lance about this?”

Ash gave Charlotte a look. * Do you think I’m that stupid? *

“Point taken, Ash, point taken. I’m sorry.”

“Maybe I’ll try talking to him,” *like when I have a death wish! *

“Well, I’ll try to be civil at dinner tonight, and we’ll see.”

“Thanks…”

But why do I even care about Lance, Ash wondered, as he walked to his room. His eyes widened as he walked in.

End Chapter

Completed 4/15/05

Phantomness: Damn, I *was* majorly blocked on this, wasn’t I?

Shoyko: *nods*

Lance: …

Ash: …