Aight, new fic! Vampire! Lance ^^
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
Pairing: Championshipping (Ash x Lance)
Timeline: Spins off pre ‘Island of the Giant Pokemon’ episode, but the S.S. Anne has sunk. I know, cheap. ^^
Note that I tend to refer to people by what gender others perceive them as. For example, if Lance is a girl disguised as a boy, she’s referred to as ‘he’ and ‘him’, etcetera.
Title: Nocturne
Chapter 1
Ash Ketchum had no sense of direction. Ever. Ever since he was little, he’d had the penchant for getting lost. Delia fretted the first few times. Then she got used to it. He’d vanish for a few days, come trotting back happy and healthy, often accompanied by a lonely mother with her own son (or daughter) or children off on their pokemon journeys already. They were more than happy to take in a smiling black-haired child for a short time. After all, the Kanto and Johto regions limited births to two children per household, unless there was a multiple birth, in which case, two births were allowed… and for example, that was why the Cerulean City Gym had four gym leaders.
Then there were times when pokemon brought him home, sticky with honey and berry juice, but those were less frequent. As he grew up, his sense of direction improved, and when he was eleven, he barely got lost at all, which was why Delia had thought it safe to send him on his pokemon journey.
She fretted over him though, and now was one of those times. The S.S. Anne had sunk, and her son… her son was – he hadn’t managed to make it off safely…
Why her child?
All right, there were two or three other casualties, but her son was gone! It wasn’t quite fair, but when was life ever fair?
She allowed Professor Oak to lead her home before she broke down.
He almost didn’t recognize himself when he woke up. He was lying in some sort of cave, fairly large, and the walls were sparkling with multicolored rainbow crystals. He was lying on a grayish blanket…
He caught sight of himself in the polished reflection of the stone floor and gaped. His eyes were a blinding red with flecks of gold, and his hair – his hair resembled a bonfire! What – what was going on?
What was going on?
“I see you’re awake…”
He jumped. He didn’t recognize the person coming in. He had reddish hair streaked with gold and silver and golden eyes, and he was wearing a black bodysuit and red-lined black cloak…
“Who are you?”
A fanged grin was his answer. “Lance Dragyn.”
“Lance? You mean you’re the Leader of the Elite four? Wow! Wait, where am I? Where are we? I can’t really remember what happened…”
“You were on the S.S. Anne, do you remember that much?”
Yes, he remembered…
He’d been wandering around, talking to trainers – run into a nice girl with dark hair and psychic powers, she’d told his fortune…
“You will do great things and become an exceptional trainer… but you’ll also find your soul mate soon, and that may deter your path…”
Then, he’d gone and battled a man who was showing off his Raticate – Brock had persuaded him to trade Butterfree for it, but – but now he remembered! He’d gotten Butterfree back before the ship had…
His memories stopped there. Yes, he remembered a crash, and being thrown to the ground, sprawled across the painted deck, but that was all… odd. He didn’t feel any pain now. How long had he been out? Had his injuries healed already?
“The S.S. Anne has sunk. You would have been dead had I not chanced upon you – you floated to the surface, luckily, and found you.”
“Oh!” Ash blushed. “Thank you for saving my life!”
But he still didn’t know what was wrong….
“Tis nothing.” Another fanged grin came from the Dragon Master as he scanned Ash. No, no damage. It had worked after all…
“Er… Lance?”
“Yes, ask away.”
“I don’t hurt anymore. What happened? Er… and my hair and eyes are a different color now. Do you know what’s wrong?”
The Dragon Master had been expecting this. “Don’t worry. I’ve purged you of all your dirty human blood – there’s phoenix and pokemon and a bit of nymph or sprite in you, but you’re fine now.”
“Um… wait, what?”
Lance paused. “Have you ever heard of vampires?” Ash’s hands shot to his throat at the question, but he felt nothing. No bite marks. Phew…
“Y-yes?” Was Lance a vampire?
“Well, I’ve changed you – you’ve got a bit of that in you now, too.”
“Wait! But I don’t want to drink blood! What have you done to me?” Ash looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His hands began to tremble. * What – what did he do to me? *
“Bit difficult, you’ve been feeding for weeks now.”
“Huh?”
“Changing you was the only way to save your life. Your lungs were full of water, collapsed, your mind had already shut down… unless you wanted to die?”
Ash paled. “No-no! Nothing like that, but still!”
“But still…?”
“Couldn’t you have – and I don’t understand what you say. I have no more blood now? Oh no! I’m a living zombie! Someone help me!”
“Will you be silent and listen to my explanation?” The trainer snapped. Ash colored and looked down, chastised.
“As I said – your human part is dead – whatever’s not I leeched out of you anyways. You have phoenix blood, pokemon blood – I’d wager you’re one of Moltres or Honou’s bastard children or grandchildren…”
“Huh?”
“So that was easy. You also have a touch of fire sprite in you, and that’s why you still look relatively human.”
“I’m confused…”
“Basically, you’re not human any longer. You’re part-vampire, part fire sprite, and part pokemon. That enough information?”
It took several moments for the information to sink in, but Ash finally nodded. Lance smiled.
“Good…. Now that we’ve got that cleared up, I can start teaching you what to do now. Life’s going to be quite different…”
“I – I have to go home and see my mom!”
“One thing at a time…”
“She doesn’t think I’m dead, does she?”
“Actually, she does.” Lance pointed to the far wall, where a large mirror of polished silver glinted. “See?”
It had been almost five, perhaps even six months after the ship had sunk after all… so her thinking him dead was not that unusual.
Ash paled. He did not need to know – didn’t need to see that his mom had gone and adopted another boy who was now living in his room!
Was she that anxious to replace him?
Would – would she even want him back now?
Did he have anywhere else to go?
It wasn’t Lance’s fault! If it weren’t for him, Ash would be dead now… the Pallet Trainer turned to face the Champion with a painful grimace.
“I know.”
“I-I can I stay here with you? I can’t go home now….” Even if his mom did want him back, what would they do about the other boy? Where would he live now?
Seeing the other child in his pikachu-print pajamas at his desk using his computer was too much to bear!
It hurt…
Why did it hurt so much?
She as his mom… she was! That made no sense – it really didn’t, so why had she adopted someone else? Didn’t she miss him at all?
Did anyone care about him?
“Lance… I can stay, right?”
“Of course you can.”
“Thank you…”
Ash sighed as he closed his eyes. What a day… “Lance? What happened to my pokemon? Are they – are they dead?”
“Your Squirtle and Butterfree survived. The rest… I’m sorry, Ash. I couldn’t save them.” Ash paled.
“I…I see…”
“Sleep now. It’s been a long day.”
Against his better judgment, Ash slept. He felt so sleepy…
Lance watched as he fell asleep before she smiled wanly. It was all right. He’d adapt… Ash was strong, despite his foolish actions and appearance at times…
< So early, child? >
< Father…. I didn’t want him to die. >
< True, true, and Honou thanks you. You didn’t have to save Ash. >
< Oh, true, but what of it? He’ll owe me now, and he’ll remember it. Eventually, it will be the right time… >
Lugia and Articuno smiled.
Lance was their child, she had dragon and psychic from Lugia, ice and flying from Articuno – then, she had gotten her vampire powers from Agatha, perhaps six months before she became the Leader of the Elite Four. She had been trapped with the ghost master inside a collapsing building, and unconscious, could not heal, and the ghost master had sensed potential in the trainer and so had bitten and changed her…
That bite had awoken Lance’s hidden power – Dark type, and also given her Ghost and Poison abilities from her ‘second mother’, as it were. Well, Agatha was more of a grandmother, but still…
Beautiful child.
End Chapter
Completed 7/18/05
Phantomness: Yay! A Plotbunny!
Lance: *sighs*
Ash: So… hmm… interesting beginning at least…