Whee! Another chapter!

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*

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

Chapter 6

 

            “Lance!”

            He heard their voices, but he did not turn… they believed him a traitor in any case, and now, he didn’t quite care anymore.

            “Lance! Even if you’re my brother, this is going too far! What have you done?” Misty screamed.

            He turned to face her, golden eyes narrowed. “And you who are my sister, what have you done? You were the one who attempted to murder me. So lucky that Morty accidentally killed another instead.”

            “They’re related?” Ash asked Gary in a whisper.

            “Half-siblings, Lance is older by a few years… I think.”

            “I see….”

 

            “I claim no kin of yours, sister dearest.” Lance spat. “Didn’t you know? You’re adopted!”

            “What? That-that can’t be!”

            “Of course it can be! Remember the prophecy of the Seven who shall change the world? The psychic and ghost whose true allegiance is hidden, the ground and the lightning who shall support the shadow, and the lord of ice? And finally, the dragon child, who shall call upon the Sacred Sword?”

            “So?”

            “If you can’t figure something so simple out, then you cannot ever hope to stop me.” Lance smiled.

            “I always knew you were a traitor!” Pryce shouted. “Dewgong! Piloswine! Use Icy Wind!”

            Despite his cane, he was still quite active…

            Lance laughed. “What can you hope to achieve, my dear Lord of Ice? Kyogre still rages, does she not? And look!”

            Several yards away, the Red and Blue orbs still rested in their respective shrines, untouched.

            “What? Then you’re not controlling Kyogre?”

            “Archie certainly tried, but I’m afraid the effort killed him.” Lance shrugged. “Didn’t you know?”

            “No.” Misty spat. “You’re trying to deceive us.”

            “Believe what you will, Misty.’

            “Why – how could you betray us?”

            “How have I betrayed you?”

            “You summoned Kyogre!”

 

            “Wait! Don’t you have proof?” Ash asked Misty. “Maybe if you show him, he’ll repent or at least confess?”

            “Suicune contacted me saying that you would not give up the Sacred Sword! If that’s not treason, I don’t know what is!” Misty yelled.

            Lance scowled, pleasant expression vanishing in an eye blink. “What do you know of the Sacred Sword?”

            “You have it hidden somewhere!”

            “Well, that I cannot deny, however…”

            “However?” Pryce’s voice had gone shrill, wondering why his two pokemon refused to attack. They just looked at him uncomprehendingly.

            “I ask again – what do you know of the Sacred Sword?”

            “You will hand it over or suffer the consequences.” Gary stated, no trace of humor or even idle boasting in his voice.

            “Well, you may try and take it from me by force…”

            “Please?” Ash stepped forwards, ignoring the quizzical looks. Simply asking couldn’t hurt could it? Surely… Lance wasn’t that cold-hearted? “Can’t you just lend it to us, if nothing else? We won’t need it for long…”

            “I…”

 

            Before Lance could say more, a blast of water knocked all to the ground.

            A shaking woman with dark purplish hair in a bodysuit – dark blue, Team Aqua, stood there. “Lance! I always though something was off about you!”

            The Dragon Master got to his feet quite easily, brushing at several wet spots. “Oh, and I thought that was only because I never returned your advances.”

            “Damn it, Lance, how could you!”

            “Ever heard of Double-cross, dear?”

            Isabelle faltered. “W-what? You’re…”

            “You’re…!” Pryce roared to his feet. “You two! Why aren’t you attacking him?”

            Piloswine and Dewgong still steadfastly refused to move.

 

            “I’ll deal with this myself!” Misty yelled. “Raikou, Zapdos, combine your thunder attacks and do Megavolt!”

            Isabelle screamed as Lance used her as a human shield. She dropped rather limply to the ground as the man smirked.

            “Well then, now can we talk?”

            “How do we know to trust you?”

            “You’ll just have to, I suppose.” Lance shrugged.
            Ash looked at him with pleading eyes, and the trainer shrugged. “I suppose it can’t hurt…”

            He would have said more, again, but Pryce had proved himself amazingly proficient and had managed to run the Dragon Master through with the short sword concealed in his cane while Lance was debating.

            Gary and Misty both blinked.

            Sabrina sighed inwardly. This was not good…

 

            Lance’s lips parted in what might have been a scream, but only silence came before he fell. Ash managed to catch him, being the closest.

            “Are you all right?”

            “… I have a sword through my torso, so no. In any case, I suppose this is as good a time as any.” Lance said, as he looked at Ash. “A word of warning. Do back away, you’ll get blood all over your clothes otherwise.”

            Ash hastily complied, and Lance carefully traced a line down his chest with a single finger, from collarbone to navel, before he laughed bitterly. That laugh quickly changed into a grimace of pain as the expensive cloth and pale skin split clean apart under his motions, and from his body emerged a slender rapier, silver, bearing no ornament save the simple hilt, covered with blood…

            With a final tug, the weapon wrenched itself free of Lance’s body and the Dragon Master crumpled, eyes glassy and open.

            He was dead of course.

            Ash tried to block the horrible image from his eyes, but could not help his body’s reaction, and began retching into a convenient bush.

            Misty looked flabbergasted, Gary looked uneasy, Pryce suddenly felt a strange surge of guilt, and Sabrina…

            She closed her eyes upon the scene. < She’s done it… >

 

End Chapter

Completed 5/23/05

Lance: … you killed me again?

Phantomness: *shrugs*

Ash: Phantomness…

Phantomness: I like darkfic