And… another chapter

Random thoughts: U.S. = horrible healthcare. Stupid nurse hurt my arm while I was donating blood. Been in agony for weeks. Going to see doctor. Would Lance call for human health reform? Nah, prolly pokemon…

Chapter 18

Lava… thick, boiling, viscous lava flowed over and everywhere, boiling the seawater to a frothing mass. It was almost… alive.

Almost… but not quite…

“What do we do now?”

Lance’s eyes were flashing between blue and gold as Ash watched. Finally, he spoke. < The wand is in there… >

< Oh! Well, you have legendary blood, right? I’ll cover… >

Lance shook his head. “Me? I don’t have anything of that sort. You do.”

< Eh?! >

“What, you didn’t know?”

“Of course I didn’t know! I mean – that means – hey, which bird am I related to anyways? Or cat? Or eevee? Or…”

< You are Honou’s child. >

Ash gaped. That voice! “Lugia!?”

< I’m right here… > Lance’s amulet pulsed, as Lugia appeared. Ash took a step back, quite worried.

< Do not worry, Red… I mean you no harm. We were both mistaken. Can you forgive me? >

“Um… yes?”

< Excellent. > Lugia gave Ash a warm smile. < Well, now… Lance, you’re wrong. You do have legendary blood. >

“Whose?”

< Why… mine of course. Didn’t you know? >

Lance nearly fell over into the lava at this announcement. < Nani?! >

< Oh, yes. Your father was my son. So technically you’re my grandson. Isn’t that interesting? I thought there was something familiar about you… >

Lance was still in shock.

Lugia patted him on the back and vanished back into the necklace. Ash decided that now would be a good time to shock Lance, so he did.

“R-red!”

Ash broke off the kiss, brushing brightly. Oops. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea… but it’d snapped Lance out of his trance all right!

Lance looked ready to faint… before he gripped Ash ‘round the waist and kissed him back. Hard.

“Eep.”

“You play, I’ll play.” Lance grinned. “Shall we?”

“We’re just going to jump into the lava?”

< Well, our legendary blood ought to protect us. >

< O-okay… >

< Besides, my Dragonair know a trick in case we don’t… well, in case the protection doesn’t work. >

< Oh good. We have a backup plan. >

< Trust me, we do. >

Ash clung onto Lance tightly as they jumped. Surprisingly, the lava didn’t hurt at all… it was just… warm, not even hot. Weird!

He could have sworn it felt like warm water. Was the lava an illusion then? But heat wasn’t an illusion, was it?

Was it?

They landed. The Shrine waited. Ash stepped in, and returned in seconds, the Wand of the Water Guardian in his hands.

A quick teleport back to Mew’s locale, and they were free… right?

For now…

“So, why did you kiss me?”

“Um… to shock you?”

“Didn’t quite work out, did it?” Ash eeped as Lance circled closer around him, like… a shark about to eat a minnow.

Was Lance mad now? This was not good…

“Um…”

“Pity, though.” Lance sighed dramatically. “You probably like girls better.”

“No I don’t! Girls are icky and annoying! Well, most of them anyways…”

Lance raised an eyebrow. “So you like boys?”

“Ah!” By now, Ash was a tomato. “Look, that was just a one-time-thing… really! I mean- eep.”

Lance was now invading his personal space, one hand reached up to stroke Ash’s cheek. “Are you sure?”

< Quit teasing him, Lance. >

< Lugia-san… >

“Well! I mean! I admire you, but I don’t want to have sex yet!” Ash burst out.

Lance’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. “… What?”

“Oh, you didn’t want to do that?”

“I’m not one to jump in bed with just anyone just anytime.” Lance said. “Friends, ne?” He held out his hand.

Ash shook and they smiled. Who knew what might come next?

Romance?

Whatever it was, it was kind of nice.

“Lance?”

“Yes, Red?”

“Er… you kissed me back, didn’t you?”

“You noticed?”

“Of course I noticed! It was nice – er, I didn’t mean to say that!”

“Baka! Kissing is supposed to feel nice! But I won’t do it again if you don’t want me to.”

“I didn’t mean that! I was just surprised. Besides, I have a feeling we’ll be spending a lot of time together in the future.”

“Ne, you’re the psychic, so I’ll wager your prediction true.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet of you!”

“… Did you just kiss me again?”

“Yep! Payback!”

“Why you little…”

Mew, Mewtwo, the birds, and the cats watched as the two chased each other into the sunset, still laughing.

< So… to their future? > Mewtwo asked, holding up a glass of wine.

< Toast! > Honou nodded, a glass of wine in his wing. < May they live happily and well. >

< They’ve done a lot for us legendaries, I think they’ll enjoy life now. > Suicune studied the Wand of the Water Guardian, brightly glowing. < Yes, I think their future will be happy. >

< Who can tell time? > Serebii asked. * Besides me. * < Don’t worry, I think that everything will work out fine. They may walk through fire, but they’ll make it out alive, and that’s what counts. >

< Cheers! > Several other voices chorused, as glasses clinked. Yes, that was all that mattered.

End Chapter

COMPLETE STORY!

Completed 2/24/05