I’m not smiling, are you?
*cursing physics professor*
Chapter 11
< How on earth are we going to find the Chosen One? All we know is that… well, I don’t even know how we’re supposed to stop this prophecy! >
Lorelei listened to Agatha rant patiently. “I don’t know either.”
Ash stirred, waking up. < ‘Neesan? >
< No, young one. >
Ash blinked. < A-agatha! >
< You’ve heard of me then? >
< Hai! Sabrina oneesan is a fan of yours. >
“That’s interesting, I didn’t know Sabrina had a younger brother.” Lorelei smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too!” Ash grinned. “We just found out a little while ago.” * That’s true… *
Suddenly, his eyes went completely blank.
“Ash?”
“Back away, Lorelei.” Agatha warned. * Possession… something has taken control of this boy! At his age, he probably can’t fight off psychic manipulation too well… * A flick of her wrist released Haunter and Gengar.
Ash did not look at them though. He began to float in midair. Then, he opened his mouth to speak.
“ARTICUNO! ZAPDOS! MOLTRES! STOP THAT FIGHTING THIS INSTANT!” As he spoke, a waterspout rose from the sea, parting to reveal – Lugia!
Mist glittered as the great guardian of the seas rose to quell the titan’s clashing.
Lorelei nearly tripped over herself in shock. “He-he’s!”
“I can’t believe he was right under our eyes and we didn’t realize he was the Chosen One.” Agatha added. “Well, now what?”
“I don’t know…”
“Ancient spheres…” Ash murmured, now back in control of his body again. “Do you two know what the ancient spheres are?”
“Could they be poke balls?” Lorelei wondered. “If you capture all three of them… then that would tame Lugia, right, because then they would stop fighting.”
Red nodded. “That’s probably it.”
As he watched, all three birds quickly began to slow their attacks. It was about time…
Three poke balls whistled through the air, capturing the three beasts of legend. Red sighed in relief and watched as Lugia sank beneath the waves. There!
Now the trouble was over, wasn’t it?
With a smile, he picked up the three – now his pokemon, and teleported back to Saffron…
< That did not work out the way it was supposed to. > Mew murmured.
We need a backup plan.
< We do have a backup plan. > Rayquaza said a shade arrogantly. < The Chosen One is not the only one who can tame the beast of the sea. >
You mean?
< Yes… so can the Dragon Master. >
But there is no dragon master! Regirock protested. At least there wasn’t one-!
There’s one now… Raikou muttered. He’s in Johto.
< Call him then. >
Lance woke from a sound sleep, automatically reaching for Aerodactyl’s poke ball. It was awfully dark wherever he was…
< Dragon Master… >
“Whom are you talking to?”
< You. >
Lance stepped backwards as a Mew appeared in front of him. < Follow me. >
Lance curiously followed Mew until Mew led him to a cavern where Lugia slept.
< Dragon Master… you must tame the beast of the seas. >
Lance blinked. * What? *
< Ere the world will be destroyed… >
“What? Why me? And why would Lugia want to destroy the world?”
< Lugia is angered now that the Chosen One has played him false. You must soothe him. >
“And how do I do that?” So this was some bizarre dream. Fine. He could deal with that. He stepped forwards towards the white dragon…
Blue eyes dark snapped up to meet him.
Lance held out his hands placating. With a sigh, Lugia allowed the human to come closer. He shouldn’t trust humans.
After all, the Chosen One had left him for dead! But this was not the Chosen One. This was…
Silversteel glittered in that gaze…
Dragon Master.
Yes, now looking closer, he saw the silversteel jewelry that marked one as Dragon Master, glittering at the man’s wrists and throat. And the jewelry did not harm him, which meant he was truly the one.
Very well then, he would trust once more.
Lance walked closer to Lugia, feeling the emotions radiating off the psychic pokemon. Fear, Anger, Shame, Confusion…
But there was a spark of hope in there as well.
“I will not abandon you, Lugia-san.” Lance said politely.
Anger at humans but hope that this one will be different…
Please be different?
Lance stepped closer, slightly…
“I will protect you…”
Hope stronger…
“I will love you…”
Warmth. Emotions that were warm…
“And as Dragon Master, I will be bound to you until the end of time…” He whispered, as he laid his hands on the pokemon’s wings.
Lance’s golden eyes flashed as the ritual completed. With a sigh, Lugia vanished into the blue gem on the necklace Lance wore.
Lance dropped to his knees almost immediately afterwards.
< You all right? > Mew asked.
Lance’s eyes blazed blue for several long moments, as with an agonized cry, the Champion collapsed.
Hold him down! Suicune yelled, running over.
Raikou and Entei hurriedly did the same as they pinned the struggling human down. With a strangled shriek, wings of white feathers exploded out of the Dragon Master’s back, extending until they were eight feet in wingspan.
The pain was enough to knock the Chosen out.
< It is completed. > Lugia’s voice sounded satisfied. < As he is not dead, I shall accept him for now. >
In the dark of the night, a posse of Chansey hurriedly worked over the ailing patient, but by dawn’s first light, he was awake, and fully healed.
“You should have warned me.” Lance said, eyes golden-blue. So. Both of them were talking through him.
“But it is no matter. We shall be safe now…”
End Chapter
Completed 2/21/05