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 8
They sipped
their tea in silence for a few moments, before
“Do you feel sorry for him?”
“For Ash?” Lance smiled. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“He knows now.” Lance sighed. “He saw all the horrible things I’ve done – every broken promise, every stab in the back, every false smile…”
“No.”
Lance’s smile slipped just a fraction. “Does it matter?”
“Perhaps
not to them,”
“They will cry the tears he will not.” Lance agreed. “But why should he?”
“You only showed him one side of the story, one side of every story.”
“He does not need to know the other side, Charlotte. It’s unimportant.”
“True,
strictly speaking. Emotionally, well…”
“I know.” The Dragon Master tightened his fingers around the rim of the cup. “I know. And it haunts me, but if I did not love him, I would not be sitting here drinking tea with you now!”
“No.”
“I think Ash will be happy enough. He’s not that demanding, and he’s cute and kind – some girl must find it attractive.”
“Or some boy?”
“If he’s into that, so be it.”
Lance shook his head. “That’s too difficult. She’s psychic, yes, but she was his guardian once. That could… complicate things.”
“You’re afraid that contact with her would bring his other memories to the surface. The ones you didn’t bring back.”
Lance gave a curt nod.
Finding the tea still not sweet enough, Charlotte added two more lumps of sugar and a hefty dose of cream, ignoring Lance’s scandalized look, which was quickly replaced by a mild amusement.
“You planted false memories too, didn’t you?”
“Of course
I did,
“I would think not. And who did you splice in?”
“No one,” Lance said honestly. “All his happy experiences are with pokemon. I’m not even sure he recognizes or remembers you.”
“So much
the better,”
Lance caught the thought and frowned. “That would be unfair to us all, wouldn’t it?”
“Quite.” She agreed. “I hope Ash will be happy. But Lance…”
“I do not think I deserve to be happy. I did rape him.” Lance pointed out. “And no matter how my strings are tugged, I will not break so easily.”
“Perhaps it
is better this way.”
“You cast the cards, didn’t you?”
“I did not need to. The creeping has gotten steadily closer. I refuse to waste and wither away. That would overly complicate matters.”
“Wait, but…” Lance glanced up at her, startled. “You cannot call the Shield! It would undo all my preparations!”
“I can
protect you.”
“But…”
“Lance, I
don’t love you. You know that the regard I feel for you is that of a fellow
Lance did not know what to say. He knew that she was willing to lay down her life for Ash, but for him?
He felt oddly chastened.
He opened his mouth to speak again, but she cut him off.
“Lance, trust me. You deserve it more than he does. I can only hope that this test is not in vain. For if it is, the winds will cry our story and I shall never wake again.”
She said nothing else, as she shuddered, and moments later he felt the strange, golden hum of the Sacred Shield manifest around him.
Humbled, Lance felt the pulsing magic settle, and prepared for the worst.
He had no doubt that Ash would feel the change, and confront him.
It did not matter.
He tossed back the rest of the tea and went to pour himself a glass of wine. Truly, it did not matter.
He was not surprised when Ash stormed in.
“What happened?” The trainer demanded, followed by a growling Mightyena and Absol, quite a handsome pair. “I felt something tilt, Lance!”
“She died.” Lance said.
“Who died?” Ash snapped.
“A girl –
the first and eldest of the
Ash glared at him, unsatisfied with the explanation, but not wanting to spend more time around Lance then he had to. “And?”
“You need not worry. I am perfectly capable of Balancing.”
“I don’t trust you to do it.” Ash snapped, but he was not going to give up his life to some delusion that the Pokemon World was in grave danger. He’d taken care of all the evil Teams, and if Lance was going to be a right prick then it was none of his concern. It wasn’t like he loved Lance or anything.
No, he hated Lance, hated what he had done, and Lance had no right to touch him like that. No one did!
He knew now from his memories, that Lance was a terrible, dangerous, manipulative person, but for some perverse reason, the legendary pokemon allowed him to live and be reborn. Hmph! What a waste of life.
Well, he didn’t care about Lance. They didn’t need to speak or talk, ever!
“You don’t have to trust me.”
“Damn right I don’t.” Ash flounced out. “I wish you’d just die. The Pokemon World would be safer without you, bastard.”
Lance said nothing in reply, and it was not until he knew Ash was gone that he sighed, and felt the Sword throb beneath his skin, hot and bright.
Soon… very soon, it would be time…
End Chapter
Completed
Remember,
I swear,
The legendary pokemon are testing Ash, in case that’s not clear. They’re trying to see if he’s pure enough to love Lance, despite everything. Guess they’ll be disappointed! *Cackles*